Published: 19 July, 2012
by PAVAN AMARA

SAFETY inspectors have held back from launching a full-scale investigation after a crane toppled over in Chalk Farm.

Nobody was hurt when a boring machine fell sideways into the middle of Adelaide Road on Friday afternoon.

Conservative councillor Jonny Bucknell said: “This is the closest I have ever seen to a complete disaster. A few hours later there would have been a queue of traffic at the lights.

"The thought of 45 tonnes of steel crashing down on a crowded 31 bus is horrific.”

Workers were drilling foundation holes into the site of a house that was recently knocked down, in preparation for a block of flats.

Mark Agathangelou, 47, who lives on Adelaide Road next door to the building site, said: “The building work started about four weeks ago.

"At around 1pm I heard a huge crash and, luckily, it had fallen over the other way. What if it had fallen over on my house? That would have been scary.”

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said: “We are aware and making enquiries at this stage.

"We have not launched an investigation as yet, but are in the process of gathering information.”