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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| One trapped as building collapses | One trapped as building collapses |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| One person has been injured and another remains trapped after the top two floors of a five-storey building in central London collapsed. | |
| The emergency services were called to Dean Farrar Street in Westminster at 1604 BST on Tuesday. | The emergency services were called to Dean Farrar Street in Westminster at 1604 BST on Tuesday. |
| The building, which is being renovated, houses the office of Labour chair Hazel Blears, none of whose staff was hurt. | The building, which is being renovated, houses the office of Labour chair Hazel Blears, none of whose staff was hurt. |
| Police said structural failure may have been to blame and it was down to "good fortune" that it was not more serious. | Police said structural failure may have been to blame and it was down to "good fortune" that it was not more serious. |
| There was no sign of an explosion, they added. | There was no sign of an explosion, they added. |
| Ms Blears, who is running for the deputy Labour leadership, and six other MPs spent several hours in the offices on the fourth and fifth floor at lunchtime today, he added. | |
| Six fire engines, 50 firefighters and two urban search and rescue vehicles are at the scene. | Six fire engines, 50 firefighters and two urban search and rescue vehicles are at the scene. |
| Police said rescue services were in contact with the trapped person, believed to be a builder. | Police said rescue services were in contact with the trapped person, believed to be a builder. |
| class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6746115.stm">In Pictures: Building collapse | |
| 'Showering down' | |
| Eyewitness Anthony Gilberthorpe told BBC News 24: "It happened just so very quick one didn't know what to do. | Eyewitness Anthony Gilberthorpe told BBC News 24: "It happened just so very quick one didn't know what to do. |
| "I heard a mighty explosion and about two floors and the roof of a building to my left hand side was literally showering down in front of me. | "I heard a mighty explosion and about two floors and the roof of a building to my left hand side was literally showering down in front of me. |
| "So I literally threw myself, literally jumped up and threw myself, to the right hand side of the road not knowing whether I was going to be hit." | "So I literally threw myself, literally jumped up and threw myself, to the right hand side of the road not knowing whether I was going to be hit." |
| Mr Gilberthorpe saw a van driver step out of his vehicle moments before it was hit by a huge piece of debris. | Mr Gilberthorpe saw a van driver step out of his vehicle moments before it was hit by a huge piece of debris. |
| "What I did see which was quite shocking was a huge boulder went right through his vehicle, literally where he had been 15 seconds previously and I think that's the most frightening thing that I actually witnessed. | "What I did see which was quite shocking was a huge boulder went right through his vehicle, literally where he had been 15 seconds previously and I think that's the most frightening thing that I actually witnessed. |
| 'Calm evacuation' | |
| There were six of Ms Blears campaign volunteers in the offices at the time of the collapse. | There were six of Ms Blears campaign volunteers in the offices at the time of the collapse. |
| One of them, Sean Newman, said: "Some of us who were upstairs felt the building shake. | One of them, Sean Newman, said: "Some of us who were upstairs felt the building shake. |
| "Then we heard the alarm go off and left our stuff to go downstairs. It was a calm evacuation, but they would not let us go back in." | "Then we heard the alarm go off and left our stuff to go downstairs. It was a calm evacuation, but they would not let us go back in." |
| He estimated that there were around 50 businesses based in the premises. | He estimated that there were around 50 businesses based in the premises. |
| Justin Linger was also working in the building at the time of the collapse. | Justin Linger was also working in the building at the time of the collapse. |
| "I was just sitting in the office when all of a sudden the whole building shook," he told BBC News 24. | "I was just sitting in the office when all of a sudden the whole building shook," he told BBC News 24. |
| "As one of my colleagues put it, the building disco danced." | "As one of my colleagues put it, the building disco danced." |
| Scotland Yard said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) would be responsible for determining the cause of the collapse. | Scotland Yard said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) would be responsible for determining the cause of the collapse. |
Do you have any pictures? If so, you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Do you have any pictures? If so, you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |