Grenades accident killed Telford blast expert

A 34-year-old explosives expert died in a blast in Afghanistan as he attempted to carry out a controlled explosion, an inquest heard today.

Mark Fitzpatrick, from Priorslee, in Telford, was leading a team of Afghani colleagues at the central demolition site outside the city of Kabul when he died in November 2010.

Mr Fitzpatrick, of Wyndham Grove, who had been working for American company DynoCorp International for two years in Afghanistan, was involved in disposing of war remnants, such as grenades, which had been collected.

An inquest at Telford Magistrates Court today heard how Mr Fitzpatrick, who was a keen golfer and member of Shifnal Golf Club, was carrying out controlled explosions on 20 smoke grenades on November 20 when the first attempt failed.

The court was told Mr Fitzpatrick, who was born in Bishops Wood and moved to Telford in 2000, and his team followed procedure and waited a set time until he walked to the grenades to put on a second detonator.

The detonator then exploded killing Mr Fitzpatrick instantly.

The inquest heard he died from 'multiple blast injuries' and he had to be identified through dental records on return to the UK.

Mr John Ellery, coroner for Telford & Wrekin, recorded a verdict of accidental death.

In a letter to Mr Fitzpatrick's family read out by the coroner, Alan McDonald, director of Mine Action Co-ordination Centre of Afghanistan said he 'did work for the Afghan people and without a doubt saved many lives'.

He said it was 'dangerous work' but the world needed people like him. He said everyone on the programme 'saluted' Mr Fitzpatrick.

Ian Fitzpatrick paid tribute to his son who had travelled the world during a 10-year service in the RAF and had also enjoyed research and developmental work in Cambodia.

On behalf of his mother Julie and sisters Monique, Michelle and Samantha, Mr Fitzpatrick said: "Mark has made us immensely proud with the work he did and the recognition he has had from around the world."

See also:

• Tributes paid to Telford mine clearance worker

• Telford man dies in Afghan blast