Man dies at Gatwick Airport station construction site

A man has died during construction work at Gatwick Airport station.

British Transport Police said officers were called to the station just after midnight on July 22.

The worker was employed by Kilnbridge, a structural works sub-contractor on the project to modernise the airport station. It is understood he was working as a slinger during a lifting of steel by a tower crane.

In a statement, BTP said: “Despite the best efforts of paramedics, a 35-year-old man was very sadly pronounced dead at the scene. His family are being supported by specially trained officers.”

Kilnbridge Chief Executive Dermot McDermott described it as a “tragic loss”, adding: “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I can confirm that an incident occurred at our project site. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family, loved ones, friends and colleagues.”

BTP has launched an investigation into the death, alongside the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Kilnbridge was working for main contractor Costain, which was appointed by Network Rail in 2019.

The £150 million redevelopment includes doubling the size of the concourse, adding five new lifts and eight escalators, and widening two platforms to reduce overcrowding.

Costain Chief Executive Alex Vaughan said: “We are shocked and saddened by this incident, and we are fully assisting the investigation into its cause.”

The HSE said 30 construction workers died at their workplace between April 2021 and March 2022. The figure represents one in four workplace deaths across all industries.