People have been evacuated from their homes in Kendal following a partial building collapse.
Part of the external wall of a building on Highgate fell due to weather conditions and damaged the roof of a nearby building in the area on Sunday December 31.
The road next to the property, which is near the Brewery Arts building and Kendal Hostel, has been closed and taped off as a precaution.
It has been reported that three flats have also been evacuated.
Fire crews attended to assist in making the building safe before the situation was handed to police and the council.
A spokesman for Westmorland and Furness Council said: “The council was made aware of an issue with a building where some stonework had fallen and damaged the roof of an adjacent building.
“Our highways teams provided some temporary barriers around the site to make the area safe and officers from our building control team attended to assess the level of damage.
“We have engaged a contractor to provide propping and scaffolding to allow safe removal of the fallen stonework and damaged roofing slates.
“Officers have also met with the building owners and understand repairs will be carried out through the building’s insurance.’’
Kendal Hostel issued a statement on social media saying that the damage does not impact the hostel.
It said: “We are not that large although we do have 13 rooms. One of the flats next door their external wall has partly collapsed and the residents of the three flats are safely tucked up in the hostel.”
Brewery Arts are also not impacted by the structural damage and said on social media: “The building at the bottom of the drive with the structural damage does not belong to Brewery Arts.
“We are awaiting news about access to the car park. Please note the Brewery is closed this week. We look forward to welcoming people back when we reopen on January 9.”
Both the Brewery Arts Centre and Kendal Hostel remain accessible to pedestrians and car park access will be reopened later today when scaffolding and propping is in place.
