Wigan, Greater Manchester – Dwayne Bell, a former teenage apprentice at Qualfab Steel Ltd, has secured a six‑figure compensation settlement for injuries he sustained in a March 2021 workplace explosion. The blast, which occurred at the steel yard in the Greater Manchester area, left Bell with third‑degree burns to his face, nose and ears, and required a week in an induced coma.
What happened
Bell, then 17, was tasked with burning rubbish in a metal bin. He says he was the youngest worker on site by two decades and had only spent a single day at Knowsley Technical College before being sent to the yard. “I was just a kid, doing what I was told,” he recalled. “I never had any real training on the dangers of what I was doing or given any PPE safety goggles – I was just left to it.”
When wet wood failed to ignite, Bell used paint thinner, unaware that sparks were already present beneath the wood. “I didn’t see the sparks that were already there as they were hidden by the wood,” he said. “The next thing I knew, the world just turned orange. The sound was like a jet engine. I was standing in the middle of a massive flame.”
Immediate aftermath
Colleagues rushed to his aid, attempting to remove his gloves and overalls as the flames melted his tracksuit bottoms. Bell survived the initial blast but suffered severe burns to his face, nose and ears. He was rushed to Whiston Hospital, where he spent three weeks in intensive care. “I was terrified my face would be scarred forever,” he recalled, adding that he begged nurses to end his life, but they kept him alive.
After the hospital stay, Bell’s mother cared for him at home while he endured constant pain, sleeplessness and the psychological trauma of his injuries. He later underwent three skin grafts and faces further surgery to address lingering scarring.
Legal resolution
Express Solicitors negotiated a six‑figure settlement on Bell’s behalf. Senior associate Neil Sagar praised Bell’s “miraculous recovery” but warned that the injuries will affect his future career. “Businesses need to make sure appropriate supervision and training are given to apprentices, especially when working with dangerous disposal methods,” Sagar said.
Bell, now an apprentice welder at a different firm, expressed a desire to move forward. “I have to live with the consequences of what happened every day. Now I just want to try and live a normal life as possible,” he said.
Company response
Qualfab Steel Ltd has been approached for comment but has not yet responded.
Broader implications
The case underscores the importance of rigorous safety protocols and proper training for young workers in high‑risk industries. It also highlights the legal recourse available to victims of workplace negligence, reinforcing the need for employers to prioritize the well‑being of their apprentices and staff.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
