Tragic news from Nine Ladies/Stanton Moor protest site
Submitted by Andy B on Sunday, 10 March 2002 Page Views: 5827
DiscoveriesInquiry after protester's body found in shelter fireAn investigation has been launched after the body of a woman was found in a burned-out tree shelter at the Nine Ladies Stone Circle in Stanton Lees.
A blaze tore through a wooden hut on the site at 10.30pm last night (7th March 2002).
The woman is thought to be one of up to 70 people camped there in protest at quarrying being carried out at the site, which is an English Heritage-scheduled ancient monument.
A Derbyshire Fire Service spokesman said: "Three crews from Matlock attended the scene and extinguished flames before finding the body of a woman."
None of the other huts and tree shelters, which the protesters have built themselves, were damaged, but a man was taken to Chesterfield Royal Infirmary suffering from minor burns.
Police cordoned off the site this morning and were talking to protesters to identify the dead woman and try to find out what sparked the blaze.
Inspector Terry Branson, of Derbyshire police, said: "What we have here is one of the largest environmental protest sites in the country, with between 30 and 70 protesters.
"All we can say at this moment is that we were called, with the fire brigade, and the body of a woman was removed. A post mortem examination will be carried out later today.
"The identity of the deceased is still not known."
Twelve officers were conducting a "full examination" of the area today.
The protesters have been on the site for more than two years objecting to plans to quarry the Encliffe and Lees Cross sites.
More: Derby Evening Telegraph
PROTEST DEATH WAS AN ACCIDENT
Police have revealed the death of a woman whose body was found in a tree shelter at a quarry protest site was accidental.
Firefighters found her body at 10.30pm on Thursday in a burning tree shelter near the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, Stanton Lees.
The woman, whose name will not be released until police have traced relatives, was killed when a blaze tore through a wooden hut.
A post mortem carried out yesterday revealed the cause of death was likely to be smoke inhalation. There were no suspicious circumstances.
The woman was thought to be one of about 70 people camped in protest at quarrying being carried out near the ancient monument.
None of the other huts or tree shelters were damaged in the fire but a man was taken to the Chesterfield Royal Hospital, suffering from minor burns.
The death is the third connected with the site in two years of protests.
Last year, Robin Pollard (31) drowned after swimming in the River Derwent and, in 2000, 19-year-old Andrew Harrop fell to his death from a cliff near the quarry after a rave.
More: Derby Evening Telegraph
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