Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Man dies after next door’s chimney falls on to his bed in gales
Tragedy as more wild weather on way
A MAN has died after the chimney of a neighbouring property crashed through his roof in high winds.
Mark Spence, 47, is believed to have been asleep when the tragedy happened in the early hours of yesterday.
A woman rescued from the wrecked bungalow is recovering in hospital.
It follows the death of a child on Friday, killed by a falling tree in Kent as the tail-end of Storm Ellen lashed the country.
The Met Office warned yesterday of worse to come from a 700-mile-wide, 70mph low pressure vortex currently crossing the Atlantic from Canada.
They issued a yellow alert over the storm, which is set to hit England and Wales tomorrow and Wednesday.
Meteogroup warned that more parts of the country will be hit by severe winds than in Storm Ellen.
It has not yet been given a name but is likely to be destructive enough. The next name used will be Storm Francis.
The Environment Agency has also warned of more floods – although temperatures are expected to reach highs of 16C to 21C later in the week. People living close to Mr Spence in Bradford, West Yorks, told of a “loud bang” followed by screams in the early hours.
Paul Wright, 30, said he heard a woman screaming after he was woken by the noise of the roof collapsing.
He said: “At about 4.30am I heard a loud bang, like an explosion.
“I came out with my partner to see what had gone on. One of the neighbours’ roofs had collapsed. It’s a tragedy. It’s just a big shock to everybody.”
Paying tribute to avid Bradford City fan Mark, pal John Holroyd said: “Thank you for your friendship over many years.”
Mark’s devastated cousin, Jay Bryant, said: “He and his partner were asleep when the chimney from next door crashed through his bedroom.”
Another neighbour described Mark as “a really friendly guy”.
He said: “I knew him to say hello to. I hope his girlfriend isn’t too badly injured.
“It’s such a horrible thing to happen in your sleep. It was windy and rainy, maybe the chimney was loosened.”
Mark’s next-door neighbours, believed to be a husband, wife and three children, escaped unharmed.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue sent in a team to make the building stable, and Search and Rescue dogs were also reported to be at the scene. DI Claudine
Binns, of Bradford District CID, said: “This has been a tragic incident in which a man has lost his life and a woman received serious injuries.
“Work is ongoing to make the building safe and we’re in the early stages of a full investigation with the local authority.
“A full file will be prepared for the coroner. The family of the adjoining home will be rehoused and the authorities are working to support everyone involved in any way we can.”
Last night, crime scene investigation works were under way with the support of fire investigation officers.
Meanwhile in Kent, details were only emerging yesterday of Friday’s tragedy in which a child was killed in a tree fall.
Police were called to woodland near the village of Bobbing at lunchtime after reports of two children being hurt.
One was declared dead at the scene while the second was airlifted to a London hospital with serious injuries. Neither child has been named.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service had issued a warning of high winds gusting at up to 50mph.