Two people are dead and another four are in hospital after a mid-rise apartment building that was under construction partially collapsed in west London.
Emergency crews were called to the corner of Teeple Terrace and Wonderland Road South around 11:30 a.m. on Friday after part of a four-storey wall of the building collapsed, trapping workers.
The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has confirmed that it received five patients from the site of the building collapse. The hospital said two of the patients are in fair condition, one is in serious condition, one is in critical condition, and one has died. A sixth patient was assessed at the scene but was not taken to hospital.
The City of London had said that one person was still trapped within the fallen debris at the construction site, however, emergency responders confirmed on Friday evening that the individual has died.
In an update on Saturday morning, the City of London said that efforts are still underway to recover the body of the trapped individual.
The city said efforts to recover the body have been delayed because the remaining parts of the structure are not currently stable. Based on the condition of the structure, the city said that recovery efforts could take some time.
An investigation to determine the cause of the collapse is also ongoing, the city said.
“Today is a difficult day for Londoners,” said Mayor Ed Holder in a news release. “I know the community joins me in expressing our deepest condolences to the families of the two people who lost their lives today, and in expressing our care and concern for those who were injured and remain in hospital. My thanks go to all of our first responders and to our emergency management team for their swift action and unwavering commitment to serving our community in the wake of this tragic incident.”
London police are asking the public to avoid the area of Teeple Terrace and Wonderland Road South. Teeple Terrace is closed both eastbound and westbound at Wonderland Road.
The building that collapsed at 555 Teeple Terrace is the site of Nest on Wonderland, new premium apartments that were slated to be open in the spring or summer of next year.