Woman injured by falling debris from crumbling City building

A woman was injured on Monday morning when debris from a crumbling building on Tudor Street, St Michael fell on her.

Although the status of the unidentified woman remains unknown, officials have reported that she was not in critical condition.

On the scene, Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard told the media that the fire service received an emergency call around 11:33 a.m. about the incident.

He said a piece of the old building dislodged, falling and striking the pedestrian.

Some bystanders reported hearing the victim screaming in pain and stumbling after the debris hit her.

She was treated by ambulance personnel and then taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Maynard said that based on his assessment, the building was compromised with cracks and other structural issues. However, he said an engineer would have to inspect the building to determine if it had to be demolished.

Lawmen cordoned off the area after the incident.

In a statement, the Ministry of Transport and Works said that an official had visited the site to determine if hoarding could be safely erected to protect people who have to pass near the structure.

It added that the building was privately owned and the property owner would therefore have to get a structural engineer to assess the integrity of the building.
(SZB)