Boy, 12, dies after garage wall attached to house collapses

A 12-year-old boy has died after a garage wall collapse which also left a man in his 30s with an arm injury.

The death after the wall collapsed at a property in St John’s Road, Clacton, on Friday evening is being as non-suspicious, Essex Police said.

Emergency services, including the fire brigade, were called out just before 7pm on Friday after the garage which was attached to a house collapsed.

Firefighters managed to free both people, who were known to each other, from under the bricks but the boy died at the scene.

The man who was rescued from the rubble had suffered an arm injury.

Detective Inspector James Hardingham, leading the investigation, said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of those concerned at this sad time.

“We’re continuing our inquiries to establish the facts leading to the wall collapse.

“If anyone has information that can help us, or anyone who was in St John’s Road just before 7pm last night and saw anything that could help our investigation, (they) should call us.”

Police said the house the garage was attached to has been made safe.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service station manager Nick Singleton said: “This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with everyone who knew the child as well as the wider Clacton community.

“Our firefighters worked incredibly hard to save both casualties and this is never the outcome we want to see.

“We will be offering further support to all of the firefighters who attended this difficult incident.”