Clarice Berry, 77, was left buried under 10ft of rubble when the gable end of her semi-detached house came down when she was hanging out washing as neighbours rushed to help
A grandmother was tragically killed when a wall collapsed on top of her as she was putting out the washing, an inquest has been told.
Clarice Berry, 77, from Wigan, found herself trapped beneath 10ft of rubble after the gable end of her semi-detached property gave way on July 18 2021.
An inquest previously heard how she was hanging up laundry beneath the lean-to carport at her residence in Old Lane, Shevington, when the bricks on the ‘timebomb’ wall suddenly collapsed and fell on her.
Shocked neighbours and passers-by, who described hearing what sounded like a ‘bomb had gone off’, raced to the scene and made desperate efforts to rescue Mrs Berry from under the wreckage.
The married grandmother-of-six, a retired kitchen assistant, was ultimately freed by firefighters and rushed to Wigan Infirmary where she subsequently died, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Coroner Briona Hartley described the death as ‘senseless’ and a ‘tragedy’ at an inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court on Monday (June 29).
She also condemned the property landlord’s failure to fix the brickwork, which her husband Arthur stated he had repeatedly raised concerns about.
The inquest was initially opened in July 2021. The coroner further stated that any ‘competent building inspector or landlord’ with ‘common sense’ could have stopped the tragedy from occurring.
The court was told how temperatures had climbed to 32 degrees centigrade on the sunny day and that Mr Berry had been out visiting one of their two daughters, Amanda Berry-Smith.
However, when he returned home, he discovered a scene of devastation.
The coroner stated: “Tragedy is an overused word but that is what Arthur came home to that afternoon.”
Mr Berry and his neighbours forced the lean-to doors open and attempted to reach Mrs Berry, pulling away bricks with their bare hands until the emergency services turned up.
The court was informed how investigations conducted by Health and Safety Executive inspector George Smart, who provided testimony at the inquest, demonstrated there was an underlying structural issue with the wall.
The court heard Mr Berry had repeatedly raised concerns about the bulging wall to landlord Mr Schlomo Klein.
Ms Hartley stated: “The senseless tragedy of Clarice’s death is that any competent surveyor would have identified it as just that, a timebomb.
“I find that any reasonably competent property management company and/or responsible landlord, employing common sense, would, at the very least, have ensured that the wall was monitored for any signs of progression and, by no later than 2018, would have ensured that a structural survey was performed.
“Any resistance on the part of the landlord – and I make it clear that I am not finding that there would have been any such resistance – could have been overcome by a report to the local authority’s Housing Standards Team.
“The structural collapse of the gable and end wall was caused by long standing wall tie failure. The wall had been visibly bulging for many years and had been reported and recorded as requiring urgent attention.”
The court was told that, despite the couple raising their concerns, no structural assessment or remedial works were undertaken. The defect progressively worsened, ultimately resulting in the collapse that caused Mrs Berry’s death.
Ms Hartley stated: “Had steps been taken to investigate the known and worsening structural defect, on the balance of probabilities, remedial action would have been taken and the collapse which caused the deceased’s death would have been prevented.”
Delivering a narrative conclusion, Ms Hartley said: “Clarice Berry died as a result of chest injuries sustained when the gable end wall and the upper part of the outer leaf of the end wall of her home collapsed onto her.
“In circumstances where the wall was affected by structural defects including wall tie failure of which there was no clear evidence, and where no investigation or remedial works has been carried out, which, if undertaken would have prevented the collapse.”
Ms Hartley confirmed she felt duty-bound to file a report concerning both SandG Properties Ltd and property manager KMPM. Following the inquest, daughter Amanda Berry-Smith stated: “On behalf of my family, we would like to thank the Coroner and the team at Bolton Coroner’s Court for their care, sensitivity, and professionalism throughout the inquest.
“While nothing can bring our mum back or change what happened, we feel the conclusion is appropriate and reflects the evidence heard. This has been a devastating loss for our family, and we would not wish such trauma on anyone else.
“We welcome the intention to issue a report to prevent future deaths Regulation 28 of the coroners (investigations) regulations 2013. We hope it supports learning and helps reduce the risk of similar tragedies in the future. At this time, our focus is on remembering Clarice – a dearly loved wife and mum – and supporting one another as a family.”