Shipdham crane firm denies wrongdoing over fatal building site collapse in Crewe
Three men died following the incident at a construction site in Cheshire back in 2017.
Last updated 6th Oct 2023
A company, which is based in Shipdham, will go on trial next year over a crane collapse that resulted in the deaths of three men.
On Friday, Prashant Popat KC, representing Falcon Tower Crane Services Ltd, entered not guilty pleas on behalf of the firm to two alleged breaches under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Rhys Barker, 18, of Castleford, West Yorkshire; David Newall, 36, of Bradford; and David Webb, 43, of Northampton died following the incident at a construction site in Dunwoody Way, Crewe, Cheshire, on June 21 2017.
The crane fell on to a house, although the occupants were not injured.
In a brief hearing at Chester Crown Court, the company denied failing to ensure the health and safety of its employees, including the three men, on and before June 21 2017.
It is said the firm failed to devise and implement a suitable and sufficient process involved in erecting a Potain MC85b tower crane.
Falcon Tower Crane Services Ltd faces an additional charge that on and before June 21 2017 it failed to ensure that persons not in their employment were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
Several relatives of the deceased watched the proceedings from the public gallery.
The trial, with an estimated length of four weeks, will take place in the week beginning November 4 2024.
A pre-trial review was set for July 5 next year.