THE steelworks where a Caldicot man and his colleague died a year ago will fall silent today to remember them.

Staff at Celsa steelworks will hold a two minutes silence in tribute to Mark Sim, 41, and Peter O’Brien, 51, of Cardiff, who died on November 18, 2015, at the steelworks in Splott where they both worked.

Mr Sim was a coach with the junior side of Caldicot Town AFC.

Mr Sim’s wife Samantha in a tribute following his death last year said she would "cherish the time we had together, the laughs and parties because Mark loved a good party - always the last one to leave."

Five men were also injured in the explosion last year which happened in the basement of the rod and bar mill at Celsa Steel UK. Emergency services remained at the scene for the week. 

The company is working with the Health and Safety Executive and police who are leading the investigation to determine the cause of the blast.

Mr Sim was born in Newcastle in 1974 but on leaving home joined the army, based at Beachley Barracks in Chepstow.

The father-of-two spent six years in Aldershot and Ripon and on leaving the army when he was 21, became an engineer. The Newcastle United football fan moved to Caldicot and met his wife with whom he had a son and a daughter.

Luis Sanz, Managing Director of CELSA Steel UK, called the deaths "the most tragic event in our history" and said the company's thoughts remain with their loved ones.

He added: “We continue to work closely with the authorities to establish the causes and learn lessons.  

“The safety of employees is our absolute number one priority and we are deeply committed to the community here in Splott.

“We have been very moved by the levels of support we have received throughout Cardiff, Wales and the UK. On behalf of everyone at the company, I want to say thank you for the kindness we have received.”