Emergency services rushed to West Street in the West End of Paisley this morning after scaffolding dramatically collapsed into a nearby building — smashing through the living room window of a flat where the occupant was sitting just feet away.
The scaffolding, which residents say had been in place for months, toppled suddenly and crashed into the tenement opposite, sending a loud bang echoing through the street. Miraculously, no one was injured, but locals described the incident as a near miss that could easily have ended in tragedy.
One resident said: “We’ve been walking past that scaffolding for weeks, maybe months. It’s terrifying to think what could’ve happened if anyone had been walking past or if that person had been closer to the window.”
Police quickly cordoned off the area and closed both ends of West Street, urging the public to stay away while the scene was secured and inspected. Scaffolders were brought in to remove the scaffolding.
It’s not yet clear what caused the collapse, but some neighbours have raised concerns about the stability of the structure in recent weeks, particularly during recent bouts of bad weather saying it had been up for months with no work being carried out.
Paisley Photographs 