Warning after boy is injured climbing over derelict building (From Keighley News)

Warning after boy is injured climbing over derelict building

8:55am Thursday 30th August 2012 in News

Police and firefighters have warned of the dangers of derelict buildings after a boy was seriously injured climbing on a mill roof.

The 11-year-old was taken to hospital with head injuries after falling through the roof of the empty building in Ingrow.

The premises, off Wirefield Road, are believed to be the former home of joinery firm Broster and Smith.

Neighbours this week called for the building to be fenced off or knocked down so no other children could be injured.

Police yesterday said the boy’s injuries, sustained on Tuesday afternoon, were not believed to be life-threatening.

Firefighters helped paramedics gained access to the mill so they could remove the boy and take him to Airedale Hospital.

Mother-of-two Abi Smith, 24, a resident on Wirefield Road, said she was inside when she heard sirens.

She said: “What seems to have happened is he’s been playing on the roof and one of the lads was telling the police that he had jumped once and it made a bit of a hole and one of his friends told him not to do it again.

“He jumped in again and he’s gone straight through. There’s kids down there all the time – they all go down later on at night. The building wants to be fenced off or knocked down, especially for the sake of our children because I would say there aren’t many kids who are over the age of ten around here.”

Mother-of-two Claire Murgatroyd, 30, who also lives in Wirefield Road, said drugs had also been found at the site.

She said: “I’ve rung the police loads of times about finding drugs down there - we are always telling the children not to go down there.”

Andy Newman, the commander of Keighley Fire Station, said: "We'd like to emphasise that playing on roofs of any building, whether derelict or new, is very dangerous.

"There is the danger of slipping off or falling through the roof."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "We would remind people that disused or derelict buildings can potentially be very dangerous places and we would urge people to consider their own safety and the safety of others."

Firefighters tackled a fire in the building in 2009 which damaged the roof. It is understood that Broster and Smith ceased trading several years ago.