An investigation has been launched after a man died in an ‘industrial incident’ on the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
The 50-year-old labourer was on a pathway outside the country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, where Sir Winston Churchill was born, when a tipper truck struck him.
Named Andrew West, the roofer was crushed by the heavy goods vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene as a result of his injuries.
Thames Valley Police said in a statement: ‘We are working with the Health and Safety Executive to investigate a fatal industrial incident at Blenheim Palace on October 14.
‘We were called at around 1pm that day following an incident involving a tipper truck in the palace grounds.
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‘A 50-year-old man sadly died at the scene; a specially trained police officer is supporting his family at this difficult time.’
No arrests have been made.
Dominic Hare, chief executive of 12,000-acre Blenheim Palace, said: ‘We are deeply saddened by the death of a man who was working for a contractor on a construction site on the wider Blenheim estate on Wednesday, October 14.
‘Our heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends and colleagues at this extremely difficult time.
‘We are supporting Thames Valley Police and the Health and Safety Executive with their investigation, and it would not be appropriate to comment further while that continues.’
On Thursday, an inquest into Mr West’s death was opened by Nicholas Graham at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court.
Mr West, from Moreton-in-Marsh, was discovered unresponsive underneath the truck and identified by colleagues, it was heard.
While the circumstances are currently unexplained, a postmortem determined crushing as his cause of death.
Blenheim Palace recently underwent its ‘most ambitious restoration project to date’.
Across the two-year effort, £12million was spent re-leading and re-slating nearly an acre of the 300-year-old Baroque roof.
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