HC Deb 03 November 1966 vol 735 cc162-4W
Mr. Bagier

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement about the fire which took place on Sunday 30th October on board the ship 'Toronto City' under construction at Doxford and Sunderland Shipbuilding and Engineering Company which resulted in the death of seven shipyard workers.

Mr. Gunter

The accident has been investigated by H.M. Factory Inspectorate who found that at the time of the fire nine men were working in the afterend of the propeller shaft tunnel on the 'Toronto City'. Work was proceeding on the performance testing of the hydraulic control mechanism of the variable pitch propeller under the supervision of a representative of the maker's agents. During this testing oil under pressure in the system sprayed out when a pipe became disconnected and formed a mist which travelled down the tunnel. Unfortunately, steel plates were being cut by means of an oxy-acetyline burner further down the tunnel. Before the workman using the burner realised the danger the mist reached the flame and became ignited.

This is the first incident of this type known to the Inspectorate and involved no breach of the Factories Act 1961 or of the Shipbuilding and Shiprepairing Regulations 1960. H.M. Factory Inspectorate will be considering the lessons to

TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREA IN CORNWALL (EXCLUDING SALTASH) AT 10TH OCTOBER, 1966
Area Men Boys Women Girls Total Percentage Rate
Liskeard … 91 8 37 5 141 6.0
Looe … 115 8 27 5 155
Newquay … 222 9 111 14 356 6.3*
Perranporth … 112 4 39 3 158
Penzance … 414 16 123 15 568 6.3*
St. Ives … 189 5 56 2 252
St. Mary's … 5 — 6 — 11
Redruth … 327 18 94 17 456 5.1*
Camborne … 250 10 82 11 353
Bodmin … 67 2 20 8 97 2.9
Bude … 173 8 47 5 233 6.2
Camelford … 78 1 27 9 115 5.9
Falmouth … 511 17 84 22 634 6.9
Gunnislake … 57 1 13 — 71 11.7
Helston … 225 10 96 20 351 8.7
Launceston … 78 2 9 1 90 2.3
St. Austell … 283 23 136 38 480 2.8
Truro … 277 11 78 13 379 3.8
Wadebridge … 114 5 49 12 180 6.7
* A percentage rate of unemployment can be calculated only for the area as a whole.

be drawn from the circumstances of the accident.