Battersea crane inquest nears decision

Families of the two men killed in the Battersea crane crash nearly two years ago could finally be told what caused the disaster this month.

Liliana Alexa, secretary of the Battersea Crane Disaster Action Group (BCDAG) and mother of victim Michael Alexa, told CJ the families would meet the HSE for an update on 26 June.

During the meeting, they could be given an indication of what is contained within a Health and Safety Laboratory report which is due to be handed to police in early July.

The Falcon Crane Hire machine has been studied by experts at a specialist laboratory in Buxton since shortly after its collapse on 26 September 2006.

Alexa said: "It's almost finished. The report is out mid-July and they will probably give us something on 26 June. It's taking a long time because they haven't got more resources.

"They've only got one or two people investigating the case."

An HSE spokeswoman said: "The final report is due for late June, early July. It will go to the police and what we will do is then brief the families. It is not something that will be released as part of the investigation."

But she would not be drawn on whether the report would contain any definitive answers on what caused the collapse or how far the inquiry, which is being led by the Metropolitan Police, was from its conclusion.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Our enquiries are continuing and we need to wait and see what this report says before we can comment on the direction of inquiry, but it is still an open inquiry."

Crane driver Jonathan Cloke, 37, was also killed in the accident.