Men killed in balcony collapse in capital city

Six men were injured and two men died when a balcony collapsed in Cadogan Square as they were delivering a sofa to a first floor flat in Knightsbridge. One man died at the scene, and another died after being rushed to the hospital. It is thought that the two men were attempting to lift the furniture up to the flat using ropes when the workplace accident occurred.

Onlookers said that the balcony of the flat and its railing collapsed under the weight of the sofa, sending the two men plummeting 20 feet to the ground. One witness said that the delivery men tried to lift the sofa, but it was too heavy, causing the accident. He said that the six workmen were injured when the fence broke and fell on them.

A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service said that efforts were made to resuscitate a patient, but he died at the scene and noted that the second man was transported in a critical condition to a central London hospital. The LAS Hazardous Area Response Team, three ambulances and an air ambulance all attended the scene where six other men were treated for minor injuries.

The residential square was closed to all traffic after the incident. The Local Authority and Health and Safety Executive have both been informed, and an investigation has been started to establish the circumstances under which the accident occurred.

The victim of a workplace accident due to the negligent operating of machinery, a scaffolding fall, employer negligence, a slip or fall or any other safety hazard may be able to seek compensation for their injuries. The benefits may take into consideration any financial costs or physical harm caused by the incident.

Source: London Evening Standard, “Knightsbridge balcony collapse: Two ‘delivery men’ dead and six are injured in Cadogan Square“, Justin Davenport, Benedict Moore-Bridger, Rachel Blundy & Alexandra Rucki, Nov. 21, 2014