Woman narrowly avoids injury from falling masonry in Muswell Hill

Firefighters secure masonry above Nicolas wine shop earlier today. Picture: Martin Newton.

by Tim Lamden Friday, August 3, 2012
2:02 PM

A lucky woman avoided a nasty injury earlier today after falling masonry from a building in Muswell Hill landed just a metre away from her as she walked past.

The debris fell about 30ft from a top floor window above Nicolas wine shop on the corner of Muswell Hill Broadway and Princes Avenue around midday today.

Police closed Princes Avenue and the area around Nicolas for firefighters to clear up the masonry and secure the loose material above the window of the top floor flat.

Ravi Kesavarum, manager of Nicolas, said: “I just heard a big thump, it was quite a substantial piece of masonry. It was about the width of the window and it just splattered all over the floor.

“It was about a metre away from a woman when it fell down from the second floor, that’s some distance. It had pigeon spokes on it so it would have caused serious damage.”

Mr Kesavarum said weather conditions had probably weakened the masonry but noted that repairs of the building had been neglected.

This is the latest in a line of incidents involving falling masonry to have occurred along Muswell Hill Broadway over the past couple of years.

Landlords of properties along the road have come under criticism in the past for failing to maintain and repair the Victorian architecture throughout the street, which has become severely dilapidated in places.

Muswell Hill councillor Gail Engert said: “I do urge landlords to keep their properties in good repair because this is not the first time masonry has fallen off the top of shops and there could be a very serious accident if it continues to happen.”

Police have now re-opened Princes Avenue and the area around Nicolas.