Horror pics show rubble where wall collapse crushed boy, 12, to death… as grieving friend tells of ‘awful tragedy’

HORROR pictures show the rubble where a garage wall collapsed and crushed a 12-year-old boy to death.

A grieving friend told of the "awful tragedy" after the bricks fell on the schoolboy at a home in Essex on Friday night.

The child who died is believed to have lived with his parents at the detached house where the incident unfolded.

The family is thought to have moved into the property, next door to Clacton fire station, two years ago after buying it for £185,000.

It is believed that the boy’s injured father, in his 30s, was pulled from the rubble after the accident just before 7pm.

Relatives were too upset to comment at the house the following day.

But a friend of the family said at the scene: “It is just an awful tragedy.”

A relative posted on Facebook: “Another young boy gone to soon… thinking of you & all the family…. such a horrible world we live in.”

Police raced to the property on St John's Road and managed to pull the man from the rubble alive with an arm injury.

Sadly, the child could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the pair were "known to each other".

The youngster's death is being treated as non-suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

The house the garage was attached to has been declared safe.

Detective Inspector James Hardingham, leading the investigation, said: "My thoughts are with the family and friends of those concerned at this sad time.

"We’re continuing our enquiries to establish the facts leading to the wall collapse."

Do you have any more information? Email alice.fuller@the-sun.co.uk

Three crews of firefighters from Clacton, Weeley and Colchester, as well as an urban search and rescue unit, attended the incident.

A spokesperson for Essex Fire and Rescue Service said: "Crews were called after reports of two people trapped under a brick wall. 

"Firefighters worked to release both people, a man and a 12-year-old child, from under the bricks. 

"Although crews were able to release the man, the child sadly died at the scene."

Station Manager Nick Singleton added: "This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with everyone who knew the child as well as the wider Clacton community. 

"Our firefighters worked incredibly hard to save both casualties and this is never the outcome we want to see."

Road closures were put in place following the tragedy while emergency services dealt with the incident.

Anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact Essex Police, quoting incident 1121 of October 21.