Neighbours hear 'bang' before houses undergoing refurbishment collapse
Two houses undergoing a refurbishment have collapsed by a main road in west London.
The semi-detached homes on the A316 Lower Mortlake Road in Richmond crumbled on Tuesday afternoon, sparking a large emergency response.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been confirmed, but it is understood the Health Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating.
A neighbour told local news outlet Richmond Nub News they heard a loud “bang” on Tuesday afternoon, and then saw what appeared to be “lots of smoke” outside their window.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said it was called to the scene shortly before 3pm, where firefighters found “most of two terraced houses under renovation collapsed”.
“There are currently no reports of any injuries,” said a spokesperson on Wednesday.
The fire brigade sent three vehicles to the scene, which had left by around 5.10pm.
Photos showed the entire roof of the properties and the majority of the walls had crumbled to a pile of rubble, with just the side exterior walls and a small part of the facade remaining intact.
Richmond Council and the HSE have been approached by the Standard.