Today, on the 50th anniversary of the Queen Victoria blast furnace disaster, we honour our 11 colleagues who lost their lives in the tragedy.
At 2.47am this morning – the precise time an explosion rocked our Scunthorpe steelworks on 4 November 1975 – a two-minute silence was held across our works.
Immediately before this, a small group – including members of our current ironmaking team – congregated at our blast furnaces in front of the Queen Victoria memorial plaque to pay their respects.
Our CEO Allan Bell told the gathering: “This was not just an industrial accident; it was a profound human tragedy that touched families, colleagues, and the entire community.
“As we reflect on that day, we remember the courage and dedication of the men and women who worked here. Their contribution laid the foundations for the industry we continue to build upon.
“I thank you all for joining us in this act of remembrance. May we never forget, and may we continue to honour their memory through the work we do every day.”
Our colleague, Tony Gosling, also spoke on behalf of the trade unions before the silence and the laying of a wreath at our Queen Anne furnace.
Throughout the day we will be remembering our colleagues who lost their lives, those who were injured in the explosion, their friends, families, and loved ones.
This includes the blessing of a new permanent memorial at the Gate D entrance to our Scunthorpe site – 11 trees, each one planted in memory of our colleagues who lost their lives because of the explosion.
They will forever be in our thoughts.