Shankill road closed after vacant building partially collapses

A busy stretch of the Shankill Road in West Belfast has been closed to drivers and pedestrians after a vacant shop building partially collapsed on Monday morning.

Emergency services cordoned off the area between Tennent Street and Brookemount Street shortly after the collapse occurred. Police have warned that the road is likely to remain shut for some time, forcing bus services to divert and disrupting local traders.

No injuries have been reported, according to North Belfast MLA Brian Kingston, who posted images online showing a pile of rubble on the pavement outside the empty property.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said it received a call about the collapse at 7:53 am on Monday. The service deployed significant resources to the incident, dispatching one appliance from Springfield Fire Station and four specialist rescue teams to the scene. Crews worked on the street for nearly three hours, using manual handling techniques to clear the heavy debris from the pavement and ensure the surrounding area was safe.

After securing the site, firefighters handed the scene over to Belfast City Council's Building Control department at 10:49 am.

While physical injuries were avoided, the collapse has caused major disruption for neighbouring businesses. Among them is Alexandra Florist, a family-run shop that has traded on the terrace just two doors down from the collapse for decades.

Megan Ingram, whose father owns the florist, said staff were not yet in the shop when the wall fell. Firefighters later escorted them back to the premises to help rescue bouquets of flowers so they could fulfil scheduled funeral orders.

The family is currently banned from entering their shop due to safety concerns and is attempting to run the business from home by taking orders over the phone. Ingram said they are waiting for building control officers to decide whether the rest of the damaged property must be demolished before they can safely return to work.

With the road remaining blocked, police are advising commuters to avoid the area entirely.