This Is Cheshire

Worker dies in forklift horror

From the archive, first published Wednesday 26th Apr 2006.

SHOCKED colleagues of a young man killed in a horrific accident at a factory have paid tribute to him.

Lee Alexander, 28, died in the jaws of a forklift truck at Shearfab sheet metal fabricators on St Michael's industrial estate, Ditton, on Monday afternoon.

His shell-shocked boss, company director Les Haliburton, said: "It was just a tragic, freak accident. A terrible split-second lapse of concentration.

"Everyone here is devastated. He'd been with us for about 11 years since he was a youngster and we'd trained him up.

"He'd done various jobs within the company and had two or three years' experience in his job as a fitter.

"Somehow he's got entangled in the machinery by his own doing, not as part of his regular job, and accidentally activated the controls.

"I was up in my office on the second floor when it happened. The paramedic arrived very quickly but death was instant.

"It's terrible and everyone here would just like to extend their sincere condolences to Lee's family.

"I know his mum and dad are very upset."

Shearfab Ltd, which has produced metal housing for things like electronic control units from its Widnes base since 1990, closed down immediately after the accident.

Mr Haliburton and fellow director Des Scott sent devastated workmates of Mr Alexander, who is originally from Speke but lived with his girlfriend in Ditton, home again yesterday (Tuesday) as well.

The Health and Safety Executive confirmed that a fatality involving a 28-year-old man had occurred at Shearfab Ltd and that a joint investigation with Cheshire Police was ongoing.

Ambulance spokesman Natalie Barnett said a rapid response vehicle and ambulance attended the scene at 1.21pm after reports of a man being stuck in a forklift truck but did not take anyone to hospital.

* Click here to leave tributes to Lee on this website.

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