// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Mother killed by falling bricks, court told
A mother on the school run sustained fatal injuries when a large pile of bricks fell on her head as she walked past a building site in east London, a court has heard.
Michaela Boor, 29, was on Burdett Road in Bow on the morning of 27 March 2018 when the accident happened. She suffered a fractured skull and died two days later.
Higgins Homes is on trial at the Old Bailey charged with corporate manslaughter and a health and safety offence.
Four construction workers contracted by Higgins Homes - Thomas Anstis, Stephen Coulson, Dawood Maan and Alexander McInnes - are accused of the same offences. Both the company and the four men deny the charges.
Opening the case on Monday, prosecutor Alexandra Healy KC said Boor had been walking towards some shops with a friend, Chelsea Mustafa, when the bricks fell from a crane.
She said: "Their route took them past a construction site that was being developed by Higgins Homes plc.
"A pallet of bricks that was being transported by a tower crane towards a loading bay immediately adjacent to the pavement along Burdett Way fell on to them."
The court heard the pallet caught on scaffolding while it was being hoisted, causing the bricks to fall.
The prosecution claimed crane operator McInnes had a restricted view of the load and that the operation became a "blind lift" when it moved completely out of sight.
Healy added: "Chelsea Mustafa ran into the road, away from the construction site. Although some bricks hit her on the back and her hand, she was able to avoid the bulk of the falling load.