A Beko oven that caused the death Kevin Branton and Richard Smith
Police have launched a fresh investigation into the deaths of two men killed by fumes from their Beko cooker.
The Turkish whitegoods manufacturer could faces charges of corporate manslaughter as a result of the probe by Devon and Cornwall police, which wants to establish whether the deaths of 30-year-old Richard Smith and Kevin Branton, 32, were “linked to criminal offences”.
Santosh Benjamin-Muthiah, who died in a separate incident involving a Beko fridge-freezer
Kevin Branton
Richard Smith
The Sunday Times reported Beko was fined £76,660 last year after pleading guilty to failing to notify authorities of the risks of some of its cookers made prior to 2009.
But Smith and Branton’s families were given permission to apply to the High Court for a fresh inquest.
Denise Branton, the mother of Kevin Branton, told the paper: “It is a bit like David and Goliath, fighting Beko, but we feel we are getting somewhere.”
Thomas Jervis, a lawyer in the product safety team at Leigh Day, the legal firm representing the men’s families, said: “The families will be making their application to the High Court as soon as possible.”
In October 2014 a coroner ruled a father of two died after a fire caused by a Beko fridge-freezer.
Santosh Benjamin-Muthiah, 36, died of severe smoke inhalation on 13 November 2010 as he rescued his two young daughters from the blaze at his home in northwest London.
He became overcome by the fumes shortly after passing his children through a window.
Investigators later discovered the fire started in the family’s Beko fridge-freezer, which was a model that had not been recalled despite being highlighted as a potential safety risk.
Devon and Cornwall police said: “Police are investigating to establish if there is a reasonable suspicion that these deaths [of Smith and Branton] are linked to criminal offences.”
A Beko spokesman said: “We entirely respect the attorney-general’s decision and will continue to co-operate fully with the proceedings.”
The company said that it deeply regrets the incidents involving its appliances, but does not consider there was any unnecessary delay in the recall.
The company urged anyone with a pre-2007 model of Beko fridge-freezer to visit its website at refsafety.beko.co.uk.