An inquest has revealed the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Andy Lloyd, a 56-year-old lorry driver who operated a family business. Lloyd was delivering a load of hardcore to Tan y Dderwen Farm in Betws-yn-Rhos, Conwy, on May 1 when his tipper lorry's grab arm came into contact with overhead power lines carrying 11,000 volts.
Lloyd was accompanied by his 14-year-old son, who had joined him to gain work experience. According to the teenager's statement read by Senior Coroner John Gittins, Lloyd moved the vehicle closer to contractors erecting a shed to tip the load when the accident occurred. The boy attempted to warn his father, but Lloyd had already exited the cab and was electrocuted upon touching the metal step.
Witnesses described seeing flames erupt from the rear tyres of the lorry and Lloyd's boots before he collapsed. While one contractor helped the teenager exit the vehicle safely, another performed CPR on Lloyd while a third called an ambulance. Lloyd was pronounced dead at the scene less than a month before his scheduled wedding.
Devon Locke, a Scottish Power engineer dispatched after the power supply tripped, arrived to find emergency vehicles at the farm and confirmed the lorry remained in contact with the cables running above the field. Although the power had been cut, plans were made to secure the line. Coroner Gittins concluded that Lloyd died as a result of an accident and offered condolences to his family.
In a statement, Lloyd's partner, Hayley Lloyd, described her husband as someone who "cared quietly but fiercely for those around him," noting that his final moments were spent in his truck with his son beside him.
Sources: BBC News UK.