Horror collapse leaves 40 evacuated amid fears of modern slavery link
A shocking building collapse has raised concerns about possible human trafficking after it reportedly forced more than 40 people nearby to evacuate.
Over 40 local residents were placed in emergency accommodation when a house collapsed onto the pavement on 24 March, on King Street in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
Some of the evacuated properties in neighboring buildings are now thought to have housed overcrowded rental flats with no official record of their occupants. Initial inquiries raised fears that an undocumented person had been trapped beneath the debris, triggering a major rescue operation.
Human trafficking, or modern slavery, concerns do not apply to all the people displaced by the incident, and it remains unclear how many individuals may be involved. Suspicions were passed to Greater Manchester Police, who participated in a multi-agency meeting earlier today with representatives from various government organizations, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The flats and Euro King Mini Market dramatically collapsed on Tuesday, 24 March. The building has been part-owned by councillor Kamran Ghafoor and business partner Sameer Zulqurnain through their company KKS Investors since 2019. Those living in the KKS Investors-owned property that crumbled are not believed to be connected to the concerns surrounding human trafficking.
Neighbours heard the walls come crashing down just after 12.30 pm, destroying a bus stop directly outside the building. Police and fire crews swiftly arrived on the street with several fire engines and sealed off the surrounding area.
A total of five people were injured, according to the council. Two were treated in hospital for injuries that were neither life-threatening nor life-altering, emergency services confirmed. The flats and Euro King Mini Market at 31 King Street dramatically collapsed on Tuesday, 24 March. The building has been part-owned by councillor Kamran Ghafoor and business partner Sameer Zulqurnain through their company KKS Investors since 2019.
One man, who claims he was inside the building when it came down, says he has been left "traumatized and unable to sleep". He said: "I was on the first floor before the building collapsed. It is quite traumatizing, it’s a miracle that I came out. Since that time I’ve not slept, if I try to sleep I feel like a building is falling on top of me. I thank God that I’m alive."
Former residents of 31 King Street have been left unable to recover their possessions from the rubble, including their mobile phones and vital documents. Another person was thought to be missing within the debris following the collapse, triggering a recovery operation by GMP and Lancashire Police. The forces deployed a drone and search dog to examine the building’s remains. The person was subsequently located safe and well at another location.
The collapse also resulted in a gas leak, which combined with concerns about the stability of adjacent buildings prompted the evacuation of the entire street. Councillor Ghafoor said he was "extremely relieved" no one was injured in the collapse, and maintains the company has "acted responsibly at all times, following all appropriate rules, regulation, and safety procedures". The Health and Safety Executive, a government agency, is currently investigating what caused the collapse.
The National Crime Agency told the MEN it cannot confirm or deny the existence of investigations or comment on ongoing proceedings. The Mirror has reached out to the Home Office for comment.
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