Banbury Cherwell Street Collapse: Two Workers in Hospital

Two construction workers were taken to hospital after part of a building under construction collapsed on Cherwell Street in Banbury on Wednesday 21 October. One had severe injuries and was taken to Oxford with the air ambulance’s critical care team. Nine people were working on the site at the time.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the workplace safety regulator, is looking into what happened. Cherwell Street was closed in both directions between Bridge Street and George Street from Wednesday afternoon.

What the police said

Thames Valley Police issued a statement to the media on Wednesday. It was carried in full by the Oxford Mail, and the BBC reported the same points. The force has not put it on its own website.

“Emergency services are responding to an incident in Banbury following the partial collapse of a building in Lower Cherwell Street, Banbury.

“Nine workers were at the site, two have sustained injuries and have been taken to hospital for treatment. At this time, there are no reports of anyone being trapped.”

The force asked people to avoid the area and give the emergency services room to work.

The injuries

South Central Ambulance Service said both workers were taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Its statement, as carried by the Oxford Mail, said:

“The two patients have both been taken to the John Radcliffe in Oxford - one with head and leg injuries, and one with severe injuries. The second patient was accompanied by the Thames Valley Air Ambulance critical care team to the JR.”

The ambulance service sent:

• two ambulances
• a paramedic team leader in a rapid response car
• two operational commanders in rapid response cars
• the Thames Valley Air Ambulance critical care car

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service also attended, the ambulance service said. Neither the workers nor their employer have been named, and we have no update on their condition.

The site

The building is a block of flats on the site of a former car dealership at 2 Cherwell Street, next to the Morrisons petrol station.

Cherwell District Council’s planning register records the permission. Planning committee approved the scheme in April 2019 and the decision was issued on 7 November 2019. It covers:

• 19 apartments
• commercial space
• cycle and bin storage

Later applications changed the design (21/01562/F) and the construction traffic plan (23/00276/F). The 2023 application said demolition of the old showroom had already started. Details of the brickwork and flood risk, submitted in 2025, have since been approved.

The investigation

The HSE told the Oxford Mail and Construction Enquirer on Thursday: “We are aware of the incident and making enquiries.” The regulator has since said an investigation is under way.

Nobody has said publicly what caused the collapse. We will not speculate.

What it means for you

• Cherwell Street was shut both ways between Bridge Street and George Street from Wednesday afternoon, and was still shut on Thursday morning. On Saturday morning we could not confirm from the police or the county council whether it has reopened, so check before you travel.
• Expect the diversion to push traffic onto Bridge Street, George Street and the town centre roads while the road is closed.
• This stretch of Cherwell Street was rebuilt this year. Oxfordshire County Council’s bus improvement scheme added a longer left-turn lane, new crossings and new signals between the same two junctions, and the council lists that work as complete.
• Our roadworks and travel page carries the town’s other current closures.

If you saw what happened and have information for the HSE, its concerns page explains how to report it.

We will update this page when the road reopens and when the HSE says more.