Demolition starts on collapsed Oldham building

Demolition crews have begun tearing down a collapsed building in Oldham town centre that injured three people and forced 40 residents to flee their homes. The partial collapse on King Street on March 24 left two people needing hospital treatment, though thankfully nobody suffered life-threatening injuries.

The building, which housed the Euro King Mini Market and two other tenants, is part-owned by Hollinwood Councillor Kamran Ghafoor and his business partner Sameer Zulqurnain through their company KKS Investors. For years, large cracks had been appearing on the building's side, causing concern among locals who watched the structure deteriorate.

Just weeks before the collapse, on March 1, the council received reports about the building's condition. A council surveyor attended the scene and found it posed 'no immediate risk' but recommended urgent repairs. The following day, Cllr Ghafoor said his company brought in a structural engineer and erected scaffolding on the building's side.

The councillor believes the combination of scaffolding and strong winds may have contributed to the collapse. King Street has been closed to vehicles for over a week while engineers carry out what they describe as a 'delicate operation' due to the building's proximity to neighbouring properties. Roads are expected to reopen later this week once safety checks are complete.