11.04.2006

Scaffold collapse Milton Keynes

15 storeys of scaffolding on a new a hotel under construction in central Milton Keynes, UK, collapsed this afternoon.

The accident happened at the building site of a new Jurys hotel at Witan Gate East at around 12.40pm. Three people were trapped in the wreckage and seriously injured, all those working on the site have now been accounted for. There were said to have been over 200 construction workers on site at the time, 20 of them received various injuries.

All of the three seriously injured were airlifted to Milton Keynes Hospital and were said to be suffering from leg and chest injuries from crushing.
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Milton Keynes today

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One end of the scaffold collapsed

So far there is no explanation of why the scaffold collapsed, it was very windy at the time with strong gusts. One report claimed that the scaffold was tied into a tower crane mast, which certainly would have caused problems, another that the building moved!

The main contractor McAleer and Rush declined to comment on the incident. The scaffold company North Notts Scaffolding has also refused to comment.

The Health and Safety Executive is talking to North Notts Scaffolding as part of its preliminary investigation into the incident. The company has been subject to HSE prohibition order in the past.