World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

Refrigerant leak linked to fatalities

UK: The Health and Safety Executive is investigating the deaths of two men following a suspected refrigerant leak at a Norfolk poultry factory.

Two subcontractors from a pest control company working at Banham Poultry in Attleborough were found dead at around 01.10 this morning. The two men were reported to be aged in their 30s and 40s. No one else was injured.

In a statement, Norfolk police said that, along with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service and the Health and Safety Executive, it was continuing to assess the scene in order to understand the circumstances which lead to the mens’ deaths.

“Having carried out initial assessments investigating teams on site are exploring what they believe to have been a refrigeration gas leak near to where the men were working as a line of enquiry,” the police said.

There has been no confirmation that a refrigerant leak was to blame, but it is thought that the factory employs an ammonia/glycol refrigeration system. 

Latest News

16th June 2025

Daikin adds high-temperature heat pump

ITALY: Daikin is to introduce a new high-temperature option for its VZ series of water-to-water heat pumps, capable of supplying hot water at temperatures up to 90°C.
15th June 2025

Hitachi introduces R290 and R32 heat pumps

SPAIN: Hitachi has launched new residential air-to-water heat pumps – an R290 monobloc and R32 split system.
15th June 2025

Fibre membrane could lower data centre cooling costs

USA: Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new evaporative cooling technology that could improve the energy efficiency of data centres and high-powered electronics.  The idea…
15th June 2025

Armstrong begins work on industrial heat pump plant

BELGIUM: Armstrong International has commenced work on a new high temperature industrial heat pump production facility at its site in Herstal, Belgium.
14th June 2025

Fambri double in REHVA student awards

ITALY: Beniamino Fambri, holder of a laurea magistrale in energy engineering from Italy’s Politecnico di Milano, was a double winner of student awards at this month’s 15th CLIMA World Congress.
13th June 2025

Sanhua VPF valves now for flammable refrigerants

SPAIN: Sanhua has extended TÜV certification for its VPF electronic expansion valves to include larger models (sizes 50 to 400) — enabling their safe use with flammable refrigerants.