‘Lorry driver’ dies when scaffolding collapses on him outside flats

‘Lorry driver in his 20s’ dies when a metal container collapsed on top of him as he unloaded scaffolding outside an 18-storey block of flats

  • The victim is believed to be a lorry driver and suffered severe head injuries
  • Emergency services are still on the scene and police have cordoned off the area
  • An air ambulance also attended the accident in Eastbourne, East Sussex  

A man has been killed after scaffolding collapsed on top of him this morning outside an 18-storey block of flats.

It is believed the victim is a lorry driver and suffered severe head injuries after being buried by the scaffolding in Eastbourne, East Sussex. 

The man, thought to be in his 20s, had been unloading scaffolding from the back of his lorry when the container fell from a height and hit him on the head.

Emergency services rushed to the scene following numerous 999 calls from horrified residents of the South Cliff Tower in Bolsover Road.

The building in Eastbourne (pictured above) where a man in his 20s is said to have fallen today

Police were on the scene today in Eastbourne and cordoned off the area after a man was killed after scaffolding collapsed on him

The street in Eastbourne is a residential area and after the incident police had to disperse a growing crowd

Onlookers gathered after four ambulance vehicles, an air ambulance, police and the East Sussex Fire Brigade arrived at the scene just before 11.30am to tend to the critically injured lorry driver. 

The helicopter landed on the green at Holywell in King Edward’s Parade in the seaside town.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, the victim was tragically pronounced dead at the scene after he suffered a massive head injury. Police had to disperse the growing crowd of concerned dwellers.

Janet Winter, a 60-year-old resident of the flats, said: ‘It is really upsetting. Nobody saw the accident fortunately, everybody’s eyes were elsewhere, it is very distressing.’

Emergency services are still on the scene. 

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service told MailOnline: ‘At 11.20am this morning we sent three response cars and an ambulance to Bolsover Road, Eastbourne to attend a man serious injured by a falling heavy object.

‘We sent three response cars and the air ambulance also attended.’

A spokesman for Sussex police said: ‘Emergency services have responded to a report of a man being seriously injured by a falling heavy object in Bolsover Road, Eastbourne at about 11.20am today/yesterday (Thurs).

‘The road has closed while the incident is being dealt with. There are currently no further details.’

It was understood that a coroner’s officer was already at the scene and Health & Safety Executive officials were on their way to investigate what happened. 

A post-mortem examination will be carried out later to establish the exact cause of the driver’s death and a report will be prepared before an inquest is opened.

No details of the man who was certified dead at the scene have been released by the police who were contacting his relatives to break news of the tragedy.

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