A grandmother was crushed to death when a wall collapsed on her while she was hanging out washing, an inquest has heard. Clarice Berry, 77, from Wigan, was buried under 10ft of rubble when the gable end of her semi-detached home came crashing down on July 18, 2021.
The inquest heard she had been hanging laundry beneath the lean-to carport at her property on Old Lane, Shevington, when the bricks of the so-called 'timebomb' wall gave way. Horrified neighbours and passers-by, who described the sound as like a 'bomb had gone off', rushed to the scene and desperately tried to pull Mrs Berry free from the debris. The married grandmother-of-six, a retired kitchen assistant, was eventually freed by firefighters and rushed to Wigan Infirmary, where she later passed away.
Coroner condemns landlord's failure to act
Coroner Briona Hartley branded the death 'senseless' and a 'tragedy' at an inquest held at Bolton Coroner's Court on Monday (June 29). She condemned the failure of the property's landlord to carry out repairs to the brickwork, which Mrs Berry's husband Arthur said he had repeatedly raised concerns about. The coroner stated that any 'competent building inspector or landlord' with 'common sense' could have prevented the tragedy.
The court was told temperatures had soared to 32 degrees centigrade on the day of the collapse, and that Mr Berry had been out visiting one of their two daughters, Amanda Berry-Smith. Upon his return home, he was met with a scene of utter devastation. The coroner remarked: 'Tragedy is an overused word but that is what Arthur came home to that afternoon.'
Structural defects known for years
Mr Berry and his neighbours forced open the doors of the lean-to and desperately attempted to reach Mrs Berry, tearing away bricks with their bare hands until emergency services arrived. Investigations by Health and Safety Executive inspector George Smart revealed a deep-rooted structural fault with the wall. The court heard Mr Berry had repeatedly raised concerns about the bulging wall with 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.'
Preventable collapse
The court was told that, despite the couple raising concerns, no structural examination or repair work was carried out. The defect continued to deteriorate, ultimately leading to the collapse that claimed Mrs Berry's life. Ms Hartley said: '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 stated: '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.'
Family speaks after inquest
Ms Hartley stated she believed it her duty to compile a report concerning SandG Properties Ltd and property manager KMPM. Speaking following the inquest, daughter Amanda Berry-Smith said: '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.'
