Roof collapse closes Ashburnham Road in Hastings as emergency services respond

Ashburnham Road in Hastings remains closed following a major roof collapse at a residential property.

The incident happened on Saturday, May 23, with emergency services attending the scene for several hours.

1066 Directory visited the area on May 24, where neighbours described hearing a loud bang before discovering the collapse.

One nearby resident told us the occupant of the property was not seriously injured but was taken to hospital as a precaution after suffering shock. The neighbour also said the resident is disabled.

Fire crews reportedly remained on scene for around four hours while the area was made safe.

Drone footage captured on May 24 shows the scale of the damage, with a large section of the roof having collapsed inward. The road remains closed while the situation is assessed.

We shared images of the property with Jake from McShane Roofing, who explained some of the most common causes of roof collapses.

He said two of the main causes are excessive weight loading and structural alterations within loft spaces.

Jake explained that older slate roofs are sometimes replaced with heavier clay tiles, which can place additional strain on roof structures not originally designed to carry the extra weight. He also said structural changes made during loft conversions or alterations can weaken key supports if not carried out correctly.

However, he stressed that without a full inspection, any suggestion as to the exact cause in this case would only be speculation.

Incidents like this can also leave homeowners facing complex insurance claims and major reinstatement work. Companies such as Keystone Property Claims specialise in supporting property owners through the insurance claim process, helping manage communication with insurers and overseeing repairs following serious property damage.

At this stage, the exact cause of the collapse has not been confirmed.