Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 7
Two Firms Convicted After 130kg Window Killed London Driver in 2018
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 7

Two Firms Convicted After 130kg Window Killed London Driver in 2018

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 7

Summary

  • St James Group and Lindner Prater were found guilty at Inner London Crown Court over the 2018 death of coach driver Mick Ferris, 53, outside The Corniche on Albert Embankment.
  • A 130kg pane fell about 300ft from a penthouse flat, and jurors heard the outward-opening window could be prised off by wind because it relied on a single metal restrictor.
  • An earlier panel had already fallen from the same development in August 2017, but prosecutors said the design was not substantially changed and residents were instead warned not to leave windows open.
  • Foster + Partners and engineering consultant Wintech were cleared of the same Health and Safety at Work Act charges, while the two convicted firms are due to be sentenced on 24 September.
  • The verdict centers scrutiny on how safety risks were managed at the 252-apartment luxury Vauxhall development, which was completed in 2017.

Insights

Why did a luxury London developer ignore a falling 130kg window in 2017, leading to a fatal tragedy a year later?
How did a simple design change from inward to outward-opening windows turn a luxury high-rise into a deadly hazard?