EYEWITNESS: Staveley Healthy Living Centre ceiling fell on dad

A burst water pipe caused the ceiling to come down yesterday, Saturday January 14 and Mark Evans, from Kinder Road, Inkersall, was there as it was his young son’s first swimming lesson at the pool.

The 37-year-old said: “A big piece of metal fell and landed on my shoulder. It all happened really quickly and was really scary because no one knew what was happening. Another woman next to me was also hit.”
Mark’s son, Riley - who is only four-and-a-half - was in the water when it happened.

Mark said: “I was watching him through the glass when the ceiling came down.

“I didn’t think or look around all I could think about was Riley.

“I ran through to the pool because I didn’t know if the rest of the ceiling was going to come down and I just wanted him to be okay.”

Riley was already out of the pool and the pair left via the fire escape and Mark’s pregnant girlfriend left through the main doors.

Mark said: “The children were wrapped in those foil blankets to keep the heat and we had all his clothes with him so got changed in the car but there were other people swimming who had to go back to the lockers and get changed.

“No one knew what was going on it was really scary and I’m still pretty shook up but it could have been so much worse.

“We waited for ages in case the emergency services came but no one did. The staff didn’t seem to know what was going on - I mean it’s not something they would have been trained for but they could have done more to make sure everyone was alright.”

The centre which has a gym, swimming pool, health spa, creche and midwife unit shut yesterday and when contacted a spokesman for the centre said: “We had a burst water pipe and a bit of the ceiling came down. We will be shut until at least Monday to repair the damage.”