Woman, 37, dies after falling from sixth floor flat balcony while clearing blocked drainpipe

9 November 2024, 12:19 | Updated: 9 November 2024, 12:42

A woman has fallen to her death in east London after toppling from a sixth floor balcony while clearing a blocked drainpipe.

Sarah McGreevy fell from the sixth-floor flat in Hackney, east London, at around 9.40am on June 16, an inquest has ruled.

Police officers attended the scene after Ms McGreevy fell, discovering a wooden box on the balcony and her mobile phone on a window ledge close to a taped up section of drainpipe.

During their investigation, the force was told of other residents on the fifth and sixth floors of the property seen climbing onto their balconies to manually unblock pipes.

It's believed Ms McGreevy accidentally fell while trying to repair the stretch of plastic pipe, which ran beneath the top of the seventh-floor balcony and along the flat's exterior wall.

The coroner has now urged Hackney Council to take action to prevent future deaths, after the 37-year-old suffered fatal injuries.

Ms McGreevy's medical cause of death was declared as multiple injuries, trauma and fall from height.

Sarah Bourke, assistant coroner for inner north London, highlighted concerns that a similar incident could occur if action is not taken in a preventing future deaths report sent to Hackney Council - the freeholder of the premises.

Police said the pipe had previously been repaired with "heavy duty tape", with the pipes regularly becoming blocked - especially after heavy rain, according to the police report.

Photographs taken of Ms McGreevy's hands showed dirt around her fingernails "consistent with undertaking a cleaning task".

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"I found that it was more likely than not that Ms McGreevy had climbed onto the wooden box to clear the pipe and had accidentally fallen over the balcony," Ms Bourke said.

She added: "During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern.

"In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken."

Ms Bourke highlighted concerns that several residents reported people climbing onto their balconies to clear blocked pipes and that the leaseholder said he was not aware of any work being done to the guttering or drainpipes following Ms McGreevy's death.

"In the absence of remedial works, the practice of residents unblocking pipes themselves is likely to continue," Ms Bourke said.

"In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and your organisation have the power to take such action."

Hackney Council must respond to the report by January 1 next year.

A council spokesperson said: "This is a tragic case and our thoughts are with the friends and family of Sarah McGreevy.

"The coroner has detailed a number of issues for us to consider in her prevention of future deaths report.

"We do not expect anyone living in a Hackney Council home to clean their own guttering and, like the coroner, we want to ensure an incident like this doesn't happen again.

"We will be carefully going through her report and responding as quickly as possible."

Those feeling distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK