Langford Road house collapse: Exclusion zone set up around four properties due to concerns about structural safety

Police, fire, and ambulance services were called to Langford Road after the terraced property collapsed at about 8.30am on Wednesday morning.

Residents along the road were evacuated as South Central Ambulance paramedics treated the home’s residents – a woman and her daughter – who were then taken to hospital.

Family friends report that the pair are safe and recovering with family, with a fundraiser collecting more than £2,900 to support the pair rebuild their lives.

Now four properties form an exclusion zone in the street, with three homes found to be structurally unsafe and one house awaiting an assessment.

A work team is onsite to clear any debris and damaged materials that pose a risk of falling into the street, and car access past the Harcourt Road junction heading towards George Street remains blocked.

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A total of 23 homes were evacuated on Wednesday as engineers worked to assess the collapsed house and its surroundings, a representative from Portsmouth City Council said.

In a statement, the spokesperson added: ‘Most evacuated residents were able to return to their homes on Wednesday evening.

‘Residents of (exclusion zone properties) were supported to find somewhere else to stay and some minor demolition work has begun to make the site safe.

‘A small number of other homes continued to have issues with power and heating throughout Wednesday evening, most of these were supported to find somewhere else to stay, and we provided heaters to those who opted to remain in their homes. We understand these issues were resolved by Thursday morning.

Regarding the cause of the collapse, the representative added: ‘Portsmouth City Council is providing information and support to residents who have been affected and have concerns about their property. We will be fully investigating the cause of the collapse and will share information when it is available.’

Speaking to The News, a neighbour to the collapsed building said that ‘awful cracks’ had appeared in her property on the morning of the disaster.

Residents praised the council for its quick response and its support at an emergency shelter inside St Mary’s Church nearby.