2007 Dean Farrar Street collapse
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The 2007 Dean Farrar Street collapse, which occurred on 12 June 2007, was the collapse of the top two storeys of an office building in Dean Farrar Street, London.[1]
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[edit] Initial response
The immediate response to the incident was varied, and some witnesses believed the accident to have been a terrorist attack.[2] It was later announced that the collapse was caused by a structural issue, related to the renovation work which was taking place at the time.[1]
In response to the accident, nearby buildings were evacuated by emergency services and a police cordon was set up. The initial belief amongst evacuees in the nearby Broadway Complex, which is occupied by St. James's Park tube station, and London Underground's headquarters on its upper floors, was that a gas leak had occurred nearby.
[edit] Building significance
The initial belief that a terrorist attack had taken place, caused heightened concern due to the close proximity of the building to many government offices and residences. The building is within 100 metres of New Scotland Yard, as well as being within a kilometer of Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster, Downing Street and the Broadway Complex, which currently serves as headquarters of London Underground Limited.
The building itself contains offices for a number of businesses and organisations, and, most significantly, contains the office of Hazel Blears MP, who, along with her colleagues, was evacuated from the building by the emergency services.[3]
[edit] Casualties
The accident resulted in minor injuries to one person, who was taken to hospital. However, one further person was trapped in the building and was eventually removed after several hours of work by the emergency services. A young Romanian builder, Grigore Vraja, 21, who was working on the site, was badly injured and subsequently had a leg amputated as a result.
There were no fatalities as a result of the collapse, and a police spokesperson claimed it was "good fortune" that the accident had not proven to be more serious.[1]
[edit] References
