Father and son plunged to their deaths while working on a towerblock after brake failure caused 21-storey-high platform's collapse, inquest hears

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A father and son plunged to their deaths while working on a towerblock after a brake failure caused the 21-storey-high platform they were standing on to collapse, an inquest heard. 

David and Clayton Bottomley were fatally injured when the platform suddenly gave way and plummeted more than 100 feet from the top of the Unity Building, in Liverpool city centre, on May 19, 2021.

The incident occurred at around 3.30pm, when David, 53, and Clayton, 17, were working on the 21st floor of the building. 

Witnesses described the horrific moment their scaffold began to click 'like a rollercoaster' before suddenly dropping to the seventh floor, according to the Liverpool Echo.

A father and son plunged to their deaths while working on a towerblock after the platform they were standing on collapsed, an inquest heard. Clayton (left) and David (right) Bottomley were fatally injured when the platform suddenly gave way and plummeted more than 100 feet

The pair fell from the top of the Unity Building, in Liverpool city centre, on May 19, 2021 at around 3.30pm. Thomas Blanchfield was working in the tower and watched from a meeting room window as the nightmare unfolded. He said: 'There were about four to six clicks before it went into freefall'

At a five-day inquest in Liverpool last week, it was heard that failure of the pinion shafts in the machine's gearboxes caused the brakes to disconnect, and failure of a second pinion shaft caused the mast climbing working platform to descend under its own weight. A Health and Safety Executive inspector said the failure had been caused by 'fatigue'

Thomas Blanchfield was working in the tower and watched from a meeting room window as the nightmare unfolded. He said: 'There were about four to six clicks before it went into freefall.'

At a five-day inquest in Liverpool last week, it was heard that failure of the pinion shafts in the machine's gearboxes caused the brakes to disconnect, and failure of a second pinion shaft caused the mast climbing working platform to descend under its own weight. 

A Health and Safety Executive inspector said the failure had been caused by 'fatigue'.

Paul Shah, a project manager for site operators Laing O'Rourke, said the platforms had been in use for at least five years at the time of the fatal incident, and were checked every day. 

He said: 'The daily check is mainly a visual, overall look at the machine.

'The one check we did was the function check, up and down, and the emergency release.' However, there was supposed to be another daily brake test which staff had not been informed about, as they had not been given a manual, the inquest heard.

Witnesses described the horrific moment the scaffold began to click 'like a rollercoaster' before suddenly dropping to the seventh floor. Here flowers have been left near to where the accident happened 

David, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, had been working on the Unity Building (pictured) for 18 months as a sub-contractor for AAI Selby, a construction company contracted by site operators Laing O'Rourke. Clayton had been working onsite for six months as he completed an apprenticeship with his father's company

Both David and Clayton were seriously injured in the fall, and the father was pronounced dead at the scene, with his cause of death being 'massive blunt force chest injuries'. 

Clayton was taken to the intensive care unit at Aintree Hospital, where he died on May 23 after suffering 'severe, irreversible and unsurvivable brain damage'. He donated his heart, kidneys and liver.

David, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, had been working on the Unity Building for 18 months as a sub-contractor for AAI Selby, a construction company contracted by site operators Laing O'Rourke. Clayton had been working onsite for six months as he completed an apprenticeship with his father's company.

David was an experienced window fitter and had run his own specialist glazing firm for more than a decade.

A jury reached a conclusion of accidental death. Coroner Johanna Thompson said: 'A daily and weekly check was completed as per the provided checklist on the day/week of the incident.

'This included simple visual checks and functional tests of the up/down/stop switches. These identified no problem with the equipment. Failure of the pinion shafts in both gearboxes caused the brakes to disconnect.

'Failure of the second pinion shaft caused the mast climbing working platform to descend under its own weight. David died at the scene shortly following the incident.'

'Clayton was resuscitated at the scene, then transported by ambulance to Aintree University Hospital. Clayton died four days after the incident on May 23, 2021, at Aintree University Hospital.' 

Following the tragedy tributes were paid to Clayton, a keen rugby league player.

His former school, Castleford Academy, sent their condolences to the family and described Clayton as a 'valued member' of the school's sports teams.

Rick Brown, from Lock Lane ARLFC, said: 'I write this with a heavy heart to inform you all that one of our junior players Clayton Bottomley has sadly passed away after a horrific accident.

'Clayton joined Lock Lane in the Under 12s and played through to the under 16s.

'He was raw at first but soon got into the game, a very determined player to do well. He never took a backward step and gave 100 per cent every game.

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'He used to bring his large speaker on match day to get the team morale up in the changing room, he was a true team player.

'No parent should have to lose their child and our thoughts and prayers go out to his mum Paula and his sister Molly who he adored.

'This has had a massive impact on our team, our club and the whole community.

'You will never be forgotten, may you rest in peace Clayton from everyone at the club.'

A friend of the Bottomley family said the father and son were 'inseparable'.

The man, who asked not to be named, said: 'They were both inseparable and very much peas in a pod.'

The friend said David was a highly experienced insulation fitter and had worked at the site in Liverpool city centre for the past two years.

A HSE spokesperson said: 'Our investigation into the deaths of David Bottomley and Clayton Bottomley is ongoing'. 

Laing O'Rourke has been approached for further comment.