Family heartache over crush death

Mar 10 2008 By Steve Johnson

THE devastated family of a "lovely and popular lad" today spoke of their grief after he was crushed to death by a runaway van.

Michael Hill threw himself in front of his works van to stop it crashing into a factory. But he could not control its three-and-a-half ton weight and was crushed against a wall.

His family said it was typical of the 21-year-old to try to prevent an accident.

"He could see what was going to happen, the van would have been badly damaged if it had hit the wall and he tried to stop it," they said.

"That was just like him and it that conscientiousness cost him his life.

"We hope lessons can be learned. The van would have been insured anyway and we don't want more young men to die in this way."

Michael, from Tipton, had just parked the van in Factory Road, also Tipton, when he realised it was moving down a slope towards a factory occupied by A1 Clutches.

He stepped in front of it but was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene.

Michael, who worked as a cable jointer on building sites, was on his way to meet friends for a night out when the tragedy happened at about 9pm on Thursday.

His family were too upset to speak directly and issued a statement through West Bromwich road policing unit family liaison officer PC Steve Jevons.

PC Jevons said the van was being examined by experts to establish what happened.

"It seems that either Mr Hill had not applied the handbrake properly or the handbrake may have been faulty," he said.

"We know the engine had been switched off and the van rolled down a slope.

"Mr Hill had stepped out of the vehicle and was some distance away when he realised what was happening. He tried to stop it rolling and it cost him his life.

"It is a terrible tragedy, a freak accident. His parents are incredibly upset."

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out today or tomorrow and an inquest will open later this week.