Builders hailed heroes after floor collapses at former Mirfield hair salon and workmate is left trapped under concrete slab

A builder had a lucky escape after a concrete floor collapsed leaving him bleeding and unconscious.

Ian Wilson, 57, of Meltham, was demolishing the floor when part of it suddenly gave way.

Ian crashed 7ft into the cellar below and a huge concrete slab landed on top of him, leaving him pinned down and gasping for breath.

His brother Andrew, 44, who was working with him, desperately tried to free him before rushing for help.

Four builders working on another building across the road helped lift the 6ft by 4ft slab and administered first aid, keeping Ian still until emergency crews arrived.

The accident happened at the former Mister Lister Hair Studio in Town Hall Street, Mirfield, at 3.30pm yesterday.

Ian and Andrew, who trade as Wilson Brothers Construction in Meltham, had been working on the refurbishment for almost a week.

Ian regained consciousness at the scene and the air ambulance was called. There was no helicopter available and he was taken to Leeds General Infirmary by road.

Andrew told how the brothers were removing the floor when it collapsed.

“It was just an accident,” said Andrew. “Ian has fallen 7ft and the slab landed on top of him. It took three of us to lift it.

“I couldn’t shift it and ran across the road like a mad man calling for help.

“The other builders came running and I can’t thank them enough. Ian has been very, very lucky.”

Workmates from Dalton-based Craig Miller Joinery & Building Solutions Ltd, working on the former Blockbusters store in Knowl Road, came to the rescue.

Jason Boothroyd, 42, of Newsome, Iain Kirkwood, also 42, of Kirkheaton, Joe Craven, 19, of Golcar, and Wayne Sanderson, 34, of Huddersfield, lifted the weight off Ian and waited with him until ambulance crews arrived.

It was thought Ian would be airlifted to hospital but the air ambulance was elsewhere.

Jason said: “We jumped down into the shop and the lad was unconscious, his head was crooked and he was bleeding.

“We lifted the slab and put him in the recovery position. His breathing wasn’t good and he was wheezing.”

Jason said they physically held Ian down even after he regained consciousness to prevent him from moving.

“We are trained first aiders,” he said.

The builders also ran across Huddersfield Road to Mirfield Fire Station. The station is part-time but fortunately firefighters were there.

Crews from Mirfield and Dewsbury attended along with the technical rescue vehicle from Cleckheaton.

Crew commander Mick Loney, from Dewsbury Fire Station, praised the builders and said: “They did all the hard work. We just stood by to assist putting the man on a long board and helping the ambulance service.

“He’s been very lucky there were people there to help.”

Two building apprentices from Kirklees College relished the challenge of a TV makeover when they joined the BBC’s DIY SOS crew on a local project.

​Kirklees College Apprentices with the DIY SOS team (L-R): Chris Frediani, Mark Millar, Thomas Earnshaw, Billy Byrne, Rory Gibson, Julian Perryman and Nick Knowles ​Kirklees College Apprentices with the DIY SOS team (L-R): Chris Frediani, Mark Millar, Thomas Earnshaw, Billy Byrne, Rory Gibson, Julian Perryman and Nick Knowles ​

Thomas Earnshaw and Rory Angus Gibson, along with their colleagues from Craig Miller Joinery in Huddersfield, donated their time to help adapt the home of former policeman Richard Ford, who suffered a brain stem stroke.

Thomas and Rory both study at Brunel Construction Centre – Thomas is doing Level 2 Joinery and Rory Level 3 Brickwork.

Their employer - company director Craig Miller - is a former student of Kirklees College as are colleagues Robert Spencer and Wayne Sanderson.

Craig said: “When we heard about the project we really wanted to be involved – we came up and saw how the family was living and realised how badly they needed help.

“It has been a fantastic experience for all of us but particularly for Thomas and Rory. They have really learned the value of teamwork – on something like this it doesn’t matter what your job or skill level is, everyone just does whatever is required.

“The lads were really dropped in at the deep end but they have worked very hard and really stood up to the challenge.”

Thomas, 18, from Dalton, said: “I’ve never worked on a job with so many people before. It was a great experience – it was such a fast pace and I got to learn lots of new skills.”

Rory, 22, from Paddock, said: “It was great to learn different skills and meet new people who were able to pass their experience on to us. It really helped boost my confidence and even though it was hard work, everyone had a good laugh.”

Following his stroke, doctors thought Richard wouldn’t survive and he was put in an induced coma. For nine months he suffered from Locked-In Syndrome, meaning he was aware of everything that was going on around him but could not move or communicate.

He’s no longer ‘locked in’ but Richard has extremely limited movement and speech. He is confined to an electric wheelchair and communicates via an Ipad.

The project involved converting the family home so that Richard could have some privacy – and to make it more comfortable for him, wife Judy and their three children.

The programme is expected to be aired later this year.

The team were nominated for the Huddersfield Examiner Community Awards 2015 and were pleased to make it to the finals. Whilst working on a project in the centre of Mirfield a concrete floor in a neighbouring property collapsed, trapping a man under a huge slab of concrete. The victims brother ran onto our site in a panic pleading for help. Without hesitation members of our team entered the building where the collapse had taken place. They jumped down into a cellar and pulled the huge concrete slab which had trapped the man crushing his chest. One of the team then ran to the local fire station to summon help whilst another collected safety helmets from our vehicles due to the danger posed by the steel beams, which some of the guys were holding to prevent them falling onto the victim. First aid was then administered to the victim whilst we awaited the emergency services which included a specialist rope rescue team from Leeds. wouldn't. The story was reported on the Huddersfield Examiners front page the following day.