The death of five men working for Hawkeswood Metal Recycling plant have sent shockwaves through the Gambian community in Birmingham.
The five men, originally from Gambia, died on Thursday morning when a wall collapsed at a recycling site in the Nechells area of Birmingham, said West Midlands Police.
Members of the community rushed to the plant when they heard the news. The men were Muslims, even though work was under way to recover their bodies as at press time, they have since been buried in accordance with their faith. The fire service said it was working alongside other emergency services “to recover bodies as soon as possible in a dignified way”.
A West Midlands Fire Service spokesperson said it would take “several hours” to recover the bodies of the deceased as they were dealing with a “challenging scene” where the “structure was still “unstable”.
A friend of one of the victims, Lang Dampha said two of the dead were lodgers in his apartment and he had known one of them since childhood. “I feel sad about it. We come from the same town, Noo-Kunda in Gambia. The man’s wife and family are due to arrive in the UK,” he said.
Ansumana Barrow, President of the Gambian Association, based in the Ladywood area of Birmingham said he was notified about the wall collapse at Hawkeswood Metal, Nechells, while at work.
“Everybody is sad,” he said. “The deceased are bread winners of their families and that’s why they are here in United Kingdom.” “We’ll see how best we can help their respective families with counselling, or helping them financially. It all depends on what they need.” Prime Minister David Cameron has expressed “shock” by the death of five metal workers in Birmingham. On his twitter handle, the PM: wrote, “Shocked to hear about the tragedy in Birmingham. My thoughts are with the families of those involved.” Labour MP for Ladywood, Shabana Mahmood, says: “This is devastating news for the families of those killed and my thoughts and prayers go out to them. “Nothing will bring their loved ones back but the families of those who have been killed will want answers, they will want to understand what has happened here.” Dantra Sillah, a sympathiser and cousin to one of the five workers, who spoke with BBC outside the recyling plant said all of the deceased were from different families but knew each other through the mosque. “We were very happy yesterday during the Eid celebrations. It is very sad. We don’t have any clear information.” A ‘thorough investigation’ is under way, according to West Midlands Police, and it is a ‘traumatic process’. Employees at the site where the five men died, have been described as “very upset.” A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson said it “was a very difficult scene to work on.” He added: “We had to bring in heavy lifting equipment. There were a number of hazards we had to resolve. “A huge wall comprised of concrete blocks, estimated to weigh about 1.5 tonnes each, collapsed on the men”, says Det Supt Mark Payne of West Midlands Police. It was bearing scrap metal which also fell on them after the wall gave way.
“It was a difficult and complex scene,” he said, estimating the wall to be 12 to 15ft high. The community rallied to help bereaved families but can only hope the bodies will be recovered on time. The careful, delicate work of the emergency workers may last several days. With additional reports from the BBC.
