Notting Hill horror as roofs collapse in affluent west London neighbourhood, with residents evacuated
19 March 2025, 09:50 | Updated: 19 March 2025, 09:58
Several people had to evacuate their homes in Notting Hill overnight after their roofs collapsed.
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No injuries were reported after the gables of three terraced houses on McGregor Road in west London in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Eleven people were evacuated.
Local authority Kensington and Chelsea said they anticipated disruption in the local area, including road closures, throughout the day.
The London fire brigade's assistant commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: “The first of our fire engines were on scene within three minutes of being notified about this incident.
“The crews were the first emergency responders to arrive and quickly set about determining whether anyone was still inside the properties.
Read more: Mould, leaks and collapsing roofs: Inside Britain’s ‘best council estate’
Read more: Notting Hill: 13 rescued after roof collapses 'like a bomb had dropped'
We're supporting residents with accommodation, liaising with landlords and home owners, and our structural engineers and building control teams will be on site into the morning to assess. We anticipate disruption in the local area, including road closures, throughout the day pic.twitter.com/0fESugPFYr
— Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (@RBKC) March 19, 2025
"The majority of residents who were still inside were brought to safety by crews via an internal staircase.
"One person, whose home was on the lower ground floor, saw their exit blocked by rubble so firefighters used a ladder to bring them to street level.
“Residents were also provided with helmets from the fire rescue unit as a precaution as they were leaving the property to protect them in the event of any further falling rubble.
“Crews carried out a systematic search of the building and after liaising with partners at the scene, left the incident in the care of emergency service colleagues and the local authority.”
A Kensington and Chelsea Council spokesperson said: “We were alerted to a possible roof collapse in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Officers immediately rushed to the scene to assess the incident and establish if residents needed support from the Council. Thankfully no one was injured and we provided accommodation and refreshments for residents who needed somewhere to stay.
“Our structural engineers and building control team were on site very early this morning and are assessing the structures. We anticipate disruption in the local area, including road closures, throughout the day. We’re grateful to the swift work of the emergency services.”
