Sunday 23rd June 2013 – 5.00pm – John Hawker.
Swimmers at a fitness centre in Birmingham had a lucky escape this morning after a ceiling collapsed into the swimming pool.
West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to LA Fitness, Gravelly Lane, Erdington at around 9.55am to reports of the ceiling collapse.
An ambulance, a rapid response vehicle, a paramedic officer and the Trusts Hazardous Area Response Team attended the scene.
West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman, John Hawker, said: “Ambulance crews arrived to find a large section of the ceiling that had collapsed directly into the swimming pool.
“Four people who were in the pool at the time suffered multiple minor injuries and were being cared for by staff from the fitness centre. The staff had evacuated the area and lead people to a safe part of the building.
“Three women and a man, all aged between 30 and 60, received emergency treatment at the scene by ambulance crews, including a patient who suffered a laceration to their head.
“After treatment, all four patients were discharged at the scene and did not require further treatment at hospital.
“Considering the size of the piece of ceiling that collapsed, the swimmers were extremely fortunate not to have suffered more serious injuries.”
Notes to Editors:
The photo can be used by the media but MUST be credited to West Midlands Ambulance Service.
That could have been really nasty. The ceiling grid system is extremely sharp on the edges, and with the swimmers bearing lots of exposed skin it could have been devastating.