Family Condemns Energy Company's Response After Jogger's Tragic Electrocution
The grieving father of a man killed by a faulty power line has launched a scathing attack on the energy company responsible for maintaining the cables, accusing them of showing "no sympathy" to his family in the aftermath of the tragedy. Harry Oates, a 29-year-old from Kendal who worked in Bristol, was electrocuted to death while out for a jog along a public footpath in Lupton, near Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria.
Coroner's Inquest Points to 'Rare and Complex' Circumstances
An inquest into Harry's death concluded that the incident resulted from a "rare and complex" series of circumstances, rather than direct negligence by Electricity North West (ENWL), the firm managing the area's power supply. The coroner, Kirsty Gomersal, issued a prevention of future deaths report, urging the Energy Networks Association (ENA) to collaborate with members across the UK and Ireland to mitigate similar risks. However, Harry's father, Malcolm Oates, remains deeply unsatisfied, arguing that ENWL failed to take adequate preventive measures.
Malcolm recounted the harrowing moment he discovered his son's lifeless body, describing it as feeling "numb" and surreal, like seeing a tailor's dummy. He emphasised that Harry died instantly upon contact with the low-hanging live cable, leaving no chance for intervention. The inquest revealed that a fault in the power line, caused by voids in the cement around insulators, allowed electricity to remain live as the wire drooped—an issue unreported to operators at the time.
Health and Safety Executive Under Fire for 'Neglectful' Role
Malcolm has also criticised the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigated the case and found "no material breach of law." He labelled the regulator as "neglectful," pointing out that its mission includes protecting the general public in their environment, not just workers. He claimed that HSE lawyers requested exclusion from the coroner's prevention report, a move the family views as evasive. In response, an HSE spokesperson extended condolences but stood by the investigation's findings.
Further investigations by ENWL uncovered that 73% of 260 insulators tested across their network contained similar voids, prompting action. The company has initiated a programme to replace insulators in approximately 8,000 locations and implemented a new procedure requiring patrols within 24 hours of any similar issue being identified. A spokesman for ENWL expressed sympathy for the family, reiterating that the coroner and HSE deemed the events unforeseeable.
Family Considers Legal Action Amid Calls for Industry Accountability
Despite these measures, Malcolm asserts that the family has been "failed by the industry as a whole," accusing ENWL of "hiding behind the process." He highlighted their frustration with the company's focus on justifying maintenance records rather than offering empathy. The Oates family is now contemplating further legal action, seeking justice and systemic changes to prevent such tragedies. This case underscores ongoing concerns about infrastructure safety and corporate accountability in the energy sector, resonating with broader public debates on health and safety regulations.
