BEINSMARTSIDE UK Man rescued after collapsed roof trapped him inside his flat in west London

Man rescued after collapsed roof trapped him inside his flat in west London

March 19, 2025March 19, 2025 | .. | 0 Comment | 6:57 am
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A man trapped in his basement flat by rubble from a collapsing roof says he is lucky to be alive.

Three homes converted into flats on McGregor Road in Notting Hill, west London, were affected after the front gable end of each property collapsed.

Dramatic pictures show rubble piled on the ground as a huge ladder towered over the homes.

London Fire Brigade were called at about 1am. They said 11 people were evacuated from their homes, but nobody was injured.

But one resident who has lived in his flat for 16 years says he was initially missed by rescuers.

Philip, who didn’t want to provide his surname, told Metro he woke up and found his flat surrounded by rubble.

The gable ends of three properties collapsed last night (Picture: UKNIP)

He said: ‘How I wasn’t killed I do not know.

‘When I went to the door I saw masonry and dust and I could not open the gate.’

Philip then called out and was spotted by a council surveyor.

‘The surveyor said “the whole place is meant to be evacuated what are you doing there?”,’ he added.

‘You have got to laugh.’

After Philip was found, the fire brigade returned to the scene at about 8am to use ladders and a digging tool to clear the rubble and free him.

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He’s since been rehoused by the council.

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Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne of the London Fire Brigade said: ‘The first of our fire engines were on scene within three minutes of being notified about this incident.

‘The crews were the first emergency responders to arrive and quickly set about determining whether anyone was still inside the properties.

‘The majority of residents who were still inside were brought to safety by crews via an internal staircase.

‘One person, whose home was on the lower ground floor, saw their exit blocked by rubble so firefighters used a ladder to bring them to street level.

‘Residents were also provided with helmets from the fire rescue unit as a precaution as they were leaving the property to protect them in the event of any further falling rubble.

‘Crews carried out a systematic search of the building and after liaising with partners at the scene, left the incident in the care of emergency service colleagues and the local authority.’

Notting Hill House Collapse Horror as Residents Flee Crumbling Buildings in Middle of the Night A major emergency unfolded in Notting Hill, west London, overnight after the roofs of several properties collapsed, prompting residents to flee for safety as their homes crumbled around them. Eleven people were evacuated by emergency services in the early hours of Wednesday morning after multiple buildings partially collapsed, sending debris crashing into surrounding areas and leaving at least one exit blocked. The incident, which occurred near the heart of the affluent neighbourhood, triggered a rapid response from London Fire Brigade, who deployed crews to the scene and used ladders to rescue trapped individuals from one of the worst-hit buildings. Firefighters also distributed helmets to residents for protection as they were evacuated from the dangerous structures. According to fire officials, three roofs were affected by the sudden collapse, raising serious concerns over the structural safety of several neighbouring homes. While some residents were able to exit independently, others required assistance to escape the debris-filled properties. A police cordon remains in place this morning, as structural engineers, emergency crews, and investigators continue to assess the damage and determine the cause of the incident. ???Like Something Out of a Disaster Film??? One local resident, woken by the sound of falling masonry, described the terrifying moment: ???There was this awful cracking sound, then crashing. We thought a tree had fallen or a vehicle had hit the house. When we realised it was the roof collapsing, people were running out in panic.??? Others described seeing tiles and brickwork strewn across the pavement, with parts of the street blocked off by fallen debris. Investigations Underway The cause of the collapse has yet to be confirmed. Early speculation suggests it may be related to ongoing renovation work, structural degradation, or recent adverse wea
The damaged gable ends pictured in daylight (Picture: UKNIP)

Fire engines from North Kensington fire station and a rescue unit from Chelsea, as well as a 32metre turntable ladder equipped with lights attended the scene.

There’s still a cordon in place around the properties.

The buildings are owned by Notting Hill Genesis, and residents claimed the building has been left ‘in disrepair’.

‘If this was kept in good repair none of this would have happened,’ Phillip said.

Lorna, who also didn’t want to share her surname, has lived next to the affected houses for 40 years.

She said: ‘It sounded like a massive explosion and I went right outside to take a look.

‘I am in shock, it is unbelievable.

Notting Hill House Collapse Horror as Residents Flee Crumbling Buildings in Middle of the Night A major emergency unfolded in Notting Hill, west London, overnight after the roofs of several properties collapsed, prompting residents to flee for safety as their homes crumbled around them. Eleven people were evacuated by emergency services in the early hours of Wednesday morning after multiple buildings partially collapsed, sending debris crashing into surrounding areas and leaving at least one exit blocked. The incident, which occurred near the heart of the affluent neighbourhood, triggered a rapid response from London Fire Brigade, who deployed crews to the scene and used ladders to rescue trapped individuals from one of the worst-hit buildings. Firefighters also distributed helmets to residents for protection as they were evacuated from the dangerous structures. According to fire officials, three roofs were affected by the sudden collapse, raising serious concerns over the structural safety of several neighbouring homes. While some residents were able to exit independently, others required assistance to escape the debris-filled properties. A police cordon remains in place this morning, as structural engineers, emergency crews, and investigators continue to assess the damage and determine the cause of the incident. ???Like Something Out of a Disaster Film??? One local resident, woken by the sound of falling masonry, described the terrifying moment: ???There was this awful cracking sound, then crashing. We thought a tree had fallen or a vehicle had hit the house. When we realised it was the roof collapsing, people were running out in panic.??? Others described seeing tiles and brickwork strewn across the pavement, with parts of the street blocked off by fallen debris. Investigations Underway The cause of the collapse has yet to be confirmed. Early speculation suggests it may be related to ongoing renovation work, structural degradation, or recent adverse wea
Most residents were evacuated straight away but Philip was left in his flat until about 8am (Picture: UKNIP)

‘I am worried about the integrity of the building. We are lucky someone wasn’t walking down the road they would have been killed.

‘Notting Hill Genesis do not look after their buildings.’

A Notting Hill Genesis spokesperson told Metro: ‘Firstly, we want to say thank you to the emergency services who helped our residents leave the building safely and ensured no-one was injured.

‘We are arranging temporary alternative accommodation for the households affected, and will continue to do so until their property has been repaired.

‘We have launched an immediate investigation into the causes of this faulty roof and what work needs to be done to ensure our tenants can safely return.’

John Bedeaw is another resident who was evacuated last night.

The car technician told Metro: ‘We woke up to what sounded like a loud explosion, I thought “what is that?”.

‘Thankfully it happened in the middle of the night. During the day lots of mothers are on the street with prams.

‘I can’t believe Philip was in there. That must have been a scary thing to wake up to.’

Emergency services were scrambled in the early hours of Wednesday morning after three roofs collapsed in a high-end residential area of Ladbroke Grove, prompting the evacuation of several properties and the rescue of trapped residents. Multiple Properties Evacuated, Residents Rescued After Roof Collapses In Ladbroke Grove???s Art Market Area Multiple Properties Evacuated, Residents Rescued After Roof Collapses In Ladbroke Grove???s Art Market Area) along with Paramedics from London Ambulance service supported by HART Teams and Met Police responded just after 1am on the 19th March 2025 to reports of people trapped following what is understood to be a ???catastrophic structural failure??? affecting three adjoining rooftops on McGregor Road, in the exclusive W11 district, near the area???s renowned art market. Multiple Properties Evacuated, Residents Rescued After Roof Collapses In Ladbroke Grove???s Art Market AreaFirefighters confirmed that properties numbered 7, 9, and 11 were impacted by the collapse. All residents were safely rescued, with no reported injuries. https://youtu.be/iBdpQ8KJD0A However, the affected buildings???valued in the millions???have since been declared structurally unsafe, and full evacuations have been carried out. Multiple Properties Evacuated, Residents Rescued After Roof Collapses In Ladbroke Grove???s Art Market Area A 32-meter turntable ladder was deployed by crews to carry out inspections and secure the site, while structural engineers and investigators have been called in to determine the cause of the collapse, which remains unknown at this stage. Multiple Properties Evacuated, Residents Rescued After Roof Collapses In Ladbroke Grove???s Art Market Area ???Thankfully no one was hurt, and all persons have been safely accounted for,??? an LFB spokesperson said. ???We are working with structural engineers to ensure the surrounding properties remain safe and to identify what led to this serious structural failur
A cordon is in place (Picture: UKNIP)

The incident has been handed over to Kensington and Chelsea Council, and a spokesperson said: ‘We were alerted to a possible roof collapse in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

‘Officers immediately rushed to the scene to assess the incident and establish if residents needed support from the council.

‘Thankfully no one was injured and we provided accommodation and refreshments for residents who needed somewhere to stay.

‘Our structural engineers and building control team were on site very early this morning and are assessing the structures.

‘We anticipate disruption in the local area, including road closures, throughout the day. We’re grateful for the swift work of the emergency services.’

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