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| Julie Sillitoe inquest: Taxi driver's death 'accidental' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A taxi driver who died when a piece of masonry fell on her from a 120-year-old building was killed accidentally, an inquest jury has ruled. | |
| Julie Sillitoe, 49, was killed almost instantly while driving along High Holborn, in London, on 14 February. | Julie Sillitoe, 49, was killed almost instantly while driving along High Holborn, in London, on 14 February. |
| Two passengers survived despite also being crushed by a falling parapet weighing about two tonnes (2,000kg). | Two passengers survived despite also being crushed by a falling parapet weighing about two tonnes (2,000kg). |
| Passenger Bo Houtenbos told St Pancras Coroner's Court: "People were trying to pull her out. She had no chance." | |
| High winds | High winds |
| The inquest heard Ms Houtenbos and her boyfriend guitarist Luke Fitton had been celebrating Valentine's Day and were travelling in the back of the black cab. | The inquest heard Ms Houtenbos and her boyfriend guitarist Luke Fitton had been celebrating Valentine's Day and were travelling in the back of the black cab. |
| Ms Houtenbos said she did not remember the accident, but came round after being knocked unconscious. | Ms Houtenbos said she did not remember the accident, but came round after being knocked unconscious. |
| "I could see her in front of me and she wasn't saying anything," she said. | "I could see her in front of me and she wasn't saying anything," she said. |
| The couple managed to crawl out of the wreckage, but the driver was pronounced dead. | The couple managed to crawl out of the wreckage, but the driver was pronounced dead. |
| The inquest heard the owner of the six-storey Victorian building had not carried out a full structural survey or risk assessments on the property when he bought it in 2007. | The inquest heard the owner of the six-storey Victorian building had not carried out a full structural survey or risk assessments on the property when he bought it in 2007. |
| He was not required by law to carry out a full survey or to ensure the old building compiled with current legislation, the jury was told. | He was not required by law to carry out a full survey or to ensure the old building compiled with current legislation, the jury was told. |
| In court, building expert Philip Deane, who inspected the site a day after the accident, said high winds probably caused the debris to dislodge and crash down. | In court, building expert Philip Deane, who inspected the site a day after the accident, said high winds probably caused the debris to dislodge and crash down. |
| "In the final instance, it was the wind that brought it down," said Mr Deane, a chartered structural engineer. | "In the final instance, it was the wind that brought it down," said Mr Deane, a chartered structural engineer. |
| "Over the years vibrations from HGVs could have weakened it." | "Over the years vibrations from HGVs could have weakened it." |
| He added the building's design meant there were "inherent possibilities of things to go wrong" and the 6ft (2m) parapet which crushed the vehicle was exceptionally large. | |