About 25 residents who were evacuated when a neighbouring former factory collapsed in Leicester city centre remain unable to return to their homes, council and emergency service sources have confirmed.
Incident and immediate response
Leicestershire Police were called to Wharf Street South on 13 July after reports that part of a disused industrial building had fallen. Fire crews attended the scene and dealt with the initial collapse. A subsequent failure involved sections of the roof and additional brickwork.
One person sustained minor injuries from falling debris. Several nearby roads were closed as the emergency response secured the area and assessed risk to neighbouring properties.
Council action and safety checks
Leicester City Council authorised emergency work to partially demolish and stabilise the damaged structure. The authority says those operations are expected to be finished by Tuesday, after which specialists will carry out further inspections.
residents will be allowed to return home "as soon as the area has been made safe"
The council has indicated people will only be permitted to reoccupy their properties once experts are "entirely satisfied there is no further risk to public safety".
Utilities and cause under review
Severn Trent Water confirmed its teams had been called to investigate a "major" internal leak at the disused building prior to the collapse. Leicestershire Police said there is no evidence the incident was caused by an explosion. At present the precise sequence of events leading to the structural failure remains under investigation.
- Approximately 25 residents evacuated and provided with overnight accommodation.
- Initial and secondary collapses affected roof and brickwork.
- Emergency partial demolition and securing work underway; further specialist checks planned.
| Key point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date reported | 13 July |
| Location | Wharf Street South, Leicester city centre |
| People affected | About 25 residents displaced |
Local residents have reported disruption from road closures and the presence of emergency services. Those displaced were offered temporary accommodation by the council while work to make the area safe continues.
Further updates are likely as structural engineers and safety teams complete their inspections and as authorities establish the cause of the collapse. People with immediate concerns about properties in the Wharf Street South area are advised to follow official council and police channels for guidance.
