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Bullring evacuated after Rotunda glass falls
May 19 2006
Hundreds of shoppers were evacuated from the Bullring yesterday after high winds brought down a pane of glass from the Rotunda.
The High Street, New Street and nearby entrances to the shopping centre were cordoned off by police at 12.25pm after the pane fell from the Birmingham landmark, which is being transformed into luxury flats.
Two Health and Safety Executive inspectors and a construction expert, who were called in to inspect the scene, are expected to lodge a report later today.
Nobody was injured in the incident but the area was sealed off for just over three hours.
Guy Jackson, West Midlands director of Urban Splash, said: "This afternoon one of the Health and Safety Executive-approved sky platforms being used on Rotunda caught on a piece of protective plastic, due to high winds.
"This resulted in the dislodging of a small piece of framework and the breaking of part of a pane of glass, which fell into Rotunda Square.
"No one was injured. Our first and foremost priority is the safety of the public and our workers. Upon the incident happening, we acted immediately, with all work stopping on the sky platforms. We are now reviewing the operation of the sky platforms to ensure the method is failsafe."
Tim Walley, general manager at Bullring, added: "While the area remained cordoned off, a handful of stores in the vicinity were closed, as were our entrances on the Upper Malls and St Martin's Walk."
