The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Man injured after stairwell collapse
MONTROSE: Firefighters had to pluck two others to safety
A man was taken to hospital, and two others were rescued from a Montrose property after an external stairwell collapsed.
Emergency services took the injured man to hospital, before fire crews used a ladder to pluck a woman and child to safety. The pair were trapped in the flat following the collapse.
The immediate area surrounding the incident remained cordoned off, while a structural engineer was called to the scene.
Montrose SNP councillor Bill Duff is calling for an urgent investigation into the incident to establish if it is an isolated case.
He wants council officers to clarify whether other properties of a similar age and style across the county are also at risk.
Mr Duff said: “Union Street is just one of a number of streets in Montrose, and indeed in Angus that are constructed with this style of external staircase and are of a similar age.
“With that in mind, I will be speaking with council officers from building standards at the earliest opportunity and asking them to launch an investigation.”
A man was taken to hospital after an external stairwell collapsed at a block of flats in Montrose yesterday.
A woman and a child were also rescued by firefighters following the incident in Union Street.
Emergency services raced to the scene just after 11am.
The site remained cordoned off until late in the afternoon.
Police said a 31-year-old man was taken to hospital with injuries that were described as not being lifethreatening.
The woman and child were unable to get out of the building safely following the collapse of the first floor balcony and firefighters used a nine-metre ladder to bring them to safety.
Last night a town councillor said he would be seeking urgent talks with council officers and calling for an investigation into other properties of a similar design and age.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said a structural engineer who was
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I think it is important to find out just what went wrong in this case, and establish if this is likely to be an isolated incident. BILL DUFF
called to the scene had cordoned off access to the rear of the property and the area around the collapse.
A police spokesman said: “A 31-yearold man has been taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries, and all residents within the building have been safely evacuated.
“Inquiries are ongoing as to the cause of the problem.”
Montrose SNP councillor Bill Duff said: “I am deeply concerned at this incident, and would like to wish the injured man a speedy recovery.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to the emergency services for their sterling work in treating the gentleman and getting the woman and child safely out of the building without further injury.
“Union Street is just one of a number of streets in Montrose, and indeed in Angus, that are constructed with this style of external staircase and are of a similar age.
“With that in mind, I will be speaking with council officers from building standards at the earliest opportunity and ask them to launch an investigation.
“I think it is important to find out just what went wrong in this case, and establish if this is likely to be an isolated incident due to, for example, failure of the construction material, or if there could potentially be commonality that may increase the probability of this happening in similar style properties.”
jimillar@thecourier.co.uk