Five employees at the HS2 construction site in West Ruislip were recently dismissed following reports of unauthorized firearms use. A whistleblower, Aminadab Enos de Souza Dias, provided footage showing staff discharging an air rifle inside a workshop during night shifts.
The .22 caliber Stoeger X20 S2 incident at West Ruislip
The unauthorized use of the air rifle occurred during night shifts at the site where an 8.4-mile tunnel is currently being excavated.. According to The Mail on Sunday, the footage captured by Aminadab Enos de Souza Dias showed mechanics firing a .22 caliber Stoeger X20 S2 while listening to heavy metal music.
One mechanic, identified as Keith Mewes, admitted to bringing the weapon to the site to perform repairs during his breaks.. While Mewes expressed regret for his "inappropriate" decisions, the report states that the weapon was allegedly kept on-site for more than two months during the spring of 2025. Following the escalation of the complaint to the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, immediate disciplinary action was taken; HS2 confirmed that one worker was sacked, while four others were permanently removed from the project.
A £100 billion project mired in safety failures and delays
HS2 has faced significant criticism as its projected costs have surged from an initial £37.5 billion in 2009 to potentially exceeding £100 billion. this financial ballooning is accompanied by massive delays, with services not expected to reach central London until at least 2040.
Safety concerns at the West Ruislip site are not limited to unauthorized weapons. The newspaper reported that a compressed air line explosion occurred at the same location in 2024, resulting in four workers being hospitalized after a cement pipe burst. While HS2 stated there were no "major injuries," the incient highlights a recurring pattern of volatility at the construction site .
Aminadab Enos de Souza Dias and the allegations of xenophobia
Whistleblower Aminadab Enos de Souza Dias, a fitter's mate from Brazil, provided more than just video evidence of the rifle incident. he submitted a dossier to the government alleging he faced verbal abuse, intimidation, and xenophobic comments from his colleagues.
Mr. Dias also documented other instances of negligence, including photographs of workers sleeping while on duty. After failing to receive a satisfactory response from HS2 and its contractor, SCS, he escalated his concerns directly to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. This prompted a response from Lord Hendy, who expressed shock at the complaints and raised the matter with HS2 boss Mark Wild.
What remains unaddressed in the British Transport Police probe?
While the British Transport Police launched an investigation into the air rifle incident, the probe was ultimately closed. Authorities stated the investigation ended once it was established that the suspected weapon was no longer on the West Ruislip site.
Several questions regarding the culture at HS2 remain unanswered. It is unclear how a firearm could be smuggled into a high-security construction site and remain there for months without detection by SCS leadership. Furthermore, the report does not provide the perspective of the workers who allegedly subjected Mr. Dias to xenophobic abuse, leaving the full scope of the workplace environment in question.
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