UK grandfather burned alive, trapped in industrial oven

Factory worker Alan Catterall died from severe burns and shock after he became trapped in an industrial oven. Photo / The Telegraph

Future son-in-law accidentally trapped Alan Catterall in industrial oven used to manufacture kayaks, switching it on to 280C and burning grandfather alive.

A grandfather was killed in a "horrific" accident after his future son-in-law accidentally trapped him in an industrial oven that reached temperatures of 280C.

Alan Catterall, 54, was burned alive inside the oven used to manufacture plastic kayaks and died from shock, a court heard.

The father of three had gone into the oven to fix a fault when operator Mark Francis, who was engaged to Mr Catterall's eldest daughter, had switched the machine on not realising he was still working inside.

The doors shut and locked and the production supervisor tried to escape using a crowbar, but because of the noisy working environment no one could have heard his cries for help, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

The victim's employers, Pyranha Mouldings Ltd., of Runcorn are on trial accused of corporate manslaughter and two directors, brothers Graham and Peter Mackereth face health and safety offences.

Alongside them at Liverpool Crown Court is Paul Keddie,49, a self-employed electrical engineer, of Llangollen, who designed and installed the electrical control systems for the oven. They all deny the allegations against them.

Andrew Thomas QC, prosecuting, said: "The circumstances of Mr Catterall's death are quite horrific.

"On the morning of the accident a fault had developed in one of the ovens and it was out of action for about an hour whilst repair work was carried out.

"The initial fault was fixed and one of the operators turned the machine back on.

"Tragically, what the operator did not realise was that Mr Catterall was still working inside the oven.

"The design of the oven was such that the moment it was switched on its power-operated doors shut and automatically locked with metal bolts on the outside.

"Mr Catterall was trapped within the oven. There was no means of escape and no alarm.

"The oven is lined with insulation material, and on the noisy factory floor, there was no chance of anyone hearing his cries for help.

"After a preparation cycle lasting several minutes, the burners were turned on and the oven was raised to operating temperature.

"The evidence indicates that Mr Catterall made efforts to escape using a metal crow bar, but it was to no avail.

"He suffered severe burns and died as a result of shock. The first anyone knew about the problem was when smoke started seeping out of the oven."

Various problems occurred with the oven after its installation including molten plastic leaking from the moulds which would burn and cause acrid fumes to spread throughout the factory.

It was common practice for workers to go in to scrape up blobs of plastic and staff were fearful of being trapped inside. There had been a previous incident when someone was inside when the doors started to close and on another occasion a fitter was working underneath when it was switched on, said Mr Thomas.

Mr Catterall grew up in Liverpool and worked at a tyre factory in Speke before joining the Ford factory in Halewood where he worked for many years.

He joined Pyranha in 1997 and was promoted to team leader at the company - which had between 90 and 100 employees - where his wife Pearl and daughter also worked