Police in Inverness closed a city street yesterday after debris fell from the roof of a property.
Montague Row was closed to motorists for several hours following concerns for the condition of an unstable chimney stack in the area.
Two fire appliances were dispatched to the scene alongside police shortly after 11am to put a cordon into place.
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A police spokesman confirmed the road has been closed as a “precaution following concerns for an unstable chimney.”
One local resident said: “I heard the fire engines and the turntables operating. There seems to be a crack in the chimney stack. They had to cordon it off because they have to decide what to do, either take it down or repair it.
“The engineer who looks after buildings, they took him up in the turntable ladder to inspect the chimney and the verdict was it was unsafe, as there is a crack at the back. They will have to do something about it.”
The section of footpath, outside The Bakery, has now been closed off to pedestrians by metal fences as work begins to determine the scale of the damage.
Highland Council confirmed an investigation would be carried out in the coming days to ensure “public safety.”
A spokeswoman said: “The Highland Council can confirm that the footpath around The Bakery on Montague Row in Inverness is closed to pedestrians following an incident of falling debris earlier today.
“The council is in consultation with the building owners who are responsible for maintenance of the building and a scaffold will be erected tomorrow to investigate the building and ensure public safety. It is anticipated that road traffic on Montague Row will not be affected during the safety and repair operation.”