Market Place in Middleton taped off after wall collapsed

A building was evacuated and an area taped off yesterday (Thursday 22 August) after a wall collapsed to the ground.

Emergency services attended the scene on Market Place, Middleton during the late afternoon, before cordoning off the area for safety reasons. The building was evacuated whilst fire crews and police assessed the situation, where it turned out that  bricks from a gable end of a property had fallen onto the public footpath.

The street was taped off, and occupants of the building were safely evacuated as police and fire crews responded.

The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said that police assisted with the road closure while the structure was investigated by a dangerous building inspector.

 

 

Rochdale Council posted on social media: "Market Place in Middleton is currently closed at the junctions of Townley Street and Old Hall Street following damage to a private building, which affected the neighbouring paths and roads.

"General road traffic is now using Old Hall Street and Townley Street/Boarshaw Road as diversions.

"Pedestrians can still access Market Place and this is being managed by cones and barriers directing them onto the opposite side of Market Place.

"Our highways team is on the scene and building control are speaking to the owners of the affected property. Nobody was hurt in the incident."

 

 

A GMFRS spokesperson said: “Just after 4pm today (Thursday 22 August), firefighters were called to reports of a collapsed wall at a commercial address in Middleton.

“One fire engine from Manchester Central fire station quickly arrived at the scene, where the gable end of a terraced building had fallen onto the public footpath.

"Crews worked with Greater Manchester Police to close the road and evacuate the building while the structure was investigated by Rochdale Council’s dangerous building inspector.

“Cordons remain in place while the council continues to make the scene safe. Crews were at the scene for around two hours.”