HatterScaff
Well-known member
Sparkbrook mosque collapses during building work - BBC News
A mosque in Birmingham was undergoing renovations when it collapsed, it has emerged.
Fire crews were called to Walford Road, Sparkbrook, at about 23:30 BST on Monday.
The committee which runs the mosque said work had been under way to replace the building's floors.
A specialist dog unit from Leicestershire was brought in to search the area for possible casualties. The all-clear was given at about 03:00 BST.
Walford Road remains closed and police have asked people to avoid the area.
Abid Shah, who lives opposite the mosque, said the sound of the collapsing roof was like "a big lorry had driven past - there was no explosion".
"I came outside and there was dust in the air and rubble was across the road," he said.
Usman Khan, part of the committee who run the mosque, said building work was under way to replace the original wooden floors with ones made from concrete and steel.
"Some of the older walls were taken out and supported by a cage of steel - in that process the roof was being supported by scaffolding [which] last night for some reason slid to one side," he said.
A mosque in Birmingham was undergoing renovations when it collapsed, it has emerged.
Fire crews were called to Walford Road, Sparkbrook, at about 23:30 BST on Monday.
The committee which runs the mosque said work had been under way to replace the building's floors.
A specialist dog unit from Leicestershire was brought in to search the area for possible casualties. The all-clear was given at about 03:00 BST.
Walford Road remains closed and police have asked people to avoid the area.
Abid Shah, who lives opposite the mosque, said the sound of the collapsing roof was like "a big lorry had driven past - there was no explosion".
"I came outside and there was dust in the air and rubble was across the road," he said.
Usman Khan, part of the committee who run the mosque, said building work was under way to replace the original wooden floors with ones made from concrete and steel.
"Some of the older walls were taken out and supported by a cage of steel - in that process the roof was being supported by scaffolding [which] last night for some reason slid to one side," he said.
