billboard fell off the wall and pinned her to the ground ‘just days after it was installed’
- Woman in her thirties seriously injured after advertising hoarding fell 20ft
- Witnesses heard ‘thunderous’ noise and saw victim pinned to pavement
- Woman’s body was crushed by metal structure, which missed her head
- Bricks and cement also rained down on street as sign fell to the ground
- Company Clear Channel is now investigating the 39 other sites in the UK
- Do you know the woman who was trapped? call 02036151866 or email: [email protected]
A pedestrian in her thirties is ‘lucky to be alive’ today after a 20ft wide digital billboard weighing at least a tonne came crashing down on top of her just days after it was installed.
The woman, who is believed to have been walking to work while on her phone, was hit by the huge metal advertising hoarding after it broke free from a wall and fell 20ft during the early rush hour.
Witnesses in Tooting described hearing a ‘thunderous noise’ and buildings ‘shook’ as the sign pinned the woman’s body to the floor – but missed her head.
Residents of the South London street where it fell say it was only completed yesterday and had not yet been switched on, adding they feared it was not correctly fitted.
Clear Channel, the advertising company that installed the board, is now investigating the 39 other digital signs that were rolled out towards the end of last year over concerns of their safety.
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Tragedy: A pedestrian in her thirties has been seriously injured after she was crushed by a falling digital billboard in Tooting, south London
Drama: Witnesses in Tooting, south London, described hearing a ‘thunderous noise’ and buildings ‘shook’ as the sign pinned the woman’s body to the floor – but missed her head
People ran across the street and from houses to comfort the woman as she lay trapped on the floor in the minutes before the emergency services arrived.
Bricks and cement also rained down on the seriously injured victim, who remained conscious throughout, and was then rushed to the nearby St George’s Hospital.
Local property developer Paul Higgins, 51, raised doubts about the sign’s installation which he believes was completed on Monday, the day before it plummeted to the pavement.
Mr Higgins said the billboard‘s fixing bolts appeared to be too short.
‘Look how heavy it is. It must be a few tonnes. There’s something terribly wrong’, he said.
Peace Clague, a mother-of-three who lives above the adjacent shop, said: ‘The whole building shook and it sounded like an earthquake. My husband heard a scream and ran out there.
‘We were really worried about our son who had just left for school.’advertising
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