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Bosley Mill explosion: Company director in court over four deaths

BBC Will Barks Derek Moore Jason Shingler Dorothy BaileyBBC
Will Barks, Derek Moore, Jason Shingler and Dorothy Bailey all died in the explosion in 2015

A company director has denied responsibility for the deaths of four employees in a mill explosion.

At Stockport Magistrates' Court, George Boden, 64, denied four counts of manslaughter by gross negligence over the blast in Bosley, Cheshire.

Derek Moore, Dorothy Bailey, Jason Shingler and William Barks were killed at Wood Flour Mills in July 2015.

Managers Peter Shingler, 56, and Phil Smith, 58, denied a health and safety charge.

Bosley aftermath
A four-storey building collapsed in the explosion

A four-storey building was destroyed in the blast and large fires broke out at the mill on Tunstall Road shortly after 09:00 on 17 July.

Firefighters did not leave the site of the explosion for more than a month.

Other Picture from the sceneOther
Fires at the site continued to burn for weeks after the explosion

As well as the employees who died at the site, a number were injured as the mill was reduced to rubble.

Mr Boden, of Church Road, Stockport, Mr Shingler, of Turnstall Road, Bosley, and Mr Smith, of Raglan Road, Macclesfield, were bailed to appear at Chester Crown Court on 3 January 2020.

Mr Shingler and Mr Smith both denied breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974.

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