Charing Cross roof collapse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Just before 4 p.m. on 5th December 1905, the magnificent iron-and-glass overall arched roof of London Charing Cross collapsed during a long-term maintenance project, due to structural failure of a flawed piece of ironwork. 70 feet (two bays) at the river end came down and also brought down the side wall. Fortunately, unusual and alarming sounds gave twelve minutes’ warning of the catastrophe and most of the workers and passengers managed to escape before the roof fell, but six people were killed, three of them workmen reconstructing an adjacent theatre which was crushed by the side wall.
A similar overall roof also existed at Cannon Street station, but was taken down in 1958. The Charing Cross roof was replaced by one of different design.
[edit] Reference
London’s Termini, Alan A. Jackson. David and Charles, 1969. ISBN 0-330-02747-6.
