Several buildings in a major city center were evacuated this afternoon due to reports of an incident that caused a tower block to partially collapse, resulting in an “earthquake-like feeling.” The structure, located near Bridge Street in Manchester’s city center, was in the process of being demolished when a section of it collapsed suddenly.
Witnesses reported feeling a strong tremor resembling an earthquake before emergency services arrived to evacuate nearby buildings. Bruntwood SciTech, the developers of the site, confirmed a partial collapse at Alberton House, which was undergoing demolition. They reassured that safety protocols were followed, and there was no risk to the on-site team, neighboring buildings, or the public.
The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation stated that there were no injuries reported in the incident. They emphasized the need for caution in speculating about the cause until investigations are completed, highlighting that properly built and maintained scaffolding should not fail.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) mentioned that they are monitoring the situation in Manchester and staying in contact with emergency services. Demolition work continued at the site despite the incident.
The collapsed building was identified as Alberton House, situated near St Mary’s Parsonage in the city center. Local reports indicated that one side of the building collapsed, causing scaffolding to fall into the nearby River Irwell.
George Jones, the owner of Cardinal House adjacent to the incident site, had to evacuate around 500 people as a precaution. He described the event as feeling like an earthquake and mentioned that the building appeared to be emitting smoke.
New images from the scene depict the aftermath of the collapse, showing the structure folding over with scaffolding descending towards street level. Emergency services, including the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, responded to the scene promptly to ensure safety.
The incident remains under investigation, and the cause of the partial collapse in Manchester is yet to be determined. Plans for The Alberton, a new development to replace Alberton House, are still in progress, managed by the property company Bruntwood.