The relatives of a man who tragically lost his life in an unusual accident are concerned that they may never uncover the reasons for the sudden collapse of the pop-up urinal he was repairing.
Kevin Holding, a 60-year-old maintenance engineer, was fatally injured while working in Soho on January 27, 2023. During his inquest, it was revealed that it took two hours for a crane to arrive to remove the urinal from on top of him.
His daughter, 37-year-old Karlie Holding, expressed her outrage at the absence of information regarding the circumstances that led to her father’s tragic death, calling it “unacceptable” and “dishonorable”. She shared with BBC London: “Our family has been irrevocably changed; we are simply shattered.”
Detective Chief Inspector Dean Purvis of the Metropolitan Police, which continues to probe the incident, extended his apologies to the Holding family.
He stated, “We sincerely regret the distress this has caused for everyone connected to Mr. Holding.”
Pop-up toilets were first implemented in central London in 2002 to combat public urination. These facilities remain hidden beneath the pavement during the day and are elevated at night through hydraulic mechanisms.
Karlie, who lives in Sevenoaks, Kent, mentioned that her elderly grandparents have been profoundly affected by the incident.
She expressed that one of their greatest fears is the uncertainty surrounding the cause of her father’s death, stating, “They are worried they may never learn the truth before they pass away.”
“We haven’t achieved closure, we haven’t been able to grieve as we should, nor have we been able to honor Dad’s memory and rebuild our family.”
“We remain stuck in this ambiguous situation without understanding what led to his death, hindering our ability to find peace.”
Mr. Holding, a resident of Beckenham in southeast London, was caught beneath the collapsing telescopic urinal while performing maintenance work, as outlined during the inquest.
Emergency services were reported to have arrived at the scene around 1:05 PM GMT, but they were unable to remove him in time.
The work he was engaged in was for Westminster City Council, which conveyed its “deepest condolences to Kevin Holding’s family and friends.”
A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive indicated that they are collaborating with the Metropolitan Police on the investigation.
Detective Chief Inspector Purvis remarked, “This is a complicated inquiry, and we have been awaiting the interim report from the Health and Safety Executive.”
In response, Ms. Holding stated, “I’m not surprised they’re passing the buck.”
“Do your job. Remember, you’re handling a family’s tragedy. Show us the respect we deserve. We need action now.”
She further commented, “I truly believe that because my dad has passed, they keep overlooking his case.”
“It’s frustrating that there’s no clear timeline provided – it’s quite disgraceful.”
On the broader impact on their family, she added, “Our lives are essentially on pause – we’ve done nothing.”
“We’re merely existing. It’s unbearable.”
A year ago, the Metropolitan Police acknowledged that they had “not met the level of support the family should expect over the past year.”
The family has indicated to BBC London that the Met has now assigned a family liaison officer.
Detective Chief Inspector Purvis affirmed, “We have thoroughly reviewed the information in the [HSE report] and are waiting for final guidance before determining our next steps.”
“We understand that this investigation has been prolonged.”
