Another Canal Death

[Stormbringer]

News Article

 

Very sad news for someone ...and a warning to us all I guess ..

 

 

Edited to provide a different link

Edited December 4, 2011 by Stormbringer

[Starcoaster]

Before I can view any article, I am being asked to log in and share my details with google... Is there a regular link pls?

[Ray T]

Man dies after falling in canal(UKPA) – 7 hours ago if (gbar.lPWF) { gbar.lPWF(function() { gapi.plusone.render('plusone-div', { "size" : "small", "count" : "true", "href" : "http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5j3XArcl6tNfp2EIirc32hedlofsg?docId\x3dN0241991322985249110A" }); }); } sandbarSharebox.registerMicrodataParser( window.top, document.getElementById('hostednews-article'));

 

A man has died after being rescued from a canal by firefighters.

 

Emergency services were called to reports of a man in a canal near Limekiln, Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent, at 5.30pm on Saturday.

 

Fire crews were able to rescue the man from the canal, but he was already in cardiac arrest, a West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said.

 

He received advance life support at the scene, before being taken to University Hospital North Staffordshire.

 

The hospital had been pre-alerted to the man's arrival and his condition, the spokesman said.

 

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance crews and hospital staff, nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed dead shortly after arriving at hospital," he added.

 

No further details of the accident have been released.

 

Copyright © 2011 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

 

 

[Stormbringer]

Before I can view any article, I am being asked to log in and share my details with google... Is there a regular link pls?

 

Hi Star (and others) - please accept my apologies

 

I have just checked and found that my son is logged into Google on my PC -

 

RayT has kindly cut and pasted the details

 

I will edit my first post to provide an alternative link

 

Sorry again

 

Andy

[bottle]

First of all my thoughts and condolences to the family.

 

Now, lets look at this another way.

 

This unfortunate man died (cardiac arrest) before he fell into the canal.

 

His death is not connected in anyway to the canal except that he was found in it.

[Stormbringer]

First of all my thoughts and condolences to the family.

 

Now, lets look at this another way.

 

This unfortunate man died (cardiac arrest) before he fell into the canal.

 

His death is not connected in anyway to the canal except that he was found in it.

 

It could very well have been that way - fair point!

 

Andy

[David Mack]

This unfortunate man died (cardiac arrest) before he fell into the canal.

 

Not necessarily. Sudden immersion in cold water can be enough to cause cardiac arrest, particularly in someone who is not particularly fit.

 

David

[Starcoaster]

Where is everyone getting cardiac arrest from?! Or is this just hypothetical?

[Dignity]

Fire crews were able to rescue the man from the canal, but he was already in cardiac arrest, a West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said.

 

Always around this time of year the world seems to be full of deaths.Condolences to all who are missing loved ones.

[Roxy]

My sincere condolences.....Thoughts are with the family of man concerned xx

[bottle]

Not necessarily. Sudden immersion in cold water can be enough to cause cardiac arrest, particularly in someone who is not particularly fit.

 

David

 

Agreed but there was an inference that the canal caused his death, I just put another hypothesis.

 

Just as you have.

 

It is just the same as the dunk that falls in, the canal gets the blame.

[Josher]

Teenager dies after trying to jump canal lock in Kidsgrove

 

Monday, December 05, 2011 The Sentinel

 

 

TRIBUTES have been paid to a Stoke City fan who died in a freak canal accident. Mike Sutton, of Kidsgrove, was pronounced dead in hospital after hitting his head when he failed to jump across a canal lock. Minutes earlier Mike had popped into the nearby Canal Tavern because he was due to play football for the pub side the next day. But that match was postponed yesterday following Mike's death.

 

Canal Tavern teammate Adam Wilkes, aged 24, of Kidsgrove, said: "Mike was a happy-go-lucky kind of lad who had a brilliant smile. He was full of life and was always up for a good laugh. We're all like a family and everyone sticks together in times like these so we're all trying to pull together. It seems it was nothing more than a tragic accident. He was a big Stoke City fan and loved football. Nobody will ever wear Mike's shirt again."

 

Mike's cousin, Kevin Saunders, aged 24, of Kidsgrove, added: "He was a good lad. He was liked by everyone. People will tell you how much of a good mate he was. He liked a laugh and was up for a good night."

 

The Canal Tavern had been due to play at the nearby Gloucester Road pitches yesterday. Canal Tavern landlord Eddie Franklin said: "Mike was a lovely lad and played football for our team. We were supposed to play on Sunday morning but we cancelled the match as a mark of respect. Hundreds of people have laid flowers in tribute to him. We're still in shock at the moment. At 19 he is still a baby in my eyes."

 

Emergency crews were called to the 'Red Bull' lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal, in Kidsgrove, on Saturday night. Specialist firefighters from Newcastle rescued Mike from the lock. Firefighter Liam Hickey, who attended the emergency, said: "A witness told us where the man was. His body was submerged so using mobile lighting and a dry-suited diver we were able to pull him from the canal within about 30 seconds." A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "The man was rescued by the fire service but unfortunately was in cardiac arrest and received advance life support at the scene. Despite the best efforts of ambulance crews and hospital staff, nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed dead at hospital."

 

Send your tributes to Mike Sutton Email tributes@thesentinel.co.uk

Edited December 5, 2011 by Josher

[bottle]

TRIBUTES have been paid to a Stoke City fan who died in a freak canal accident. Mike Sutton, of Kidsgrove, was pronounced dead in hospital after hitting his head when he failed to jump across a canal lock

.

 

I realise this is newspaper reporting, so may be inaccurate but the above does not really make sense.

 

Another young life wasted.

Edited December 5, 2011 by bottle

[Josher]

"Something needs to be done" ...

 

Safety calls made after Kidsgrove man’s tragic canal death December 07, 2011 Staffs Live

 

Calls have been made to improve the safety along a Kidsgrove canal following the death of 19-year-old Mike Sutton. Stoke City fan Mike, of Kidsgrove, was pronounced dead in hospital after hitting his head while trying to jump the “Red Bull” canal lock.

 

More than 100 people have come to pay tribute to Mike, laying flowers, a Stoke City shirt and his football boots, at the scene of the accident. Eddie Franklin, co-owner of the Canal Tavern pub where Mike was a regular, told StaffsLive: “Mike was a great lad who would do anything for anybody. He was a lovely kid who will be missed by everyone. Now that this has happened, something needs to be done with this stretch of the canal.”

 

Eddie, who is also the coach of Mike’s football team, The Canal Tavern, added: “It’s pitch black down here. A barrier or even some lighting would definitely stop something like this from happening again.” Improved lighting along the stretch of the canal has been a talking point for among councillors over the last four years.

 

Kidsgrove Town Cllr Geoffrey Locke said there are plans in place to install solar panel lighting near the Harecastle Tunnel, along the same stretch of the Mersey and Trent canal. However, this is one mile away from where the incident happened. Cllr Locke said: “As far as I am aware, no one has ever proposed to us that lighting should be put on the Red Bull lock area. However, I have been keeping the town council informed and there is a proposal for lighting adjacent to the Harecastle Tunnel, but the earliest I see this being implemented is around Spring 2012.”

 

Tributes have been pouring in from the community since the freak accident on Saturday December 3. Kidsgrove Mayor Cllr Kyle Robinson was one of those who paid tribute. He told StaffsLive: “Mike was a very popular local lad and he had a lot going for him. “I came across Mike a few times and, although I didn’t know him personally, he knew a few of my friends. Most people have said to me that Mike was the life and soul of the party and he was someone who knew how to light up the room and cheer everyone up. I have been down to the scene of the incident and it is very touching to see how many people have paid their respects.”

[adam1uk]

Do you think someone should point out that it's perfectly safe already, as long as you don't try to jump across the lock?

[CV32]

Do you think someone should point out that it's perfectly safe already, as long as you don't try to jump across the lock?

 

I agree Adam, before we know it we will have more 'stupid barriers' to protect the terminally stupid/foolish.

[Boat&Bikes]

I agree Adam, before we know it we will have more 'stupid barriers' to protect the terminally stupid/foolish.

Although i agree about no need for more barriers im unimpressed with the terminally stupid/foolish remark.As one who remembers doing silly things when young and also having 2 youngsters who do not always behave sensibly i feel a little understanding may be called for.

 

Ian

[pudding]

I agree Adam, before we know it we will have more 'stupid barriers' to protect the terminally stupid/foolish.

 

Agreed

[CV32]

Although i agree about no need for more barriers im unimpressed with the terminally stupid/foolish remark.As one who remembers doing silly things when young and also having 2 youngsters who do not always behave sensibly i feel a little understanding may be called for.

 

Ian

 

We seem to have bred generations of stupid, unthinking people that take no responsibility for their own actions and blame someone else when they screw up. I stand by my remark.

[alan_fincher]

"It’s pitch black down here. A barrier or even some lighting would definitely stop something like this from happening again.”

 

Ah - I think I understand ?

 

If you have a lock that is not lit up at night, then someone will attempt to jump across it, but some lighting will stop that from happening ?

 

Or is it.....

 

They will still attempt to jump it, but it will be fine because they can see better what they are doing ?

[Sir Nibble]

You know I live right next to Portsmouth harbour and this kind of shit just doesn't happen here. OK people get into difficulties swimming or boating but we just don't have pissed idiots killing themselves falling in whilst playing silly buggers. Maybe coast dwellers are better conditioned to the risks or perhaps the sea just looking so much more threatening does it. It's not as if we don't have plenty of structures reaching out over the briny to challenge the dimmer people.

[Athy]

They would be able to see the lock gate and walk safely across it, perhaps?

I wonder if the unfortunate lad had done a bit more than "popped in" to his local pub before his failed leap.

[nina]

When we went out cruising last summer, we made the error of going out at the height of the school holidays. It was a simple case of not having any other time to go due to work commitments. The one thing that struck me though was the lack of supervision of children especially around locks. We saw quite small children being sent to operate the paddles many of which were very stiff and quite dangerous when they slipped back down at some speed down once released. I remember thinking it's only going to be a matter of time before a child is injured or drowned. As boating has become a more popular family holiday option, I feel more safety rules need to be applied simply because you can't rely on some parents to see or think about the obvious. To a regular, seasoned boat owner, the safety precautions are obvious and don't need spelling out but to others, it does need a loudhaler unfortunately. I really wouldn't want to read about a child being hurt when with a few big hints posted on a sign and maybe some new safety precautions it could be avoided.

[Dalesman]

You know I live right next to Portsmouth harbour and this kind of shit just doesn't happen here. OK people get into difficulties swimming or boating but we just don't have pissed idiots killing themselves falling in whilst playing silly buggers. Maybe coast dwellers are better conditioned to the risks or perhaps the sea just looking so much more threatening does it. It's not as if we don't have plenty of structures reaching out over the briny to challenge the dimmer people.

Thats not true..quite a number drown tombstoning off rocks and piers.

[alan_fincher]

They would be able to see the lock gate and walk safely across it, perhaps?

I wonder if the unfortunate lad had done a bit more than "popped in" to his local pub before his failed leap.

Yes,

 

It rather appears he could have used the wide road bridge on a street that appears to be lit, immediately below the locks....

 

Or even the footbridges across the locks, which, surprise, surprise, already have barriers.

 

Google Street View Link

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

There already appears to be a substantial barrier between pub and lock, and you actually have to make your way through quite a small opening to get to the lockside from the pub.

 

Sorry I'm not trying to play down a death, but honestly, are we supposed to put barricades along all canals, and light them all, because someone could try an ill-advised prank anywhere ?

Edited December 7, 2011 by alan_fincher