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Historic Leeds building collapses
PART of a historic 170-year-old famous Leeds mill building collapsed in the early hours of today.
One of 18 ornate stone pillars on Temple Mills - a former flax mill - partially collapsed, firing a large slab of millstone grit stone across a perimeter fence on to the pavement in Marshall Street, Holbeck.
Temple Mills - modelled on the Egyptian Temple of Edfu is a Grade I listed building which is protected from demolition and is internationally known.
The unoccupied building had a night security man on duty at the time.
The collapse of the 11th pillar resulted in a large stone from the arch above slipping and threatening to fall further bringing down the arch above the collapsed pillar.
Leeds City Council officials and a representative of the mill owners, SJS Property Management, from London, were soon on the scene.
Marshall Street was cordoned off by police at either end of the building for fear of a further collapse.
Part of the 25ft high roof parapet immediately above the collapsed pillar bowed out as a result, and it was feared if the loose stone which had slipped gave way then that section of the arch and parapet might also collapse.
Stewart Kellet, facilities manager for SJS Property Management, said that it was a tribute to the design and construction of the building that no more of the roof appeared to have collapsed.
The building was used by the mail order business Reality until four years ago when it was acquired by SJS Property Management.
The original mill section was built between 1839 and 1841 and the adjacent temple offices were built in the same style just two years later in 1843.
Mr Kellet said it was not clear what had caused the section of roof to collapse. Whether it was simply time and wear or weather would have to be established later.
He and council officials and other demolition engineers were at the scene later examining the building which cannot be demolished because of its Grade I status.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
