Dervock man’s sorrow at death of former workmate

Brian Kane, from Dervock, worked at Diamonds Sawmill for almost 40 years and knew the victim, Peter Lennon, for most of that time.

Speaking after the funeral of the 54-year-old Portstewart man, Mr. Kane described Mr. Lennon, as a genuine person who knew his job inside out.

Mr. Kane who recently retired from Diamonds, said he was deeply shocked at the death.

“Peter was a fitter and there was none better. He could turn his hand to anything and everyone regarded him highly. He will definitely be greatly missed,” Mr. Kane said.

He added: “I never knew a man who worked as hard as Peter and I don’t think he will ever be replaced by anyone better. He could have done anything, he was so handy.”

Mr. Kane offered his sympathies to Mr. Lennon’s wife, Anne, at the funeral and spoke of the genuine sympathy of all past and present employees of Diamonds.

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating the accident.

SDLP assembly member John Dallat said his workmates have been “deeply shocked” by his death.

“I wish to offer my deepest sympathy to the family. I also sympathise with this colleagues who have been deeply shocked by this tragedy.”

The latest accident comes after the deaths of Noel Spence and his two sons, Ulster rugby star Nevin and father-of-two Graham in a slurry tank at their farm in Hillsborough, Co Down, and that of Fermanagh GAA star Brian Og Maguire, who was killed at a factory formerly owned by the Quinn Group in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh.

Rasharkin man Francis Kennedy also died two days after being injured on a building site in Coleraine on September 11.