Haut Du Mont trial: Workers 'clearly' not following Island Energy procedures, court hears

UK gas engineering expert Chris Clarke, called as a witness for Island Energy, has told the Royal Court the work of the three gas workers on trial over the 2022 blast was ‘clearly’ not to company protocols.

He described the gas supplier's instructions as 'very straightforward to follow'.

He said that if gas workers decommissioning the pipe to Haut du Mont on the 9 December 2022, the day before the fatal explosion, had done a ‘proving test’ on the pipe they cut, it would have shown that the Yacht Club and other properties were on that line, and indicated that it was the wrong one.

Neil Armstrong, John Wright, and Lee Ward are on trial for gross negligence manslaughter over the deaths of 10 residents of the flats on Pier Road, and Island Energy is accused of breaches of health and safety laws.  All the defendants deny wrongdoing.

Work was taking place to remove the Haut Du Mont flats completely from the gas network, as none of the Andium Homes properties there had gas appliances. 

The court has heard that that work didn't follow procedures. Mr Clarke said that if workers are going to stray from procedures, more paperwork wouldn't have stopped them. He said: 'I don't think anything stops people cutting corners.'

Mr Clarke has told the jury that the excavation to cut the Haut Du Mont pipe should have been 'twice' the size that it was, and that it was 'clearly' in the wrong place as there was no T piece exposed. 

Diagram of the pipe walk at Commercial Buildings below Haut Du Mont

Mr Clarke said he would have continued to look for the pipe with the T piece that would have been nearer to the wall.

Earlier in the trial, which is now into its fifth week, the Royal Court heard that the workers cut the wrong pipe believing it was the one leading only to Haut Du Mont. It instead led to multiple properties, including the St Helier Yacht Club, which lost supply. 

Witnesses have previously described a 'flapping' to get the gas back on, and it is accepted that a vital pressure test for leaks wasn't done before that reconnection. 

The test would have revealed that there was gas leaking into the Haut Du Mont flats through an open valve. 

Instead, gas was unknowingly leaking through that valve from when gas was reinstated at 6 pm, continuing to fill the flats before being ignited by an unknown spark just before 4 am on 10 December. The flats exploded, claiming 10 lives. 

Mr Clarke agreed with Defence Advocate Mike Preston that there were multiple errors, but that ‘the pressure test would have been the one that would have prevented this (explosion) happening.’

He said that ‘of course’ it would have made a difference if Mr Armstrong, Mr Ward, and Mr Wright had followed procedures.

The prosecution alleges Island Energy did not have systems in place to make sure what its employees were doing was safe.

Mr Clarke said that Island Energy's Incident Document for emergencies was well written with easy-to-understand flowcharts.

Mr Armstrong, along with Mr Ward and Mr Wright, have pleaded not guilty to ten counts of gross negligence manslaughter.

Their ex-employer, Island Energy, denies breaching health and safety laws.

None of the defendants are giving evidence in the case.

The trial continues. 

Read our full coverage of the trial here:

Haut Du Mont trial: Supervisor 'felt really responsible' when told of explosion

Haut du Mont trial: Island Energy ‘wouldn’t spend the money’ on vital safety training, court hears

Haut Du Mont trial: Safety Officer ‘would’ve stopped the job’ if told truth about test

Haut Du Mont trial: Worker told colleague he 'didn't test' gas main

Haut du Mont trial: Island Energy 'placed health and safety at risk'

Haut Du Mont Trial: 'It could explode', jury hears 999 calls

Haut Du Mont Trial: Worker checking gas valves spent almost 'entire' time on his phone

Haut Du Mont Trial: Gas works were 'sloppy, unsafe, and cut corners', allege prosecutors

Haut du Mont trial: Explosion 'an incident waiting to happen'

Haut du Mont trial begins