Harrowing new discovery about 80kg mirror that crushed boy, 5, to death in Fenwick store

An 80kg reflector that toppled onto Freddie Farrow astatine a Fenwick store successful Colchester, Essex was recovered to beryllium 'unsecured' - prompting investigators from the assembly to scour the premises

An 8ft reflector that fell connected a five-year-old lad and crushed him to death astatine a section store was “unsecured” astatine the time, an inquest has heard.

Freddie Farrow was seen connected CCTV appearing to usage precise small unit erstwhile helium touched the reflector earlier it toppled onto him astatine the Fenwick store successful Colchester, Essex, a detective told jurors. The youngster sustained a traumatic encephalon wounded arsenic a effect of the incidental connected July 27 2021, and tragically died successful infirmary successful Cambridge connected August 2, 2021.

Investigator David King, of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said: “Freddie was fatally injured erstwhile an unsecured mirror, 2.6 metres precocious (8ft 6in) and weighing astir 80kg (176lb), toppled and fell connected him.” He told the proceeding successful Chelmsford that the reflector was “designed to beryllium astatine 3 degrees, truthful virtually upright”.

The mirrors, which were manufactured successful Germany, were installed successful 2016 arsenic portion of a wider refurbishment Mr King said. “From my knowing from the drawings, the value (of the mirrors) would beryllium taken by the crushed and not the wall,” helium said. Two fixing boxes, made of MDF, were connected the backmost of each reflector and determination were besides metallic brackets, helium added.

“The intent wasn’t to bent the mirror, it’s to restrain it into the pillar,” said Mr King, adding that the MDF boxes were held unneurotic with PVA, a wood glue. After the incident, investigators from Colchester City Council looked astatine different mirrors astatine the store, Mr King said.

He said 2 of 14 mirrors were recovered to beryllium suspended, alternatively of resting connected the floor, and 9 had immoderate signifier of distortion to their apical fixing boxes. Mr King said 2 mirrors were recovered to beryllium “partially resting” connected the floor, and 2 had further screws successful the MDF fixing boxes.

Keith Morton, the barrister representing Fenwick, suggested to Mr King that the incidental reflector “would beryllium raised supra the level by 15mm” if the apical fixing had been used, based connected the determination of the precocious partition bracket.

Mr King agreed that the reflector would beryllium raised supra the level by 15mm. Mr Morton said: “When this reflector was installed it was wrongly installed, wasn’t it.” Mr King replied: “That appears to beryllium the case, yes.” He besides agreed that the “installation wasn’t safe”.

In a bid of questions, Mr Morton suggested that the lone happening fixing the reflector to the partition had been the apical partition bracket that “wasn’t designed to beryllium load bearing”. He besides said it “depended for its constricted spot connected wood glue” connected the MDF fixing box, and Mr King said “that appears to beryllium the case”.

The inquest, being heard earlier a jury, continues.