A pensioner cheated death in a freak accident after he was crushed under tonnes of rubble when his next door neighbour’s house COLLAPSED on top of his car.
Eddie Hall, 68, had popped to his car which was parked on a driveway between his home and the property of his next door neighbour Brian Loveridge, 76.
Seconds after climbing into the front seat, part of the gable end of Mr Loveridge’s semi-detached property collapsed sending tonnes of bricks onto Mr Hall’s blue Citroen.
Rescue teams, including two fire engines, paramedics and police, dashed to Mr Loveridge’s home in Richmond Hill, Oldbury, West Mids., at 5.25pm on Wednesday (27/5).
Mr Loveridge’s red Vauxhall Astra estate car which was parked in front of Mr Hall’s car was also badly damaged by the falling masonry.
Incredibly, Mr Hall managed to haul himself out of the car and escaped with just minor cuts and bruises to his head and face.
Mr Hall was taken to Sandwell Hospital, in West Bromwich, West Mids., when he was kept in overnight for observation.
Mr Loveridge, who owns a health and fitness centre, said: “I was at home and I heard this terrible rumble.
“The wife came running in and said it was thunder. There was rubble and dust everywhere.
“Two cars were crushed flat.
“I was worried about Eddie, he’s my best friend next door.
“We had been up there 15 minutes previously talking about cars. The paramedics came and whisked him off.
“He had facial and head injuries but they put bandages on him.
“I’m a bit shell-shocked. I’ve been lucky and Eddie wasn’t so lucky but he’s in hospital now.”
Mr Loveridge said his £125,000 three-bedroom house had undergone thousands of pounds worth of renovations including having a new roof installed 18 months ago.
The roof was also repointed two months ago.
Fire crews were initially called to attend and later requested rescue advisors and structural engineers to assist.
Smethwick Fire Station’s Crew Commander Lee Richardson said: “We do not know what the cause is but there’s been a partial collapse of the gable end.
“It’s probably the age of the building.”
West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman Claire Brown said: “Much to the amazement of ambulance staff, the man who had been in the car was out of the vehicle.
“Upon assessment he was found to have sustained a minor head injury. Once his wounds were dressed, the man was taken to Sandwell Hospital for further assessment.
“When ambulance staff arrived they found a badly damaged car covered in bricks parked on a driveway in-between two houses.
“The second storey outside wall of the neighbouring house had collapsed onto the car whilst a man was sitting inside.”
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