Bride-to-be killed by wood that blew off roof in storm after 'tragic' failings
A building management firm has admitted its 'tragic' failings led to the death of a bride-to-be killed by a flying wood panel.
Tahnie Martin, 29, died after being hit by a 4ft by 5ft piece of wood which had come off the six storey Mander Centre building in Wolverhampton city centre during Storm Doris.
The fixings had rotted away causing the panel to come loose, it was found.
Ms Martin, a university worker, was walking past Starbucks, in Dudley Street, around 11.30am on February 23, 2017 when the panel struck her and injured her friend Raman Sarpal.
Cushman and Wakefield Debenham Tie Leung Limited, responsible for the maintenance of the building at the time, admitted two charges relating to health and safety breaches at a disciplinary hearing of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) yesterday (Tuesday), The Express and Star reports.
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Tahnie was walking past a Starbucks when the tragedy happened (Facebook)
Her parents described her as an 'ambitious young woman' (BPM Media)Representing the company this week, Eleanor Sanderson told the panel: "The breach was causative of tragic death and injury.
"Once more it is the intention of the company to express its very deepest regret for the failings which gave rise to the death of Tahnie Martin, to her family and to her friends."
She said the firm had done everything it could to 'learn lessons from the tragedy'.
The company was fined £1.9m at Wolverhampton Crown Court in 2019 for breaching health and safety laws.
Among the breaches was failing to request safe arrangements to inspect the roof, to inspect the roof structures, to carry out repairs and to appropriately supervise the manager.
The wood panel fell from the Mander Centre, pictured (GRAHAM YOUNG)Cushman and Wakefield admitted responsibility for its actions in subsequent court hearings.
Speaking at the time, Richard Phillips, senior solicitor for City of Wolverhampton Council, said Tahnie’s parents, Rosie and Jim, had been “shattered” by her death.
He added: "She was a popular, beautiful and ambitious young woman who had a very bright future...
"Cruelly stolen from her in the most shocking of circumstances owing to the failings of the defendant, Cushman and Wakefield Debenham Tie Leung Limited."
The company is now facing disciplinary action under RICS by-laws.
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The hearing continues.
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