Inquest into Copdock roundabout tanker crash victim opens

Michael Meehan, who lived in Grays in Essex, has been named as the man who died after his oil tanker overturned on Copdock roundabout on April 21.

Suffolk Coroners Court^[1] heard that a member of public saw an HGV tanker on its side on the A12 roundabout at around 4.30am.

Police, Suffolk Fire and Rescue, Highways England, National Highways, the Environment Agency and the East of England Ambulance Service attended the incident.

An inquest opened at Suffolk Coroners Court on October 11 (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Meehan, 59, was the driver of the tanker^[2], and no other vehicles were involved in the incident.

Paramedics pronounced him dead at 5am that morning at the scene.

The A12 and Copdock interchange was closed on April 21 for nearly 14 hours^[3] after the incident so the emergency services could safely decanter fuel from the tanker before it could be recovered and to establish if any fuel had spilled out onto the road^[4].

Assistant coroner Tim Deeming opened the inquest and adjourned it to a later date, with a case review to be held within the next six weeks.

References

1. ^{^} Suffolk Coroners Court (www.ipswichstar.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Mr Meehan, 59, was the driver of the tanker (www.ipswichstar.co.uk)
3. ^{^} A12 and Copdock interchange was closed on April 21 for nearly 14 hours (www.ipswichstar.co.uk)
4. ^{^} fuel had spilled out onto the road (www.ipswichstar.co.uk)