‘Loud bang’ heard as man killed by toppling chimney
NEIGHBOURS of a man who died when a chimney collapsed on to the roof of his house have said they heard a “loud bang” and screaming in the early hours of the morning.
A 47-year-old man suffered fatal injuries when debris from the roof fell into the bedroom of his home on Knight’s Fold, in the Great Horton area of Bradford, just after 5am yesterday.
His 28-year-old partner was taken to hospital, where she is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, West Yorkshire Police said. A family from the next-door house, including three children, were taken from their property unharmed.
Paul Wright, 30, of nearby Southfield Lane, said he heard the woman screaming, after being woken up by the noise of the roof collapsing. He said: “At about half past four this morning I heard a big, loud bang, like an explosion.
“I came out with my partner to see what had gone on and noticed one of the neighbour’s roofs had collapsed and then noticed all the emergency services come.
“It’s a big tragedy to all the neighbours, what’s gone on, it’s just a big shock to everybody.
“They were lovely people, quiet, kept themselves to themselves. I’d only seen them a few times when they were walking their dogs but to me they just seemed nice, pleasant people and it’s just a big shock what’s happened.”
Detective Inspector Claudine Binns, of Bradford District CID, said: “This has clearly been a tragic incident in which a man has lost his life and a woman has received some serious injuries.”