Boy aged seven who fell to his death as he rode museum steam engine driven by his father

Tragic: Little Karl Doran died from serious head injuries after falling from the trailer of a steam-powered traction engine

This is the first picture of seven-year-old Karl Doran who died yesterday after falling from the trailer of a steam-powered traction engine that was being driven by his father at an open-air museum.
Karl, who lived in Darlington, had been enjoying a ride on the vintage vehicle being driven by his father Phillip Doran, 41, when the accident happened.
Emergency services arrived at Beamish museum, near Stanley, County Durham, just before 3pm but Karl, who had suffered serious head injuries, died at the scene.
His father, a museum volunteer, was taken to hospital suffering from shock immediately after the incident but has since been able to speak to police.
DCI Victoria Fuller, who is leading the joint police and health and safety investigation, said today: 'We are treating this as a tragic incident and are working with our colleagues in the Health and Safety Executive to establish the exact circumstances.

'We have already spoken to a number of witnesses but need to speak to some key people who may have been on a bus or tram which passed the traction engine around the time of the incident which occurred at around 3pm.'

Karl and his father, both steam enthusiasts, were frequent volunteers at Beamish. Mr Doran was driving the steam traction engine along a road adjacent to the railway line in the museum grounds when the incident happened.
A post mortem examination carried out last night confirmed that Karl's death was due to a head injury.
Richard Evans, the museum director, said today: 'We continue to support the joint investigation and offer our deep condolences to Karl’s family.'

Tragedy: Emergency services at Beamish Museum in Stanley, County Durham, yesterday. Karl's father was driving the steam traction engine along a road adjacent to the railway line when the incident happened

The award-winning museum, which has working trams and other old fashioned machines driving around its grounds, was packed with families enjoying the good weather and the first weekend of the school holidays.

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It was immediately closed and evacuated after the accident.

Fatal accident: A vintage steam engine at Beamish. The passengers' faces are obscured as they were not involved in yesterday's tragedy

Inspector Stephen Dowdle, of Durham Constabulary, said yesterday: ‘A seven-year-old boy had been involved in an incident with a steam traction engine and trailer and had been pronounced dead at the scene.
‘He appeared to have suffered serious head injuries.
‘The engine driver was taken to hospital suffering from shock. He will be spoken to by police at an appropriate time and is being treated as a witness.
‘Detectives and road policing officers are at the scene to establish exactly what took place.’
Police were carrying out a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive, he added.
The museum, whose full name is the Living Museum of the North, opened in its current form in 1970 and preserves life as it was in 1913.
Its thousands of objects and original, replica and relocated buildings are based on the early 20th century, late Victorian period and the Industrial Revolution of 1825.
They include a replica town, village, railway station and farm which helps preserve traditional and rare livestock breeds, as well as a mid-19th century drift mine.
The museum has won several awards, including the Sandford Award for Heritage Education 2011 and Living Museum of the Year in 2000, 2002 and 2004.
In 1986 it was named British Museum of the Year and the following year was crowned European Museum of the Year. Its supporters include Art Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Horror: Paramedics were called to the museum (file picture) just before 3pm yesterday. Karl was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering head injuries and his father Philip was taken to hospital suffering from shock

Staff in period costume and visitors can get around using a steam railway, tramway, wagonway and old buses.

Last night hundreds of Facebook users paid tribute to the boy on the museum’s page on the social networking website.
Anna Barker wrote: ‘Such awful news for all involved. Thoughts to the little boy and his family and also to the staff at Beamish who are such a close-knit community.’
Lisa Caroline Dixon added: ‘Such a tragic accident. Thoughts of deep condolences go out to his family, friends, all those involved and the evacuated visitors today who must all be deeply devastated.
Stephen Coulthard said he had seen the boy on the engine earlier in the day and described the death as ‘tragic’.
Kenny Flint Snr wrote: ‘Such a sad, sad day. A young lad doing something he must have really enjoyed, being involved and around steam engines. R.I.P little man our thoughts go out to your family and friends.’
Catherine Lundy said: ‘Very sorry to hear about this awful event at such a beautiful place of interest. Thoughts are with the family.’
Any witnesses are urged to contact Durham Police.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2177288/Beamish-Museum-death-Boy-7-killed-traction-engine-accident-County-Durham.html#ixzz21TLUVtIp