Tributes to workman, 53, killed after falling down a construction lift shaft on site as son, 18, fighting for life

TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who was killed after falling down a construction lift shaft as his teenage son fights for his life in hospital.

Emergency services raced to a building site on Chapel Street in the city centre of Liverpool on Wednesday to reports of two seriously injured men.



Cops confirmed a 53-year-old man died while working at one of the Unity buildings in Rumford Place, and an 18-year-old man, understood to be his son, was rushed to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

Witnesses reportedly said the tragic incident involved an external construction lift which suddenly collapsed.

The two men have been named locally as dad and son David and Clayton Bottomley, from Castleford in West Yorkshire.

'PEAS IN A POD'

A friend of the family told the Liverpool Echo: "They were both inseparable and very much peas in a pod.

"Clayton was a very good rugby league player with Castleford Tigers. But he had a few injuries and decided to work for his dad.

"Dave is a life-long Leeds United fan and a very good friend of mine. I would describe him as very hard working, who always provided for his family.

"He was happy working seven days in a row and never complained. A real grafter and good guy.

"David and his family would do anything for anybody – very decent and fair people.

"This is such a tragedy and I know that we will all want some answers as to what happened."

The friend said David was a highly experienced insulation fitter and had worked at the site for the past two years.

An investigation has been launched by detectives and the Health and Safety Executive and cops remained at the scene this evening.

A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: "Following an incident at a building site on Chapel Street yesterday afternoon, we can confirm that a 53-year-old man sadly died at the scene.

"The man's next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers at this time.

"The second man, aged 18, was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

"Emergency services were called to a site around 3.30pm yesterday to reports that the two men had been found seriously injured after falling."

Developers Laing O'Rouke were doing work on the high-rise buildings at the time of the incident, BBC reports.

A spokeswoman said: "We can confirm there was an incident at the Unity building yesterday afternoon.

"Our health and safety team is at the site and we and our sub-contractors will cooperate fully with the investigation into what happened."

The Unity buildings are made up of two connecting towers – a 27-storey residential block with 161 apartments and a 16-floor building of commercial space.

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