Council Investigates Roof Collapse
Residents in Ashburnham Road in Clive Vale, had a nasty shock on the recent Bank Holiday Saturday (23 May) when the roof of the house at number 58 collapsed and partially slid into the garden.
The fire brigade received a call at just after 7.30 in the evening and attended with two fire appliances, an aerial ladder platform and two special appliances. They spent just over two hours at the scene.
A number of residents were evacuated from the house, but, according to the fire service, were all accounted for, and no casualties or injuries were reported. However the road was closed, parked vehicles removed and the gas supply to a neighbouring property isolated.
A spokesperson for Hastings Borough Council (HBC) said: “The property is privately owned, and responsibility for its condition sits with the owner. The council’s role is to ensure appropriate action is taken where necessary to protect public safety and to support affected residents.” HBC is continuing to coordinate support for the displaced residents and provided emergency temporary accommodation on the night of the incident.
The spokesperson confirmed that the cause of the roof collapse is not currently known and will be subject to the appropriate structural and building control assessment through the building control officer at Wealden District Council, who is responsible for handling dangerous structures across the county. The owner of the property has informed the council that a structural engineer will be called in to assess the site.
While there is no suggestion of any negligence or fault on behalf of the owner of the Ashburnham Road property, local builders point to the importance of roof ties on similar houses in the area and strongly advise against cutting through them during DIY attic conversions.
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