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Man dies after building partially collapses in London's Grosvenor Square Man dies after building partially collapses in London's Grosvenor Square
(about 4 hours later)
A man died and another person was injured after part of a building collapsed in Grosvenor Square in central London on Monday, police said. A man died and another person was injured after a fall on a building site in Grosvenor Square, central London. The man, believed to be in his early 30s, died while he was working on a building site in the square, where the US embassy is located. The ambulance service said the second man was treated for minor injuries.
The man, believed to be in his early 30s, died while he was working on a building site on the square, where the US embassy is located. Some reports said a floor collapsed inside the building. The incident happened when a mini-digger fell from the second floor of a six-storey building which was once the London headquarters for the US navy and is being converted into luxury apartments. The fire brigade said the two men fell from the second floor to the first.
A Metropolitan police statement said: "Police are advising motorists and the public to avoid the Grosvenor Square area following a partial building collapse. A Metropolitan police statement said: "A man, believed to be in his early 30s, who was working on the site was pronounced dead at the scene. At least one other person has been injured."
"Police were called at 3.45pm today, to a building site on Grosvenor Square. Officers, London ambulance service, London's air ambulance and London fire brigade are in attendance.
"A man, believed to be in his early 30s, who was working on the site was pronounced dead at the scene. At least one other person has been injured. The Health and Safety Executive has been informed. Road closures remain in place."
A demonstration had been planned for 6pm in the square – because of the US embassy it is a common focus for protests – and police warned demonstrators they might need to gather elsewhere.A demonstration had been planned for 6pm in the square – because of the US embassy it is a common focus for protests – and police warned demonstrators they might need to gather elsewhere.
Reports identified the building as 20 Grosvenor Square, a large building currently being converted into high-end housing. The men involved in the incident reportedly worked for construction firm McGee, which said it had no comment.
One witness, Salima Cherrad, 26, told the Press Association she saw construction workers coming out of the building, which is covered in scaffolding. She said: "We saw a helicopter here in Grosvenor Square and we assumed it was something that happened with the guys and the scaffolding. There were lots of them who came out of the building at the same time and they were all gathering at one spot in the square." One witness, Salima Cherrad, 26, told the Press Association she saw construction workers coming out of the building, which is covered in scaffolding.
She said: "We saw a helicopter and we assumed it was something that happened with the guys and the scaffolding. There were lots of them who came out of the building at the same time and they were all gathering at one spot in the square."
The 16,500 square metre building, dating from the 1930s, has been empty since it was bought by a property developer in 2007. It was resold for £250m last year to the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government, which is developing the site in association with a development group.