THE husband of one of two women killed in a taxi office blast last Christmas Eve faces charges over the tragedy.

Tony Barker – whose wife Sue (43) died in the explosion at Fred's Taxis, Immingham, alongside her colleague Ann Mawer (52) – will appear before magistrates in January to answer health and safety charges.

As reported, petrol stored at the premises, on Pelham Road, leaked and ignited. The women died from smoke and fumes inhalation.

Immingham Services Station Ltd, from where the fuel container was obtained, and its director, Martin Cook, also face the same charges as Mr Barker.

North East Lincolnshire Council's head of public protection, John Seale, said the action relates to allegations of breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Petroleum Consolidation Act.

He confirmed: "The council's health and safety team have carried out a comprehensive investigation and as a result we are bringing matters before the court."

A coroner's jury returned a verdict of accidental death on both women following the tragedy.

Coroner Paul Kelly called for greater education of the storage of fuel and outlawing of illegal containers.

The inquest had heard that, last Christmas Eve, excess petrol had been stored in a plastic container. It leaked in the office when he laid it down near the doorway.

At the inquest, Mr Barker admitted the fuel had been stored because he did not want to run out of petrol over the Christmas holiday, recalling how the container "collapsed like an egg" and leaked petrol all over the office floor and over him. Mystery still surrounds what ignited the spilled fuel.

Health and Safety officials announced they were reopening the investigation into the fire in July.

As a result, the case will be heard at Grimsby Magistrates' Court on January 29.

Christmas Eve memorial planned

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