Thurso councillor thanks all involved in clearing up after Monday's masonry collapse – CCTV shows full parapet going down in one second
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A Thurso councillor sent out a vote of thanks to all the agencies and companies involved in making the area safe after the parapet of a building on Traill Street collapsed early on Monday morning.
Huge sandstone blocks from the roof of the former Clydesdale Bank have now been removed and scaffolding is being erected around the façade of the building.
Thurso and Northwest Caithness councillor Ron Gunn said: "The scaffolding is going up and they'll use that to take down any unsafe masonry. That'll allow them to make a better examination of the building.
"Highland Council surveyors have been making a visual check of adjoining buildings. Traill Street is now open but half of Cowie Lane is still shut. They've been checking the road and pavement to assess any damage as there was a fair bit of weight falling down on it. Sutherland's chemist next to it has a back door they're using for customers."
Cllr Gunn said that CCTV footage showed there was no indication that the long section of sandstone blocks was about to fall with small stones coming away at first. "It was there one second and just gone the next. There was no warning and the whole thing just came away in a oner," he said.
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Together with fellow councillor for the ward, Matthew Reiss, he has made frequent visits to the site to assess the damage and see how the clean-up operation is progressing. "On behalf of the councillors, I want to thank Police Scotland, BEAR Scotland, Highland Council surveyors and the roads department for loaning out equipment, GMR Henderson contractors and the owners of the property for their prompt action in dealing with the matter. The owners were there on the Monday and liaising with the contractors and did very well."
On Monday morning, police created a safety cordon around the area and restricted pedestrian access to shops and businesses, while the A9 through the town was closed until around 10pm that day.
