Bosley mill explosion: Blast recovery 'may take long time'

Derek Moore, Dorothy Bailey, Jason Shingler and William Barks have not been seen since Friday

Firefighters have warned it may "take a long time" to complete the search for three workers missing after explosions at a mill in Cheshire.

The body of another worker caught up in Friday's blasts at Wood Flour Mills, near Macclesfield, was found on Sunday.

But Assistant Chief Constable Guy Hindle warned: "I don't anticipate that [identification] will be a quick task."

In a statement, the site's owner's Wood Treatment Ltd said they were "shocked and saddened" by the blasts in Bosley.

Before and after pictures show the devastation caused by the blast

Chief fire officer Paul Hancock said the search was moving into a "recovery" phase rather than a "rescue".

He added they were excavating the 5m x 5m area in which the body was found.

"We are now approximately 3m down into that excavation with a potential further 10m to go," he added. "So it is a significant challenge."

The families of Derek Moore, 62, Dorothy Bailey, 62, Jason Shingler, 38, and William Barks, 51, were all informed when the body was found and continued to be updated and supported by police officers.

All four were believed to be working in the upper floors of the mill when an explosion and fire reduced the four-storey building to rubble.

Another woman is in hospital with "serious but not life-threatening injuries", said Mr Hindle.

Two other men remain in hospital in a stable condition and another man has been discharged with minor injuries.

Fire and rescue teams have been working to find the missing workers since the blast at about 09:10 BST on Friday.

The site was also struck by fires in 2010 and 2012

They are expected to remain at the mill for a number of days.

Mr Hancock said the scene was "one of complete devastation".

The police are conducting a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The site, which manufactures wood flour used for making laminate flooring, was also struck by fires in 2010 and 2012.

The explosion took place at Bosley, between Macclesfield and Congleton in Cheshire

Wood Treatment Limited was served with five improvement notices by the HSE in 2013 and 2014.

Four of the notices said the firm had "failed to ensure that the risk from fire or explosion" from gas tanks on site had been eliminated or reduced.

Following inspections a few months later, all the improvements had been made and the health and safety notices complied with.

In a statement, the firm said: "Our thoughts and sympathies are with everyone affected and their families.

"The mill has been part of the community in Bosley since 1927 and we take the safety of our employees extremely seriously."

They added they were "committed" to establishing the cause of the explosions and would co-operate fully with the authorities.

"However, we feel it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time while investigations are ongoing."