Monday 10 March 2008

Building collapses in Victoria Street, Belfast.


Tonight part of Victoria Street remains closed following an accident at a building site when steel scaffolding and part of the building collapsed after concrete was poured onto the top of the six-storey office block. Six workers suffered broken bones in the accident but are in a stable condition in hospital. It is believed that up to 60 people were working on the site at the time of the accident and the Fire Service used specialist dogs to search the rubble, but no-one else was found.

Brendan Collins, 23, was beside the building when the scaffolding crashed to the ground. "It looks like the supports underneath the building gave way, which caused machinery to fall on top of the workers.
"I helped to rescue them. I ran in with four or five other fellas and lifted the machinery off one of them. He was covered in blood and completely crushed."
A workman said: "I was in the cellar at the time. It was like a bomb going off. We all ran. It was
all rubble. We helped the men that were trapped. It was all we could do. I'm in a state of shock myself."
BBC: Video: