Building collapse blamed on digging machinery

It's pretty obvious that load bearing columns are what keep a building standing. So using a mini excavator as part of a shop refit inside a three storey building means you need to be careful what you hit. In the case of the building on Borad Lane, Brook Hill in Sheffield, that was not the case.

It's thought the shopfitters managed to drive their mini excavator into a load bearing column inside the shop, which damaged it to the point where the building collapsed. Four people were left trapped in the rubble when the unexpected collapse happened, and 20 people are homeless. There's also a question mark over the safety of the surrounding buildings.

The HSE are investigating what happened, and I predict there's going to be a major payout required by the shopfitters if it is determined to be their fault.

Source: BBC