Witnesses have described the terrifying moment a mezzanine floor collapsed at a bar in east London, leaving 13 people injured.
The raised platform fell in on Saturday evening at Two More Years bar and restaurant in Hackney Wick. Paramedics said three people were seriously hurt and 10 others had minor injuries.
Firefighters used a ladder to rescue seven people who remained trapped on the upper floor.
“It sounded like a rumbling, a bit like an earthquake,” Hal, a mental health worker from Stratford, told the BBC. He had been standing in the middle of the mezzanine when it fell through, but escaped with a few scratches.
“Thankfully I was able to heave myself out,” he said. “We all helped each other out.”
Another witness described seeing dust falling and hearing a “cracking sort of noise”.
“Me and my friend just ran to the side and the whole thing just came down in a matter of seconds,” he said. Others said it was fortunate there were not more people sitting directly under the structure.
The London Ambulance Service took four people to hospitals and major trauma centres.
Brian Jordan, the service’s strategic commander, said crews were called to the bar in Roach Road just before 4.44pm.
He said: “We declared a major incident and dispatched a number of resources to the scene.
“This included incident response officers, advanced paramedics, tactical advisers, clinical team managers, units from our hazardous area response team and several ambulances and fast response unit car crews.
“We also dispatched teams from London’s Air Ambulance.”
London Fire Brigade station commander Sacha Clement, who was at the scene, said: “Firefighters carried out a systematic search of the building and rescued seven people from inside.
“They were trapped on the remaining part of the mezzanine floor, and crews used a ladder to bridge between the floor and the internal staircase to get them safely out of the building.”
Around 50 people left the building before response teams arrived, the fire brigade said.
Rushanara Ali, Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, tweeted: “Very concerned about the collapse of part of a building at Roach Road #fishisland.
“My thoughts are with all those affected and their loved ones. Grateful to @Ldn_Ambulance and @TowerHamletsNow emergency response services for their support at this time.”
The Metropolitan Police said that a police cordon at the scene has since been lifted.
