UK - 39 bodies found in lorry, Essex, 23 October 2019

[Mrs Marple]

Police probe suspected Irish people-smuggling ring after 39 migrants are found frozen to death

This article has some useful maps.

I can't find a reliable list of the businesses at Eastern Avenue on the industrial estate. Ther is this:

The Glade Business, Eastern Avenue, Waterglade Industrial Park, West Thurrock, Grays RM20 Commercial Properties to Let - Primelocation

Photo of lorry looks like a Co Op vehicle to me but l'm not suggesting it is linked

Bit more info here:

Interesting Information for The Glade Business Centre, Eastern Avenue, Waterglade Industrial Park, West Thurrock, Grays, RM20 3FH Postcode

Potential list of businesses here: can't comment on accuracy

Eastern Avenue, Grays, RM20 3FH - Residents, Businesses, Information - 192.com

Edit I suspect he was delivering. He probably thought it was a well easy job. Maybe someone else who took delivery opened the container? Someone must have needed to sign?

 

[CoverMeCagney]

If the container was sealed how would he smell anything?

I don't know, but something made him open that door in the middle of the night in a quiet industrial estate. Surely that would not be normal protocol if he thought he was transporting food.

Was he suspicious about something and opened the door?
Was the plan always to let people out and he knew this was his part in the operation?
Was he contacted after collecting it and told to open the doors?
Was he just being nosy?

 

[Elainera]

I wonder if the arrest is a move to pressurise him into telling the police info that could lead them to the organisers (who are definitely culpable)?

That's what I suspect too.

 

[jamjim]

I'm pretty sure a witness who works near to where the lorry was found, stated that there used to be a refrigeration company down near where the lorry was parked, but it closed over a month ago.

 

[CSIDreamer]

If the container was sealed how would he smell anything?

Well, if they were truly frozen as news reports are saying. Human waste would also be frozen. That would cut down on odors.

I'm also not sure what they mean by sealed. This sounds ridiculous but it's my only point of reference. Dollar General trucks are "sealed" with a lock and label. The store manager has to make sure the label is intact and unlock the trailer themselves. I don't work for them, I'm there a lot with another company.

 

[Mrs Marple]

Hmm l agree with Cags l'm giving him the side eye hard

Taken from the Mirror, this doesn't look like a regular drop off point

 

[Spyder84]

I read further up the thread that the trailor should have been sealed, maybe it wasn't and maybe this is what drew his attention, also we have no idea what the eventual destination was, sounds like the driver parked up for a break, maybe he knew the spot from experience.
But 2 things, first of, its a refrigerated lorry and we know there was some kind of refrigeration company on site until a few weeks ago.
And secondly why take a job in South East England when your from Northern Ireland...

 

[Elainera]

Just wondering .... it is said in one of the articles that several ambulances were called but they couldn't help as all 39 passengers were already dead.

Now please correct me someone with more sound medical knowledge, but isn't it standard procedure in cases of death due to hypothermia that the body will first be allowed to warm up before death is pronounced? There have been rare cases where someone hung on to life even though their body was already frozen stiff outwardly and vital signs could not be detected ... but their heart was still beating and when warmed up they survived.

So how could they immediately pronounce all 39 of them dead?

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Hmm l agree with Cags l'm giving him the side eye hard

Not full on side eye, just one raised eyebrow and a slight head tilt so far. I need to know why he opened the doors before I can determine my next facial expression.

 

[Spyder84]

Investigation into crime gang launched after 39 bodies found in refrigerated lorry

"Migrant smuggling gangs were a “massive issue” for lorry drivers, he said, and drivers were targeted by the groups “week in, week out”.


“It’s posed a massive issue to hauliers for years. Drivers are facing challenges from smugglers and from gangs continuously,” Mr Burnett said.

“They have to be very careful about where they park up, they have to be very careful about checking seals on their trailers to make sure nobody has broken in.”"

 

[Mrs Marple]

I have a weiner jk im mo robinson

This looks like our man. Odd.

Edit it's a link to a Facebook page set up in 2011, in case it looks like spam. Well someone didn't like him, anyway.

 

[Deleted member 238128]

Loads are sealed shut with security tags and can’t be opened by drivers, unless they are tasked to be involved in the unloading part of the journey. Can’t imagine he’d open those doors, knowing what was inside, then ring for ambulances rather than run?

 

[HongKongPhooey]

So if he had three days to drive the 300 miles down just before. Then had time waiting at the dock. I doubt he needed a rest break, would have planned around that. Seems more likely it was a rendezvous point. I wonder how the 39 were going to be transported on and where to? What other vehicles might have been in the area. Or is the deal that you get to the UK, door opened and you're on your own? I have no idea but the desperation itself is hellish

 

[CoverMeCagney]

So if he had three days to drive the 300 miles down just before. Then had time waiting at the dock. I doubt he needed a rest break, would have planned around that. Seems more likely it was a rendezvous point. I wonder how the 39 were going to be transported on and where to? What other vehicles might have been in the area. Or is the deal that you get to the UK, door opened and you're on your own? I have no idea but the desperation itself is hellish

I just don't get why any planned rendezvous or release point would be held in that industrial park - there will be ANPR and CCTV all over the place.

Hopefully more news will come out tomorrow. And you're right about the desperation being hellish, it's all just so upsetting.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I just don't get why any planned rendezvous or release point would be held in that industrial park - there will be ANPR and CCTV all over the place.

Hopefully more news will come out tomorrow. And you're right about the desperation being hellish, it's all just so upsetting.

It is Cags, awful. Another idea. Maybe he snarfed off to that park for a quick check of the seals and maybe a knock on the door signal of some kind. If he was discreet and chose his spot, cctv for that wouldnt be too worrying. Just having a smoke, walking round it... So not the rendezvous or release point, just a quick discreet check before he hit the road proper

 

[Elainera]

Whoever turned the refrigeration on surely didn't know that there were people inside?

Or was it turned on just to look authentic when passing a check point and then forgotten to be turned off after passing? In which case the driver would have had to know what's in his trailer.

I just can't think of any good reason why the refrigeration was turned on.

 

[FrostOwl]

Just wondering .... it is said in one of the articles that several ambulances were called but they couldn't help as all 39 passengers were already dead.

Now please correct me someone with more sound medical knowledge, but isn't it standard procedure in cases of death due to hypothermia that the body will first be allowed to warm up before death is pronounced? There have been rare cases where someone hung on to life even though their body was already frozen stiff outwardly and vital signs could not be detected ... but their heart was still beating and when warmed up they survived.

So how could they immediately pronounce all 39 of them dead?

The heart can stop beating when the body core temperature goes down to about 25 degrees Centigrade, and the brain signals stops at about 19 - 20 degrees, if the temperatures of the people were below those temperatures, they could be pronounce dead. I would guess the paramedics have instruments that can measure body core temperature.
A Swedish article what happens in the body when it freezes: Det här händer i kroppen när man fryser ihjäl – grad för grad
The survival rate of a freezing person begins to go down sharply already at 30 - 32 degrees Centigrade.

 

[Elainera]

The heart can stop beating when the body core temperature goes down to about 25 degrees Centigrade, and the brain signals stops at about 19 - 20 degrees, if the temperatures of the people were below those temperatures, they could be pronounce dead. I would guess the paramedics have instruments that can measure body core temperature.
A Swedish article what happens in the body when it freezes: Det här händer i kroppen när man fryser ihjäl – grad för grad
The survival rate of a freezing person begins to go down sharply already at 30 - 32 degrees Centigrade.

Thank you for explaining that!

 

[LadyL]

I dont see what you're referring to?

keep scrolling down to 2017 - under a relationship update - 800+ comments (most new)

Not full on side eye, just one raised eyebrow and a slight head tilt so far. I need to know why he opened the doors before I can determine my next facial expression.

LOL!

 

[Amonet]

If this guy is innocent of all knowledge and he opened those doors, I feel terrible for him.

I still think anyone who was involved who had knowledge of those people being in there should be prosecuted, including murder charges where appropriate.

If the container was refrigerated, surely it would have to have an airtight seal in order for the cold not not leak out? So whether the refrigeration was on or not, surely they would have died from lack of air anyway? It's awful