It was confirmed on 17 January that the sole fatality killed on the ground following the tragic helicopter accident in London the previous day was Matthew Wood, a Rentokil Initial employee.
In a statement, Alan Brown, CEO of Rentokil Initial, said: “We can confirm that our Rentokil Initial colleague, Matt Wood, was fatally injured in the helicopter crash as he was walking to our office in Vauxhall. Matt was 39 years old and had worked for Rentokil as an administrative team leader since 2003.
“Matt was well known to all of us who visit the Vauxhall office, including myself. He was in every respect a warm and generous man and a cornerstone of our team in Vauxhall.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to Matt”s family and to our colleagues in Vauxhall who, though safely evacuated, will be deeply affected by this tragic accident.”
Malcolm Padley, in charge of Rentokil’s corporate press relations said: “Matt was an administration team leader in the Pest Control Division. We have all been touched by the wonderful response there has been in terms of tributes from colleagues and customers.”
BPCA chief executive, Simon Forrester, said: “This is a devastating blow to the pest control industry and our hearts go out to Matthews’s friends and family. We’re a very close-knit industry, so it’s always difficult to hear that one of ours has passed on, and in such tragic circumstances.”
To read a fuller tribute to Matt which appeared in the Daily Telegraph – click here.