Families remember loved ones lost in Didcot Power Station collapse ten years on
With the investigation set to conclude this year, they still wait for justice
Today marks ten years since the tragic collapse of the boiler house at Didcot Power Station, which claimed the lives of four men: Michael Collings, Ken Cresswell, Christopher Huxtable, and John Shaw.
As investigations continue, with the Thames Valley Police and Health and Safety Executive aiming to reach a conclusion this year, the families of the victims have spoken of their ongoing pain and hope for justice.
Police statement
Deputy Chief Constable Ben Snuggs said: “On the 10th anniversary of the tragic Didcot Power Station partial collapse, our thoughts are firmly with Michael, Ken, Christopher and John’s family and friends.
"We are as committed today as we were on 23rd February 2016 to diligently and rigorously investigating this tragedy, which is shown through our unprecedented work alongside our partners over the last 10 years.
"We remain confident our investigation for this complex case will be finalised this year, as we said last month, to ensure the families get the answers they deserve.”
Firefighter reflection
Steve Wright was on Red Watch in Didcot on the day of the collapse and was one of the first firefighters to the scene.
Reflecting on the disaster ten years later he said: "You couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. We were trying to get messages back to our control room saying that this is a major incident and we need more resources - being told that people are trapped in the rubble, not knowing what part of the building were stable and what parts weren’t.
"For us firefighters, we turn up and we do our job but it's one of those incidents in my 25-year career on the front line that I can go back to instantly and remember the feelings, the smells, the taste and what we experienced.
"We continually think about the incident and we continue to think about the four lives that were lost. The impact that will have forever on those families is something that weighs heavily on us.
"Hopefully the investigation will be able to deliver some of the answers that they need."
The Cresswell family
In a new statement, the Creswell family said: “As we mark ten years since the Didcot Power Station collapse that took the life of our beloved Dad, Grandad, and Husband, Ken Cresswell, the pain remains as deep and as raw as it was on 23rd February 2016.
"The irreplaceable void left in our lives is something we carry every single day. Together, as a family, we stand strong in our ongoing fight for justice.
"We fully support Thames Valley Police, the Health and Safety Executive, and the Crown Prosecution Service as the investigation enters its final stages.
After a decade of heartache and waiting, we can only hope that the right thing is done and that justice is finally achieved for all the men who never came home.
"Nobody should go to work and lose their life. Nobody should go to work in the morning and not return.
"Our love for our cherished Dad, Husband, and Grandad remains as strong as ever, inspiring us to continue seeking the answers our family has waited so long to hear.
"He is missed beyond words—every day, every hour, in every part of our lives.
"His memory guides us, strengthens us, and reminds us why this fight for answers and accountability matters so deeply. We will continue to stand together, driven by love, determination, and the hope that justice will prevail.”
The Collings family
The Collings family said: “Ten years have passed since you left us, and somehow the world has kept moving, even when it felt impossible.
"Time will never erase you. Your laughter and your smile taught us that joy matters, that life is there to be lived, and that a good laugh can carry us through the hardest moments.
"We miss your smile. We miss your laugh. And we carry them with us, always. Forever loved. Forever remembered.”
The Huxtable family
Sandra Huxtable, mother of Christopher, said: “This has been the hardest ten years of my life. No mother expects to lose a child. Finally we will get justice so Christopher can rest in peace with his brother Jonathan. I wish to thank Thames Valley Police for all their support."
Tia Huxtable, Christopher’s daughter said: "To be sitting here at 21, when I was just 11 years old on 23rd February 2016, feels unreal.
"It feels like forever since the day I lost a huge part of me — my amazing dad. Ten years on, and there is still no justice for our men. But I truly believe the day will come when justice is finally served — for our men, for us families, and for every family affected by that devastating day.
"We must continue to raise awareness worldwide so that a disaster like this never happens again.
"I understand now that the length of time we’ve waited for answers feels endless. For a long time, it was hard to understand why it has taken so long. But as I’ve grown, I can see that the time taken is about making sure the outcome is the right one — the best and fairest one possible.
"Ten years later, we have never given up on justice, and we never will until the day it is served.
"Losing my dad at such a young age has had a massive impact on my life. A whole decade without him here with me and my mum. We miss him endlessly.
"He’s not going to walk me down the aisle. He’s not going to meet his future grandchildren or see the life I build. Those are moments that will always feel incomplete without him.
"But as long as I continue to make my dad proud, I know I’ll be okay. He will never be forgotten. And he will most certainly never walk alone. Until the very end.”
The Shaw family
Kirsty Shaw, John’s daughter, said: "Ten years ago today, our hard-working, loving dad and husband went to work and never returned home.
Ten years have passed, and yet we still have no answers as to why what happened, happened.
Time may go on for everyone else; however, my family and I still remember every single moment from that day — from the power station collapse up to the moment he was found and laid to rest.
It’s been a living hell for the past ten years and will continue to be until we receive justice and answers as to why our dad, my mum’s husband — and now his granddaughter, whom he was robbed of meeting — is no longer here, all because he went to work on Tuesday 23rd February 2016.”
As families continue to seek closure from the tragic events, they remain hopeful that justice will prevail and the answers they have awaited for a decade will soon be forthcoming.