03-21-2006, 03:05 AM
Workers Evacuated From Wembley
Sky News Monday March 20, 0222 PM
About 3,000 workers have been evacuated from the Wembley stadium site after a rafter fell from the roof. Union officials said crews heard "an enormous bang" as the piece of steel crashed nearby. A spokesman for construction company Multiplex said "It was a rafter in the roof that failed while it was being welded. It fell 3ft."
No one was hurt but the union wanted a full investigation into what happened.
A workman told Sky News "We ain't going back in there till it's structually sound."
In
February, the building firm revealed losses of £150m on the long-delayed project.
Multiplex issued six profit warnings last year, largely due to soaring costs at the iconic football venue.
The Football Association has confirmed the £757m 90,000-seater stadium will not be ready in time for May's FA Cup Final.
England's two World Cup warm-up friendly matches - against Hungary on May 30 and Jamaica on June 3 - will now be played at Old Trafford.
The FA had already allowed Multiplex to move the completion deadline several times.
The original autumn 2005 handover date was pushed back to January 31 2006 and then March 31.
No decision has been made on whether several pop concerts in June, including Bon Jovi, the Rolling Stones, Take That and Robbie Williams, will go ahead.
Sky News Monday March 20, 0222 PM
About 3,000 workers have been evacuated from the Wembley stadium site after a rafter fell from the roof. Union officials said crews heard "an enormous bang" as the piece of steel crashed nearby. A spokesman for construction company Multiplex said "It was a rafter in the roof that failed while it was being welded. It fell 3ft."
No one was hurt but the union wanted a full investigation into what happened.
A workman told Sky News "We ain't going back in there till it's structually sound."
In
February, the building firm revealed losses of £150m on the long-delayed project.
Multiplex issued six profit warnings last year, largely due to soaring costs at the iconic football venue.
The Football Association has confirmed the £757m 90,000-seater stadium will not be ready in time for May's FA Cup Final.
England's two World Cup warm-up friendly matches - against Hungary on May 30 and Jamaica on June 3 - will now be played at Old Trafford.
The FA had already allowed Multiplex to move the completion deadline several times.
The original autumn 2005 handover date was pushed back to January 31 2006 and then March 31.
No decision has been made on whether several pop concerts in June, including Bon Jovi, the Rolling Stones, Take That and Robbie Williams, will go ahead.