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Michelle O’Donoghue at home with the couple’s young daughter Shannon |
‘I just want answers. I need to know exactly how and why my Craig died’
Heartbroken fiancée of chippie killed in tragic accident speaks of the loss of her soulmate
THE heartbroken fiancé of a young father crushed to death when a crane toppled over on top of him has demanded to know how he died.
Michelle O’Donoghue had been planning to marry her partner of 10 years, Craig Page.
Instead, she will attend the funeral of the father of her 14-month-old toddler, Shannon, tomorrow (Friday).
She told the New Journal: “I just want answers. I just want to know who, and what took Shannon’s dad away. I’d give up anything except her to have him back but it’s not going to happen.”
Mr Page, 26, a carpenter, was killed at a building site in Denning Road, Hampstead, two weeks ago. He was killed by the boom arm of the crane.
Speaking from the home the couple shared in Caledonian Road, Islington, Ms O’Donoghue, 29, said Mr Page, had seen lots of accidents on different building sites and had always been worried about being hurt at work.
The Health and Safety Executive – the national safety watchdog – is investigating the incident.
Just three days before Mr Page’s death, a five-year investigation by the HSE into another death involving a crane concluded, finding it was an avoidable death and that contractors needed warning over crane safety.
However, it is unlikely Mr Page’s firm would have been alerted to the warning as it was published on the HSE’s website rather than sent directly to contractors.
Yesterday (Wednesday) a HSE spokesman defended their system for warning firms about safety and said they had no plans to review it in light of Mr Page’s death.
An average of 77 people die on construction sites every year. An independent inquiry into fatalities in the industry was commissioned by the government in December.
The HSE has 119 inspectors who visit sites across the country and roughly 60 managers and specialists. They plan to employ another 18 inspectors by the end of the month.
A spokesman for the Federation of Master Builders said: “HSE inspectors fulfil a valuable role but there simply aren’t enough of them and they’ve been increasingly reactive as opposed to preventative. Routine inspections would go some way towards helping safety.”
He warned that small firms were also struggling with the “quantity and complexity” of safety regulations set by the HSE.
Mr Page was a football fanatic and amateur fisherman. Ms O’Donoghue, who knew him as “Craigy”, said: “He has been my shadow ever since we met”.
She added: “The first thing he said when he came home from work was always: ‘Hello twinkle, have you had a good day?’ He was my best friend, soul mate, everything.
“He was a big friendly giant who would do anything for anyone. He loved being a dad. Shannon’s the spitting image of him.”
The couple were introduced after Mr Page pestered a friend for Miss O’Donoghue’s number.
They met for their first date on January 14 1998 – also the date of their daughter’s birthday 10 years later – outside Argos in Holloway Road.
“We’ve been inseparable ever since,” she said.
“He loved wood and would make anything. If there was a spare bit of wood he’d make something out of it.”
Days after his death, a neighbour’s seven-year-old son sent pennies over to Miss O’Donoghue with the message: “I’ve heard you can buy sweets in Heaven. I want Craig to have some sweets.”
An inquest into Mr Page’s death has been scheduled for the autumn.
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