Update: Clean-up continues after car crashed into house near Ottery St Mary
A car crashed into the side of a house in Fluxton, near Ottery St Mary. Photo by: APEX NEWS AND PICTURES - Credit: MARK PASSMORE/APEX
Building control officers carried out emergency work on building before road was re-opened yesterday
Credit APEX NEWS AND PICTURES - Credit: MARK PASSMORE/APEX
Experts say a homeowner was ‘very fortunate’ to escape injury after a car ploughed into the side of her house near Ottery St Mary.
The vehicle crashed into the building in Fluxton yesterday morning (Wednesday, January 20) and remained embedded all day amid fears its removal could cause the house to collapse.
Building control officers from East Devon District Council (EDDC) were called to assist emergency services and carried out emergency work to stabilise the house.
The road between Ottery and Tipton St John finally re-opened at around 5.30pm when the embedded car was recovered.
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An EDDC spokesman said: “Police and fire services called in the council’s building control team to advise on the structural damage to the property.
“The building needed emergency protection works which took several hours to complete before the car could be removed. The officers supervised the works being carried out by contractors on behalf of the home owners’ insurers.”
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Paul Seager, the EDDC’s principal building control surveyor and manager attended the scene throughout the day.
He said: “The building was occupied when the incident occurred. The owners were very fortunate not to be injured despite the external kitchen wall suffering significant damage from the vehicle impact requiring it to be carefully propped to make safe before the vehicle could be recovered and the road reopened.”
Councillor Philip Skinner, EDDC’s portfolio holder for economy, said: “Our building control team provides an excellent service and is always on hand to assist in emergency situations such as this.
“Our first priority is always to ensure the safety of people and property and our team is expert in this field of work.”
