Factory worker dies after toxic gas leak

A man has died after a cloud of toxic gas escaped from a factory, a chemical company said today.

Paul Doyley, from Immingham, was critically injured when titanium tetrachloride fumes escaped from the Cristal Global site near Grimsby on the River Humber on 5 March.

He received treatment for chemical burns and inhalation of toxic fumes in a specialist burns unit at Pinderfields General Hospital in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Cristal Global said.

The company said: "We are deeply saddened to learn that one of our employees, Paul Doyley, who was 48 and has been with the company for 20 years, has died from the injuries he sustained in the incident.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and children and we are doing our best to support them and our employees."

Site director Lynton Simmonds added: "Paul was a very well liked and highly respected colleague and our hearts go out to his family at this tragic time."

Two other men suffered chemical burns in the leak - one is still receiving treatment at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby and the other was taken to hospital but released a few hours after the accident.

Cristal Global, based at Stallingborough on the River Humber's south bank, specialises in making titanium-based products.

At the time of the accident, the wind was blowing from a south-westerly direction towards the north east, taking the cloud across rural land and out to sea, Humber Coastguard said.

A spokesman for Humberside Police said at the time no one living in the surrounding area was at risk from the fumes.

He said: "A plume of gas has escaped following an accident at a factory. It is dissipating naturally in the air and there is no risk to any surrounding area."

At least 10 fire crews attended the scene, with firefighters using a blanket of foam to contain the spillage.

The plant is still shut down and officials from the Health and Safety Executive are investigating.