'I heard rumbling and a crack before building fell'

A woman who was standing at a bus stop close to a building that partially collapsed in Oldham has described hearing "cracking and rumbling" before seeing it start to fall.

Nikki Fenton said: "You could definitely tell something was going because the side started to go."

People have been warned to avoid the area surrounding the scaffold-covered building on King Street following its partial collapse on Tuesday. All five people inside at the time managed to escape, but two were injured.

Oldham councillor Kamran Ghafoor - who is one of the building's owners - said there were structural concerns which were being addressed and "works were being managed professionally" at the time of the incident.

Fenton said: "I was waiting at the 409 bus stop, heard cracking, rumbling, bits falling, and then I made up off the street because obviously something was happening.

"I saw bits of it come down but I got away before it actually fully came down."

Fenton described what she had seen as "other wordly" and said she had decided to "stick around" nearby since "you don't really see this every day".

She added: "Two days before, I'd noticed a crack in the side of the building - it was probably an inch or so, and I noticed it because I walked down here every day to get the bus.

"About 10 years ago they demolished the building next door and the scaffold's been up ever since with tarpaulins on it."

The morning after the building's partial collapse, Fenton said: "It's really shocking - it's got to be a miracle, looking at it now, that no-one's actually been killed."

Ghafoor earlier confirmed the Kings Street building was owned by a company, of which he is a director.

He described the incident as "deeply concerning" and "unfortunate" - and said the business was "fully cooperating with all relevant authorities and will support a thorough and transparent investigation to understand exactly what has happened".

"I am extremely relieved that no one was seriously injured," he said.

"My thoughts and prayers are with those affected, and I wish them a full and swift recovery."

Ghafoor also confirmed preliminary works to address structural concerns were being carried out at the property at the time of the incident - relating to the side wall and the corner of the property.

"The neighbouring building had been demolished some years ago, leaving this wall exposed to the elements, and repair works were under way to ensure the building's safety and integrity," he said.

"A qualified structural engineer had been instructed, the appropriate building regulations notice had been submitted, and the project was being overseen in consultation with building control.

"In addition, scaffolding had been erected by a professional contractor, and experienced contractors were engaged to carry out the works."

Road closures were put in place as engineers from Cadent arrived to repair a gas main damaged in the incident.

The leader of Oldham Council, Arooj Shah, said the local authority had opened a centre for affected residents. Housing staff have secured temporary accommodation for them and supplied food, medicine and essential baby items.

King Street remains sealed off although tram services have resumed.

North West Ambulance Service confirmed the injuries of the two people taken to hospital were not thought to be serious.

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