March 7, 2018
Scotland
Scotland
Distraught family of Ayrshire security guard who died in wind farm blizzard fear he wasn’t given satellite phone for emergencies
By Laura Murray | The Scottish Sun | 7th March 2018 | www.thescottishsun.co.uk
By Laura Murray | The Scottish Sun | 7th March 2018 | www.thescottishsun.co.uk
The distraught family of a security worker who died when a blizzard engulfed a windfarm have demanded answers amid fears he wasn’t issued an emergency phone.
Ronnie Alexander, 74, became trapped in heavy snow on Afton wind farm in Ayrshire when severe weather struck earlier this year.
Daughter Tracy, 48, said Ronnie, who was “fit and healthy”, lay frozen in a drift for “hours and hours” after the whiteout on January 21.
She said she was plagued with worry as she heard rumours that workers had not been issued with satellite phones to raise an alarm in an emergency.
And she questioned whether anyone should have been working on the site in such hazardous weather conditions.
It came as the Met Office issued a yellow “be aware” warning for heavy snow across large areas of Scotland.
Ronnie was airlifted to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary but passed away from severe hypothermia.
Tracey shared how the death of her “lovely, hard-working” father had devastated the family.
She told the BBC: “My mum is in bits, as is my sister and her family and my sons.
“We really need to know exactly what happened, we don’t want this happening again.
“It’s horrible knowing that my dad, who was such a fit, healthy man, died like this. It should never have happened.”
Now the family are seeking answers over whether the next shift raised the alarm when they were unable to start work.
Ms Fraser said: “I want answers. It’s not going to bring my dad back.
“I want to know what happened so it never, ever happens to any other family because it’s absolutely broke my heart.”
The CSM Facilities workers are understood to have lost heating and light during a power cut in the snow storm.
Cops were alerted to the pensioner’s sub-zero ordeal at 8.50pm but he lay stranded until 1.30am.
Ronnie was married to Mary, 77, and had daughters, Tracy and Laura, 45. He had worked with CSM for 11 months.
Cops and the Health and Safety Executive have launched a probe into the tragedy.