"It could have been any of us": Young woman in street is crushed to death by ... - Mirror.co.uk

A woman was killed in front of horrified onlookers today when she was hit by falling window frame.

The victim, believed to be in her 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck by building debris in Hanover Square in central London.

An air ambulance was sent and extensive efforts were made to resuscitate the woman, a London Ambulance Spokeswoman said.

"We were called at 11.30am today to reports of building work fallen on a person at Hanover Square," she said.

"We sent two cycle responders, two ambulance crews, London's air ambulance, members of the hazardous area response team, and an officer to the scene.

"Extensive efforts were made to resuscitate a woman, reported to be in her 20s, but sadly she was pronounced dead at the scene by the air ambulance doctor."

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "At this stage it is believed an unknown object hit the woman."

A Health and Safety Executive spokeswoman said they were aware of the incident and were "making initial inquiries".

Two women in HSE-branded high-visibility jackets were taking photographs and inspecting the scene.

A number of wooden supports were strewn across the ground near the forensics tent. Some of the wooden supports appeared to be holding a large pane of glass.

Similar supports were in place on the ground floor of the building.

A yellow and white police forensics tent, which a witness said was covering the woman's body, was in place outside 5 Hanover Square.

The south east corner of the square, in Mayfair, was cordoned off by police, and officials in blue overalls and hard hats could be seen taking photos and inspecting the area.

More than half a dozen police officers were present at the scene.

The building where the incident happened houses a fine art gallery on the ground floor, according to its website.

Witnesses speak of the horrific scenes

A man who was delivering electrical cables to a building in the area in his van made the 999 call and said the woman was "flattened" and that he thought he saw her "draw her last breath".

The man, who did not want to be named, said: "I heard this incredible loud bang, the guy next to me said 'what the hell is that?', pointing.

"I turned round and the frame was on the ground and I was hoping it was a coat underneath, but then I saw an arm."

He said it took five of his colleagues and around five more workers from the area to lift a concrete frame off the woman.

"I realised it was a person underneath so I phoned 999. The operator asked me to go closer to the victim so I got off the back of my wagon and went over.

"There was a woman who said she was a doctor who wanted to perform CPR and there was somebody giving her mouth-to-mouth.

"Her eyes were open and I saw her hand move and then I think I saw her last breath and then the light went out, she'd gone."

The man said ambulance crews arrived around a minute or two later.

"I knew what the result would be because even if she had survived - how do you recover from that?"

Visibly distressed, he went on: "You'd have more chance of winning the lottery than that happening to you.

"She was in exactly the wrong place at the wrong time."

The man said she had been hit by the frame, which did not appear to contain any glass.

The woman had brown hair, and was wearing a black puffa-style jacket, a white jumper and trousers, he said.

Asked how he felt now, the man, who was holding a lit cigarette, said: "I gave up smoking five years ago, this is my eighth cigarette (today).

"It makes you think, who cares if I die of lung cancer? Because you can go anytime, anywhere, anyhow."

A woman who works in the Itsu food store opposite the building said she saw a young woman lying on the ground, with two paramedics attempting to resuscitate her by pumping her chest.

"I just saw her quickly then I closed my eyes - it was not very nice," she said.

"I could see her legs and them (ambulance staff) pumping her chest. I think it was a young girl but I didn't want to look anymore."

Three workers having a cigarette break outside Vogue House, which also overlooks 5 Hanover Square, said barricades had been in place around the building but were removed a few months ago.

One woman said: "We walk past there every day. It's quite scary that it could have been any of us."