Engineering firm is fined £160,000 for breaching health and safety laws after boy, 12, was crushed to death by a 32ft telegraph pole which rolled down a grass bank as he played with friends
- Keiran Esquierdo was standing on the pole on an embankment in Kelloholm
- 10-metre telegraph pole was delivered to the wrong location by SPIE Limited
- Fire crews lifted the pole but Keiran was pronounced dead at the scene in 2017
- Company admitted breaching health and safety laws at Dumfries Sheriff Court
An engineering firm has been fined £160,000 after a 12-year-old schoolboy was crushed to death by a 275kg telegraph pole.
Keiran Esquierdo was playing with friends in Kelloholm, Dumfries and Galloway, when the 32-foot long pole he was standing started rolling down a grass embankment.
The youngster was sent toppling down with it and ended up pinned against a concrete fence that had been delivered to the wrong location by SPIE Limited in October 2017.
A delivery firm has been fined £160,000 after 12-year-old schoolboy Keiran Esquierdo was crushed to death by a 275kg telegraph pole in Kelloholm, Dumfries and Galloway
His friends ran to get help and fire crews used specialist equipment to lift the pole at the scene near the Mill Hill Medical Centre.
Tragically, Keiran could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene, with a post-mortem examination later confirming asphyxia as the cause of death.
SPIE Limited admitted breaching health and safety laws at Dumfries Sheriff Court on Monday.
The company was fined £160,000, lawyers representing Keiran’s family said.
Keiran’s family paid tribute to him in a statement released through Digby Brown Solicitors and said they hope lessons can be learned from the tragedy.
They said: ‘Every day we feel Keiran’s absence and our lives will never be the same.
‘He was a beautiful, fun and popular boy, and we will continue to remember him, his laugh and the good times.
‘For the last two years we’ve waited for answers and justice as we couldn’t heal and start to think of the future without a conclusion to the past.
Kieran was pinned against a concrete fence by the pole that had been delivered to the wrong location by SPIE Limited in October 2017. Pictured: The pole at the scene in 2017
‘Now that it’s resolved we hope companies learn from our loss so other families – and also their employees – are spared the pain of having to cope with a death like this.
‘We’d finally like to thank our friends, family and our community who have been there for us through thick and thin for the last two years – your support means more than we could describe.’
Keiran was a pupil at Sanquhar Academy and was also a member of his local army cadets.
Damian White, partner at Digby Brown’s Ayr office, said: ‘What makes Keiran’s passing all the more tragic is just how avoidable it was and I commend his family for the strength, unity and composure they’ve shown through the criminal process.
SPIE Limited admitted breaching health and safety laws at Dumfries Sheriff Court on Monday. The incident happened on Glenaylmer Road in Kirkconnel, Scotland
‘Safe practices in any workplace setting are not designed to impede duties – they are designed to minimise risk, avoid accidents, in particular fatal accidents, and the needless loss of life.
‘I know it’s of little comfort to Keiran’s loved ones but at the very least I hope today’s outcome leads to improved workplace and public safety so repeat incidents do not occur.’
A SPIE spokeswoman said: ‘Firstly, as was stated in the court hearing, SPIE’s thoughts and sincere condolences go out to all the family and Kelloholm community at this difficult time.’
She added: ‘SPIE provided full co-operation to the HSE throughout the investigation. SPIE also undertook a detailed investigation of its own.
‘SPIE’s safety policies are a top priority and ensuring the safety of the public, employees, customers and suppliers is of prime importance at all times.
‘New processes were immediately put in place to ensure such an incident could not happen again.’