A tragic accident occurred in Bradford, Yorkshire, when a retired nurse lost his life after falling into an uncovered manhole while walking home.
Andrew Barker, 56, had been enjoying time with friends before the fatal incident on January 22.
He fell headfirst into a hole at a utility site, managed by Northern Gas Networks (NGN), just hours after leaving a friend’s house.
Remembering Andrew Barker
Andrew’s family described him as someone who loved to make people laugh.
His ex-wife, Sam, and daughters, Holly and Hannah, shared that Andrew was not only intelligent but also mischievous and quick-witted.
His family remembered him fondly, reflecting on the many happy memories they had with him, especially his playful nature and knack for humor.
The Chaotic Scene
The events surrounding his death unfolded in the early hours of the morning.
As Storm Isha had battered Bradford the previous weekend, emergency services arrived to find the roadwork barriers had been blown away, leaving the manhole completely exposed.
The incident took place under an amber wind warning issued by the Met Office, which added further chaos to the already dangerous situation.
Matthew Deekes, the site manager for the subcontracted company, explained that when he left the site on January 19, there were sandbags and barriers in place.
However, the storm caused significant damage, with barriers displaced and the site left unprotected.
Despite extra efforts from NGN to fortify the area over the weekend, including placing more sandbags, the scene remained hazardous.
Investigation and Possible Theories
When a worker arrived at the site around 7 a.m. on January 22, they discovered Andrew’s legs sticking out of the manhole.
Paramedics rushed to the scene, but tragically, Andrew was pronounced dead at 7:29 a.m.
Detective Sergeant Lee Worsnam revealed that there were no CCTV cameras in the area, and no eyewitnesses could be found.
Several theories emerged, including the possibility that Andrew had been attempting a shortcut home or had tripped near the manhole, potentially exacerbated by the severe weather conditions.
Coroner’s Findings
Bradford’s Senior Coroner, Martin Fleming, reviewed the evidence and concluded that it was more likely than not that Andrew’s death was accidental.
The post-mortem confirmed that Andrew’s death was caused by postural asphyxiation, a result of the position in which he fell.
Alcohol was also a contributing factor, with a blood alcohol level slightly above the legal driving limit. However, it was noted that Andrew was not “substantially over the limit.”
Andrew’s Final Moments
Andrew’s friend, Fraser Anderson, recalled that Andrew had left his house “fresh” and didn’t appear to be intoxicated.
The two had spent the evening in the local pub, the Boars Head, before continuing the night at Anderson’s home.
Andrew left between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., just hours before the tragic accident.
Having worked as a nurse since 1989, Andrew had recently retired from his position at Bradford Royal Infirmary.
His family said that he was beloved by his patients, many of whom didn’t want to leave due to his caring bedside manner.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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