Young painter dies in Cheshire electrocution weeks before newborn daughter arrives
Connor Lambert, a 24-year-old trainee painter, was fatally electrocuted while working on a house in Cheshire, and his daughter was born 23 days later.
On July 29, 2024, trainee painter Connor Lambert, 24, was killed after a ladder he was handling struck or arced to an overhead electricity line while decorating a house in Farndon, Cheshire. A colleague suffered burns to his hands, feet and stomach in the same event. The Health and Safety Executive found that the work at height was inadequately planned, supervised and executed, and that unsuitable equipment and insufficient risk assessment contributed to the tragedy.
Lambert’s partner, Megan McCann, was 32 weeks pregnant at the time and delivered a baby girl 23 days after his death. Lambert’s step-father and employer, Daniel Watton, pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations and was sentenced to 16 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay costs. The case underscores the critical need for proper safety measures when working near power lines.
Why it matters
The tragedy shows how unsafe work practices near power lines can lead to fatal accidents and affect families.
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