Four members of landlady’s family left injured as fire escape collapses

ST Ives landlady has spoken of her horror after four members of her family suffered very serious injuries when a fire escape at the back of her property collapsed.

- OLIVIER VERGNAULT

Helen Randall said she remained in shock after the incident on Sunday, in which an external metal staircase came crashing down at the back of a building she owns and occupies in Carthew Terrace.

The fire escape, which leads down from a roof terrace, is now lying mangled behind the building Mrs Randall's husband acquired in 1997, and which is divided into 10 flats.

“It's been horrific,’ she said.

“Four members of my family were injured and we don’t know why the stairs collapsed”

She said the lower part of the building where the incident happened, was probably built 25 years ago while the upper section was approximately eight years old.

The collapse, at about 7pm on Sunday, prompted a maor response by the emergency services.