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Derelict city building collapse sparks evacuation

Charles Heslettin Bradford
News imageBBC Rubble and roof timbers in a pile blocking a road with double yellow no-parking lines leading up to the scene BBC
The rubble from the collapse has closed off Dale Street in Bradford city centre

A derelict building in the centre of Bradford has partially collapsed, leading to residents in a nearby building being evacuated.

Emergency crews were called to reports of an "unsafe structure" in Dale Street at about 06:50 GMT and remained at the scene for several hours, according to West Yorkshire Fire Service.

A fire service spokesperson said: "Two crews have been at the scene, assisting stakeholders including a structural engineer."

The road was closed and a cordon remained in place on Monday evening, with people living in the building opposite being moved out for their own safety, according to Bradford Council.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, from the council, said housing officers would contact the landlord of that building "to support their tenants into alternative accommodation".

News imageA long line of white-framed windows in a five-storey building with a sudden gap where the wall has fallen away
The collapse left a huge hole in the building, which was empty at the time of the incident

Ross-Shaw said: "Should assistance be required from the council, we will help the affected residents to access temporary accommodation as appropriate.

"Our building control officers are on site assessing the building's safety and working with a local demolition contractor on a plan of action.

"The road will need to remain closed while any demolition and clear-up is carried out and the safety of adjacent buildings are assessed."

Contractor Jamie Farrell, speaking on behalf of the owner of the collapsed building, said: "I got a call about 10am to say that it had collapsed. The wall's given way, with the weight of the floor and the roof, and it's just collapsed.

"It's just an empty, derelict building. The plans were to restore it.

"We'll obviously secure the rest of the masonry, get it cleaned up, get scaffolding up to secure it and take it from there. It will be getting re-built."

News imageA bald man wearing a dusty black hooded top and folding his arms standing in the street where the building collapsed
Nigel Booth owns a business around the corner from Dale Street

Nigel Booth, who owns The Bradford Underground, in nearby Duke Street, said he had also looked after various empty buildings in the city centre.

"The roofs are knackered and, unfortunately, what happens is the floors collapse," he said.

"Once the floors collapse then the walls collapse and that's what we've got here."

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