Pictured: Father-of-two who was crushed to death under heavy machinery in London – and ‘devastated’ family still ‘don’t know how it happened’
- Steve Jeffrey, 51, died on April 20 after being crushed at his London office
- His family are still searching for answers as to how the horror accident happened
The devastated family of a father-of-two who was crushed to death under heavy machinery in London are desperately searching for answers as to how the tragedy unfolded.
Steve Jeffrey, from Cliffe in Kent, had commuted to his Fleet Place office in central London as usual on April 20 before the horror accident led to his sudden death at 51.
It’s understood he became trapped under machinery at the office but his family are still unsure as to what triggered the tragic chain of events.
The weekend before his death, Mr Jeffrey had taken his son Kai to play for his Ebbsfleet United Under-19s football team as he always did.
He then spent time with his friend Ben Smoker and their families, including his partner Andrea Moore and his daughter Amy.
Steve Jeffrey, from Cliffe in Kent, was crushed to death under heavy machinery at his London office
Mr Smoker described his friend as ‘always smiling, always laughing’.
Speaking to The Mirror about his ‘bubbly’ friend, Mr Smoker said: ‘He was always checking on people, if he knew something was going on in your life he would always be the first person to ask you about it.’
He added: ‘His bubbly kind-hearted nature and caring personality touched so many. He would do anything for anyone and would put them unselfishly before his own needs.’
The 41-year-old from Sheerness, Kent, had met Mr Jeffrey through their sons’ football team and quickly became close friends. Mr Smoker was even Kai’s coach.
Mr Smoker, who was holidaying in Portugal with his family when his friend tragically died, first felt that something was wrong when he hadn’t heard from Mr Jeffrey on a group chat they shared with another friend.
He noted at the time that his friend had gone quiet because Mr Jeffrey was usually the first to message each day as he always went into work so early.
Mr Jeffrey was an avid football fan who loved to travel around the country with his son – either to watch him play or take him to games.
Mr Smoker paid tribute to his friend who ‘always did so much to help’ at matches. ‘He would run the line, he would set up the camera – I can’t bare myself to bring it to games anymore,’ he added.
He described the awful moment that he was contacted by Mr Jeffrey’s partner while in Portugal who told him she had to speak to him urgently before informing him that there had been a horror accident.
‘In my head I went oh her son’s broken his leg but then she said it’s Steve, he’s gone … it’s an accident at work, no one’s telling me anything,’ Mr Smoker explained.
It’s understood Mr Jeffrey became trapped under machinery at the office but his family are still unsure as to what triggered the tragic chain of events. (File image of Fleet Place)
Ahead of an official inquest, the family have been left reeling from the shock death which they are still demanding answers for.
Mr Smoker claimed that his friend’s family are yet to receive any explanation from SAS Ltd – where Mr Jeffrey worked for more than 20 years.
He said the only information they have received is from the coroner who said the cause of death was a cardiac arrest.
Mr Smoker called on SAS Ltd to act with ‘decency to put someone’s mind at rest’ after they only contacted Andrea a week after the accident – only to tell her they couldn’t speak to her about it.
He has so far raised almost £5,000 to help ‘try and raise as much as possible to help take the financial strain from his family’.
Posting on Go Fund Me, Mr Smoker said: ‘At this heart breaking time Andrea, Amy, Kai and family have had their worlds turned upside down and are going through the worse experience imaginable. No explanations, no planning, no final words of comfort, no goodbyes!’
SAS Ltd said they were unsure how the accident happened when approached for comment by The Mirror.
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