Poles fell 'like pack of cards'

Scaffolding from 14 floors up fell after two walls collapsed

Eye-witnesses have been describing the moment scaffolding fell from a hotel site in Milton Keynes.

Nick Reynolds, a receptionist working in a nearby BP office, said: "It came down like a pack of cards."

Julia Skinner, 26, said: "I was facing the building... when I saw the corner of the scaffold start to fall and then it dragged the rest down with it.

"At first it seemed like a neat fall, then I realised it wasn't meant to happen. I didn't hear any screams."

It was like a roll of thunder from the distance and again the scaffolding collapsed from top to bottom on about an eighth of the front of the structure Doug Masson

She added: "There wasn't a huge amount of noise, it was a deep rumble like an underground train, then a clattering of metal as it hit the ground.

"I couldn't see the ground because of barriers around the site, but the rubble piled above them, a mass of rubble, wood, metal pipes and poles about 15ft high. It was lunchtime and a lot of people were around but they walked on, unaware of what had happened.

"Then it wasn't long before the sirens started. Initially a couple of fire engines arrived, then police and then I heard two helicopters."

Christopher Keen rang BBC Radio Five Live from the site and explained what he could see.

'Absolute devastation'

He told listeners: "I'm right smack bang in the centre of Milton Keynes where a multiplex centre is being built, consisting of a new hotel and new restaurants. It's quite a massive building site and a large, 25 or so storeys of scaffolding has collapsed completely around the building where workmen were working.

"The scaffolding collapse looks like absolute devastation, as I say in a massive building site, there are six tower cranes on site but it's just one pile of matchsticks. I am told by a police officer that this is now a major incident.

"I can see a fleet of 15 ambulances and a number of air ambulances and there is a lot of emergency service activity, here, on scene and they are trying to extract casualties from the wreckage."

Doug Masson, a construction lawyer, told BBC News 24 he was 100 to 200 metres away when the collapse happened.

Three people have been seriously injured by the collapse

He said: "It was like a roll of thunder from the distance and again the scaffolding collapsed from top to bottom on about an eighth of the front of the structure.

"I've never ever witnessed an accident like that and I have been on many, many sites."

Darren White said he heard a "massive" crashing sound.

"Even with all the double glazing and windows shut the noise was phenomenal," he revealed.

"It looks like the complete scaffolding for all 11 or 12 floors has collapsed on the side of the building that's facing the train station.

"There's a terrible looking mangle of scaffolding and wood on the floor on that train station side. It's quite a mess."

'Someone trapped'

Andrew Lynam, who works in a building opposite, said: "I could see a lot of scaffolding and wood just suddenly come from the side of the building.

"I didn't see if anyone was on the scaffolding but I did see a yellow jacket which looked as though someone was trapped about halfway down."

Raymond Byrne is a building worker who was on a site nearby.

He said he heard "a big rumble and everyone just started running everywhere".

"You could see people hanging off the scaffold and everyone just running about, nervous."