Investigators at Didcot Power Station in 2016
Police investigating the Didcot Power Station disaster claim they are making “significant and meaningful progress” in their investigation.
Four workers died and five others were injured at the Oxfordshire facility, which was being prepared for demolition when part of the building collapsed on 23 February 2016.
Michael Collings, 53, was found dead that day, while the bodies of fellow Coleman & Company employees Chris Huxtable, 34, Ken Cresswell, 57, and John Shaw, 61, were recovered from the site over two weeks in late August and early September that year.
A joint investigation by Thames Valley Police and the Health and Safety Executive was launched immediately afterwards.
More than nine years on, no one has been charged and no specific safety lessons have been released to guide the industry to avoid a repeat. No explanation of what caused the disaster has yet been provided.
This week, a Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: “Thames Valley Police continues to lead a joint investigation between ourselves and the Health and Safety Executive.
“Our dedicated joint investigation team continues to make significant and meaningful progress to investigate the collapse at Didcot Power Station and provide answers to the families who lost their loved ones.
“We continue to provide regular updates to the families on our progress and maintain close contact with the Crown Prosecution Service.”
Investigators are looking into potential corporate manslaughter offences, as well as gross negligence manslaughter and serious breaches of the Health and Safety Act.
Earlier this year, Chris Huxtable’s daughter, Tia Huxtable, 20, who was 11 when her father, from Swansea, died, told Construction News she was still hoping justice would be served.
“I never want this to be forgotten about as the health and safety experts need to make sure that this never happens again,” she said.
Sadie Cresswell, one of Ken Cresswell’s daughters, said in February 2025: “All we can do is wait and hope justice prevails at some point for our beloved, hardworking dad, husband and grandad. Bless the Didcot four.”
Coleman and Company, now known as Colemans, has repeatedly said in its accounts that it does not believe it was responsible for the cause of the incident.
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Nicola Harley