WAKING up to rubble over the street, cars covered in dust and the inside of one of Launceston's most historic buildings ripped open was not a sight residents along Castle Street expected last Thursday morning.

Around 12.30am the 150-year-old Castle Street Chapel, formerly Launceston Congregational Church, collapsed, with most of the roof and one side wall falling over the steps and road.

A leading councillor says the collapse should be a warning across Cornwall that derelict buildings should be made safe.

The listed building had been derelict and out of use for almost 30 years and was on the market. It had been boarded up for around three years due to continuous vandalism and broken windows.

A nearby resident contacted police, who called firefighters from Launceston. Crews searched the site with a thermal imaging camera to check for signs of any people inside the rubble. They found no evidence of persons trapped, but a specialist Search and Rescue (SAR) dog and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team was requested from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue to make sure, but nobody was found.

Station officer at Launceston Gary Chapman said: "We are fortunate no-one was inside, if this had happened in the day, as it is a popular pedestrian route for school children, it could have been a very different story.

"On our arrival, it was extremely dangerous to enter the collapse zone as parts of the building were still coming down. We, and the specialist units requested from Devon and Somerset, all searched the area as safely as we could."

Police assisted with road closure, and PCSOs were on scene throughout the day to direct residents and traffic clear of the debris. Fences were put up in the afternoon to cordon off the area.

See the full report in next week's edition of the Post.