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Lewes Castle: Search for casualties after 600 tonne wall collapses Lewes Castle: Medieval 600-tonne wall collapses on house
(about 5 hours later)
Emergency teams with sniffer dogs are searching for casualties after a wall at a 1,000-year-old castle collapsed. A medieval castle's 600-tonne wall collapsed on to a house and garden in Lewes sparking a major search.
About 600 tonnes of stonework and other materials at Lewes Castle in East Sussex fell on to a house and garden. Emergency services, including a hazardous area response team and sniffer dogs, went to the scene of the collapse of the 10m (32ft) by 10m wall.
Emergency services, including a hazardous area response team, are at the scene of the collapse of the 10m (32ft) by 10m structure. When the alert first came in at 12:22 GMT, it was not known if anyone was trapped and dogs trained for use in earthquake zones were deployed.
Sussex Police said it was not known if anyone was trapped, adding: "There are no current reports of any injuries." Firefighters later tweeted the search was over with no casualties found.
Sniffer dogs trained for use in earthquake zones have been deployed for the search. Incident commander Matt Lloyd said the wall had fallen into an adjacent garden and house.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene at 12.22pm, along with search and rescue staff. The wall had been reportedly undergoing work to remove ivy in recent weeks.
Incident commander Matt Lloyd said the wall had collapsed into an adjacent garden and house. A spokeswoman for castle owners Sussex Archaeological Society said the wall that collapsed was privately-owned and the section that had fallen was part of the curtain wall that ran round the entire outside of the 1,000-year-old landmark.
The wall was reportedly undergoing work to remove ivy in recent weeks.
A fire service spokesman said: "Firefighters are working alongside other emergency services to check the area to ensure that no one needs rescuing."
A spokeswoman for castle owners Sussex Archeological Society said the wall that collapsed was privately-owned and the section that had fallen was part of the curtain wall that ran round the entire outside of the medieval landmark.
It was one of the last remaining sections of the historic defence wall, she said, adding: "There's not much of it left standing. It's one of the last sections that was still at full height."It was one of the last remaining sections of the historic defence wall, she said, adding: "There's not much of it left standing. It's one of the last sections that was still at full height."
Staff at the castle closed the attraction on Monday as a precautionary measure, the spokeswoman said.Staff at the castle closed the attraction on Monday as a precautionary measure, the spokeswoman said.
She said the castle walls that are owned by the archaeological society are checked independently on an annual basis.She said the castle walls that are owned by the archaeological society are checked independently on an annual basis.
Several parts of the castle structure are privately owned by different property owners.Several parts of the castle structure are privately owned by different property owners.
Lewes District Council said officers from its building control team were at the scene and liaising with emergency services. Lewes District Council said officers from its building control team went to the scene to liaise with emergency services.