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Man's drain death was 'accident' Man's drain death was 'accident'
(30 minutes later)
A jury has returned a verdict of accidental death at the inquest into the death of a man who was stuck in a drain during the summer floods. A coroner has highlighted "gaps" in provision for underwater rescue after an inquest into the death of a man who died during the summer floods.
Michael Barnett's thigh became wedged in metal fencing used as a temporary grille on a storm drain as the floods rose in Hull on 25 June. Michael Barnett's thigh became wedged in a temporary grille on a storm drain as the floods rose in Hull on 25 June.
The inquest heard he died from hypothermia after an unsuccessful four-hour operation to free him. Returning a verdict of accidental death, the inquest jury said Mr Barnett, 28, had acted "selflessly" by offering to clear the drain.
Mr Barnett, 28, had cleared debris from the same drain in an earlier flood. Coroner Geoffrey Saul said 999 crews had no underwater rescue capacity.
Neither the fire service, the police nor the ambulance service have an underwater rescue capability Coroner Geoffrey Saul
In returning his verdict, the jury foreman said Mr Barnett died when "in a selfless act to help others and without thought for his own safety, he became trapped in a flooded drain".
After the verdict, Mr Saul said he would be writing to the appropriate national authorities to report the "gap" in emergency services provision for underwater rescue.
The inquest heard how firefighters were not trained to use their cutting equipment under water and police divers were only trained in search rather than rescue techniques.
Mr Saul said the evidence showed "a gap to exist nationally in the provision of rescue services".
"It has become clear that neither the fire service, the police nor the ambulance service have an underwater rescue capability," he said.
The inquest heard Mr Barnett died from hypothermia after an unsuccessful four-hour operation to free him.
Amputation 'impossible'Amputation 'impossible'
He had cleared debris from the same drain in an earlier flood.
A bystander who watched the rescue efforts had told the inquest that "nobody seemed to know what to do".A bystander who watched the rescue efforts had told the inquest that "nobody seemed to know what to do".
Geoffrey Claxton, 76, said at one point Mr Barnett went completely under the water as rescuers tried to pull the grille free using the winch on a Land Rover vehicle.Geoffrey Claxton, 76, said at one point Mr Barnett went completely under the water as rescuers tried to pull the grille free using the winch on a Land Rover vehicle.
He said: "Everyone was doing what they could, I suppose, but they didn't seem very professional. Nobody seemed to know what to do. He said: "Everyone was doing what they could, I suppose, but they didn't seem very professional.
"I couldn't understand why they couldn't have put a harness on him and pulled him out.""I couldn't understand why they couldn't have put a harness on him and pulled him out."
Doctor Herman Vixseboxe had gone to the scene equipped with a special saw expecting to perform an emergency amputation on Mr Barnett.Doctor Herman Vixseboxe had gone to the scene equipped with a special saw expecting to perform an emergency amputation on Mr Barnett.
But he told the inquest the operation would have been "impossible" for a number of reasons.But he told the inquest the operation would have been "impossible" for a number of reasons.