As horrified as I at the thought of Diane Hill’s burn injuries, I am less than impressed by John Mann’s attempts to use it as a call for Francis Maude’s resignation.
Maude’s suggestion that motorists preempt any fuel strike by filling-up multiple jerry cans with petrol was both bone-headed and contrary to legislation surrounding storage of petrol. Yet, reports state that Hill was decanting petrol in her kitchen whilst the gas cooker was lit.
I am much more amenable towards calls for resignations and even corporate manslaughter charges over Alison Hume’s death in July 2008. Hume initially survived a fall down a 46 feet mine shaft in Ayrshire, only for the attending firefighters to be refused permission to attempt a line rescue before specialist equipment arrived.
Hume succumbed to hypothermia and suffered a heart attack, dying shortly afterwards in hospital. The lack of focus and over-attentive consideration of safety concerns is one of the strangest and most frustrating story I have read for some time.
