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INDUSTRIAL AFFILIATES SGN AND

NGN ENGINEERS IN MURPHY JOIN
FORCES FOR

DARING FIRE RESCUE ASSET VENTURE

SGN AND MURPHY have announced
a new 50:50 joint venture in utility
asset ownership.
This new venture has been formed
through SGN acquiring 50 per cent
ownership of Murphy Utility Assets
(MUA), a recently established utility
connections asset owner with
expertise in the utility market.
MUA will initially focus on the
adoption of gas and electricity
infrastructure assets across the
DAVE BIRCH UK, owning and maintaining
residential and commercial
A ROUTINE DAY at work for five engineers connections for clients.
from Northern Gas Networks turned In the longer-term, the joint
into a high stakes drama when a home venture has plans to develop a full
caught fire in Seaham, County Durham. multi-utility offering, providing
Without hesitation, the engineers took a one-stop shop for all utility
part in a daring rescue, pulling trapped infrastructure on new developments,
residents from the burning building. including future energy solutions
Craig Parker, Dave Birtch, Paul Haigh, such as heat networks.
Mathew Quinn and Kevin McMenam, Greg Addison-Smyth, from J
who are all contractors for the company, Murphy & Sons Ltd, has been
were working on a routine gas mains THE PROPERTY AT JAMES STREET appointed Managing Director of the
replacement project when they began to new venture.
smell smoke. The building’s 90-year-old neighbour Simon Reilly, Commercial Director
They spotted smoke drifting up over was badly shaken by the incident, so at SGN, said: “This is an exciting
the houses from the street behind. the team ushered her away from the opportunity for us to enter a new
On further investigation, they saw a scene to their work van, where gave her market. As well as aligning neatly
property on James Street on fire, with a cup of tea and helped her calm down. with our property development
people trapped inside. They then escorted her back home business SGN Place, this new
The engineers broke the front door and liaised with the fire service to make venture leverages our group’s
down and, wading through the smoke, sure her property was safe to re-enter. core skills and experience as an
could make out a man slowly making Craig Parker said: “I think we all just infrastructure owner and operator
his way down the stairs. acted on instinct. There were people combined with Murphy’s established
They helped the man outside, but inside, and we knew we had to get to them. presence in the construction market.
then became aware that there was a “The smoke was terrible - it was stinging “This move will allow us to
woman still in the property. our eyes and throats, and the visibility was build a platform for growth into
The engineers re-entered the house very poor. We managed to get the male the delivery of heat networks and
and tried to reach her through the living occupant outside, but couldn’t find the other alternative heat solutions as
room, but the smoke was too thick. woman. We were so pleased when the the challenge of decarbonisation
Thankfully, at this point, a crew from fire service turned up to take over. begins to change the mix of utility
Durham and Darlington Fire & Rescue “The house is still badly damaged, connections to new housing
Service arrived and took over the rescue but bricks and mortar can be replaced – developments.”
operation, getting the woman to safety. lives can’t.”

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