A Stevenage resident says he raised safety concerns over Swingate House more than two weeks ago, urging St Albans-based demolition firm Kane Group to close the road as "the building would come down".
Carl Hewitt, a driver manager on the railways, was in the area when he became concerned at the amount of debris falling from Swingate House two-and-a-half weeks ago.
The building was being prepared for a controlled demolition as part of the SG1 Stevenage regeneration project - and at around 10.30am this morning it partially collapsed, in a major incident for the town.
Fortunately no one was hurt, but Carl - who hails from Newcastle and has lived in Great Ashby for seven years - expressed his outrage that action hadn't been taken prior to this morning's incident, particularly as he reported safety concerns weeks ago - on March 8 at 9.02am.
He told the Comet: "I was in the car park opposite and said there was stuff coming down onto the road.
"I drove past and there was all stuff coming down on my car, it was like following a gritter vehicle salting the roads. It was fine debris, it washed off to be fair, but I said my car is covered and they need to stop what they're doing there's all stuff coming down.
"I went over to a guy from the Kane Group and said I was so furious. I said to the guy you need to either close these roads or stop what you are doing.
"As I was speaking to him, a piece of wood fell down, it wasn't a plank but a piece of wood fell from about five floors up - it wouldn't have killed anybody but it would've hurt.
"When I got on the train to work I called the site manager. I said the whole thing didn't look safe.
"There was netting but it wasn't stopping debris coming down. If someone was walking they would've been hit by the wood. I find it amazing that they we're doing what they were doing and the road wasn't closed.
"I told my mam later on that this thing is going to come down, it didn't look right. I'm not a demolition expert but something didn't feel right. I would've not reported to Kane Group if I didn't think there was a risk. I was furious - I thought 'I can't believe that road is allowed to be left open, in case that does come down."
Karl was in town again this morning and heard an explosion sound when Swingate House partially collapsed. Roads were then closed by police, who attended along with the fire service.
"I heard this explosion when I was in the tunnel towards the station.
"I walked back out thinking something has gone wrong and clearly it had. At that point the first responders had come out, and I said to a police officer that I reported this two weeks ago.
"It shouldn't have got to this stage, I was concerned somebody would be hurt. I was shocked, at the time I wanted to tell the council but I was on the train and I couldn't get through.
"Somebody could've been killed for nothing. The day I reported it, it was unsafe. I was this close to calling the police two weeks ago, It's amazing this has been allowed to happen."
The Comet has contacted the Kane Group and is awaiting a response.
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