SAFETY inspectors investigating a power station explosion that killed three workers have so far found no evidence of mechanical failure.

Andy Sherwood, 36, and Darren Higgins, 28, caught the full brunt of the blast in a transformer at Enron's Teesside Power Station at Grangetown on August 8 and could only be identified from dental records.

Lawrence Surtees, 40, died in hospital the next day after suffering near 100 per cent burns. Graeme White, 37, is being treated in hospital for moderate burns.

The dead men were carrying out maintenance on the transformer at the time of the explosion.

Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, has discussed the situation with Ian Waugh, the Health and Safety Executive inspector in charge of the team investigation.

Mrs Baird said: "I said when this appalling tragedy occurred that I would monitor the investigation on behalf of my constituents and I have been told that the investigation has established that the cause was the explosion of a transformer.

"I am assured that there is no fundamental hardware problem with the equipment used on the site that would be likely to cause a repetition and this will be re-assuring for the people who live and work nearby."

The MP revealed that all interviews and investigations of equipment are now complete and Mr Waugh is waiting for his inspectors to write their reports, which ought to take about four weeks.

Mr Waugh will then review their findings and his final report will be sent to the Teesside Coroner.

A copy of the report will also be sent to Cleveland Police who set up a joint investigation with the safety inspectors.

Mrs Baird's reading of the team's findings so far went unchallenged by Government sources on Tuesday night, who added that the team reserved the right to return to the plant for a re-examination if something cropped up in the reports which required further investigation.

A spokesman for Enron said: "Assurances about the safety of Teesside Power Station have been given by the site operator - Enron - to local residents and industrial neighbours over the past few days as the process of re starting the plant was carried out.

"The company is not be commenting on any possible cause of the incident on August 8 and will not be drawn in at this stage as the investigation by the HSE remains incomplete."