Two men have died at Banham Poultry in Norfolk, in what police have described as an industrial accident. The contractors who were in their 30s and 40s respectively, are understood to have been killed in a chemical spill.
Police were called to the scene at about 1.10am on 4 October, following reports two subcontractors working on the site from a pest control company had been found dead.
Detective Chief Inspector Stu Chapman said: “On behalf of Norfolk Police and other emergency services, I offer my condolences to the friends and families of the men killed in this incident and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
“Colleagues from Norfolk Fire Service continue to make the scene safe so that detailed investigations can begin between police, fire, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), to understand the circumstances which lead to the men’s deaths.”
The tragic incident came just a day after the future of Banham Poultry was thrown into doubt, after the firm announced it was seeking a buyer in order to secure the 1,000 jobs at the firm. The two incidences are unconnected.
The business is one of Norfolk’s biggest employers but following a difficult summer when feed prices rose the company decided to try and find a buyer.
The news was broken by the mid-Norfolk MP, George Freeman who tweeted on 2 October incorrectly that the firm had entered administration. He later corrected himself but revealed if a buyer could not be found Lloyds bank would push for the firm to be placed in administration.
Chief executive Martyn Bromley said the company had received two offers from potential buyers.
“When I look those employees in the eye, I know that they are looking at me to save their souls,” he told the East Anglian Daily Times.
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