£5 Million Fine for Gas Firm After Fatal Explosion in West Yorkshire
A deadly gas explosion in Mirfield has cost Northern Gas Networks Ltd a hefty £5 million fine after a woman lost her life.
Fire and Tragedy on Huddersfield Road
On 11 February 2019, West Yorkshire Fire Service rushed to Huddersfield Road, Mirfield, following a devastating fire and explosion. Inside the burning property, firefighters found Elena Frunza. Despite emergency treatment at Pinderfields General Hospital, Elena sadly died the next day.
Fatal Flaw in Gas Network Records
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation revealed a fractured six-inch cast iron gas main running beneath the road as the explosion source. Shockingly, this main was missing from Northern Gas Networks’ official plans. This lapse meant the pipe went unmaintained, breaching safety regulations.
Massive Fine and Warning to Industry
Northern Gas Networks Ltd, based in Leeds, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Besides the £5 million fine, the company must pay costs of £91,487.
“This incident, that put the lives of the elderly residents of a care home at risk and cost a homeowner her life, has highlighted a failure by Northern Gas Networks Limited to follow their own safety procedures,” said HSE inspector Neil Casey. “Other gas network operators should take the opportunity to learn from this tragic incident.”
