Five labourers were crushed to death by a concrete wall after bosses failed to spot the risk of it collapsing, an inquest has heard - as their families vow to look for 'justice'.
The men, who were all from Senegal and Gambia, had been clearing out a scrap metal storage bay when an 11.8ft concrete partition came crashing down on them.
Horrified bystanders were unable to save the men who - according to their families - suffered 'very violent deaths'.
The incident took place more than two years ago, on July 7, 2016 at Hawkeswood Metal Recycling in Birmingham.
The five men were killed after a concrete wall collapsed at Hawkeswood Metal Recycling (pictured) in Nechells, Birmingham. An inquest concluded today that the danger the wall posed could have been noticed earlier
Almamo Jammeh (left), 45, and Bangally Dukureh (right), 55, were two of the men to died in the incident on July 7, 2016 at Hawkeswood Metal Recycling in Birmingham. Mr Jammeh's widow, Awa Dibba, has still not been able to tell her children of their father's death
Ousman Diaby, 39, and Mahamadou Jagana, 49, both died in the devastating incident. Reacting to the verdicts of accidental death outside court, the men's families said they would continue to look for 'justice' following the 'very violent deaths'
But just today, following a two-week inquest into their deaths at the city's coroner's court, it was found that the site could have 'most definitely' identified the risk of a fall.
So devastating have the effects of their deaths been, that one widow has not yet been able to tell her children of the tragedy.
Awa Dibba, wife of Almamo Jammeh, 45, said the incident had 'torn [her] world apart' and that she couldn't tell her children of their father's death.
Mr Jammeh died alongside Ousman Diaby, 39, Bangally Dukureh, 55, Saibo Sillah, 42, and Mahamadou Jagana, 49.
Lang Dampha, the spokesman for the families of those who died, urged 'immediate steps to be taken' following the deaths in Nechells.
And that this ensures 'we learn the lessons of why our loved ones died' to prevent a repeat of any similar incidents.
Saibo Sillah (pictured), 42, was another of the men killed in the incident. All five are believed to have died instantly after a concrete wall came crashing down on them while they were working at a scrapyard in Birmingham
All the victims were married, working men who had arrived in the UK from Spain, and had been living in Birmingham.
Speaking at an earlier inquest Mr Jammeh's wife, Awa, said: 'Almamo worked so hard and loved his family.
'His death has torn the family apart both here and back home in Gambia. It has devastated us.
'The little children ask every day for their dad, they don't know he has died.'
While Aminata Kaba, the wife of Mr Diaby, said at the same inquest that she found out about her husband's death after people spoke about it on WhatsApp.
She said: 'Someone told me he had died - I heard people had put it on WhatsApp as they weren't aware of who his close family were.
'I last spoke to Ousmane the night before his death. He asked me if I loved him, I told him I did and he was the only person I loved.
'I was really shocked when I heard about his death.'
Delivering the panel's conclusions today - following the two-week inquest into the incident - the jury foreman said: 'On July 7, 2016 at a metal recycling plant, the deceased were cleaning out a bay when a free-standing gravity wall overturned due to gross over-loading.
'The deceased suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene.'
They also found the risk of collapse was foreseeable, was not 'actually identified' and 'caused or contributed' to each of the deaths.
They concluded verdicts of accidental death for each of the men.
The friends and family of the five men (pictured) killed in the wall collapse attended the hearing at Birmingham Coroners Court today. Reacting to the verdicts of accidental death outside court, the men's families said they would continue to look for 'justice' following the 'very violent deaths'
The jury heard last week that part of a stored pile of 263 tons of metal ingots had fallen, along with the wall itself, on to the group when the partition gave way.
During Thursday's evidence, HSE investigator Paul Cooper was asked by area coroner for Birmingham and Solihull Emma Brown if the 'risk of the wall falling' could have been spotted.
He replied 'most definitely' and that it would have 'common sense' to have identified that risk.
Before being sent out on Friday, jurors were directed by the coroner to record verdicts of accidental death.
She also asked them to determine whether there was a 'foreseeable risk' of collapse.
CCTV had showed a shift in the wall's angle seconds before the structure came down.
All the victims suffered 'devastating blunt force injuries' and had to be identified by their fingerprints, the inquest heard.
All the victims were married, working men who had arrived in the UK from Spain, and had been living in Birmingham. They were all working at Hawkeswood Metal Recycling in Birmingham (pictured) at the time of their deaths
The men, who were all from Senegal and Gambia, had been clearing out a scrap metal storage bay when an 11.8ft concrete partition came crashing down on them
Wayne Hawkeswood, managing director of Shredmet Ltd, which runs the yard (pictured), said in a statement read to the inquest on Monday that he 'simply cannot comprehend how this happened'
As the verdicts were read out, the families of the men broke down in tears and one of the men's widows had to leave the courtroom.
Wayne Hawkeswood, managing director of Shredmet Ltd, which runs the yard, said in a statement read to the inquest on Monday that he 'simply cannot comprehend how this happened'.
He added: 'I am absolutely devastated by the deaths of the five men and constantly think about the loss their family and friends have suffered.'
Addressing the families, after the verdicts, Mrs Brown said: 'I wanted to convey my deepest condolences to you on the loss of your loved ones, who were clearly very hard-working, diligent and responsible family men.'
She added: 'I hope the jury's findings of fact, on the evidence, will, with time, bring you some comfort.'
After the hearing, the bereaved families thanked the British public for their support following the accident.
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News Pictures Five men were crushed to death by a concrete wall after bosses failed to spot risk of it collapsing
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