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High Street retirement flats' gable end collapses

Maldon Fire Station Drone image of a fire engine and two red lorries on an otherwise vehicle-free High Street. Several fire fighters and police officers are standing around. In the centre of the image a red-brick building has its gable end of bricks missing. Rubble can be seen on a neighbouring flat roof at a lower level next to it.Maldon Fire Station
Embassy Court is a complex of retirement flats and bungalows on Maldon High Street

A High Street was closed and residents evacuated after the gable end of a complex of retirement flats collapsed.

Emergency services were called to Embassy Court in Maldon at 09:30 GMT after part of the top of the four-storey building gave way.

No-one was injured or trapped, the area was made safe and fire crews and police left the scene at 11:00, Essex County Fire & Rescue Service said.

Crews also attended a Christmas Fayre in Wickford at about 12:15 where a marquee blew over in winds caused by Storm Bert, hitting three pedestrians leaving them with minor injuries.

One person on social media said her mother was caught up in the incident and left "cut and bruised and very shaken up", while another said they saw a man sitting with "blood and a bash on the face".

The fire service said its crew gave the people first aid and left them in the care of the ambulance service.

Guna Ramachandran Bricks, rubble and black wheelie bins in a driveway. A white PVC door can be seen on a building to the left side of the driveway, and part of a shop sign to the door's left. To the right, a narrow red brick wall separates the driveway and a wider driveway. On the wall, a red rectangular sign reads in white letters RESIDENT PERMIT HOLDERS ONLY Guna Ramachandran
Rubble fell in a driveway, on the street and on the roof of flats above a barber shop

It is not known whether the collapse of part of the Maldon block was related to Storm Bert, which has led to strong winds across the East of England.

"Crews worked hard to remove sections of the roof and cleared the loft of any items so they were not blown away by the wind," said station manager Ryan Ainger.

"Initial crews put a cordon in place to maintain the safety of public as the bricks had fallen on to the neighbouring building and the alleyway below."

Maldon Fire Station Drone image, taken at an angle, of three fire engines and two red lorries on an otherwise empty High Street. Several fire fighters and police officers are standing around. In the centre of the image a red-brick building has its gable end of bricks missing. Rubble can be seen on a flat roof next door and there is an alleyway between the two buildings. Houses and gardens can be seen behind the buildings.Maldon Fire Station

Firefighters from Maldon had said they were joined on the High Street by crews from Chelmsford, Colchester, urban search and rescue, the hazardous area response team and police.

Meanwhile, Essex County Fire & Rescue Service said its control room had received "a large number of calls for fallen trees".

In Great Baddow on the outskirts of Chelmsford, a tree came down blocking a road near the parish council offices and parish hall.

A party was being held inside but no-one was injured.

Stuart Woodward/BBC A leafless tree which has been up uprooted during Storm Bert, 2024. It is lying across a verge, all the way across a road and is resting on a wall on the other side of the road. People can be seen standing on the steps of a building across the road looking at the treeStuart Woodward/BBC
Trees have been coming down across the county, including this one at Maldon Road, in Great Baddow

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