Witness tells of horror as woman struck by falling bricks in Mile End

The scene at Burdett Road, Mile End. Picture: Tom Horton (Image: Tom Horton)

She is in a critical condition in hospital after being rushed away by an ambulance.

Shattered bricks remain strewn across the street.

The crane was depositing materials for the Bow Corner development in Burdett Road. Police were called to the scene at 9.38am this morning.

Alan Harris, who owns go-kart track Revolution Karting, which faces the development, has described the horror of the scene.

“I heard a loud bang so I came rushing over to see what had happened,” he said.

“One woman was out cold underneath the bricks and another woman next to her was screaming hysterically for an ambulance and looking up into the heavens.”

It was not clear whether the two women were together, he said.

A second person was also taken to hospital.

Mr Harris, 72, then phoned an ambulance and stressed “the seriousness of the situation” to the telephone operator.

Police officers, two ambulance crews and paramedics all attended the scene. London’s Air Ambulance was also despatched by car.

Construction workers on the site refused to speak about the incident, saying an investigation was underway.

However Steve Boreham, construction director of Higgins Homes, who are building the Bow Corner development, said: “Our primary thoughts and concerns are with the lady who has been injured and those affected today.

“We are working with the Health and Safety Executive who are investigating the incident to determine the cause and will release more information as soon as it’s available. Our priority at the moment is of course to make the area safe.”

The woman’s next of kin have been informed.

Road closures remain in place in Burdett Road and Bow Common Lane.