A man was killed when a pane of glass fell 250ft from a block of multimillion-pound apartments in central London yesterday morning.
The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was named as 53-year-old coach driver Mick Ferris. “He left his coach to cross the road to either go to the shop or use the toilet,” a colleague told The Sun. “When he was walking back to the coach, the glass window fell on top of him.”
A section of window from one of the penthouse properties in The Corniche tower “could be seen to be missing from the structure as police erected a cordon after the incident”, says the London Evening Standard.
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Eyewitness Paddy Riley, a scrap-metal dealer, said he was driving past the block of flats shortly after the incident when he saw the victim lying on his back on the ground. “It was very, very distressing,” the 59-year-old told the Press Association. “There was a lot of labourers standing looking and pointing up at the window and down at him but no one was going near him.”
Another witness who was working nearby told The Sun: “I came back from lunch and I saw glass everywhere. Police were all over the road, he wasn’t moving, it was such a mess.
“People are saying that a cleaner was too forceful with the window and that’s why it fell.”
The Corniche is advertised as an “exclusive address” of two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments and penthouses with panoramic views over the Houses of Parliament.
The building, designed by architect Norman Foster’s firm, features a pool, spa and rooftop lounge.
The few apartments still available in the recently completed property cost between £2.7m and £6.25m, says Quartz.
Property developer St James said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding Ferris’ death.
A company spokesperson added: “We extend our deepest sympathies to his family at this incredibly difficult time. We are investigating this incident as a matter of urgency and working with the emergency services to establish what happened.”