[FONT=Verdana]A workman had a lucky escape after the disused building he was working on collapsed after it was hit by a mechanical digger. [/FONT]
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The one-story building on Emlyn Walk, in Newport, Wales was due for demolition before the accident on Monday evening.

Rubble spilled onto a pedestrian walkway at the entrance to the Kingsway shopping center.

No-one was reported injured, although the excavator driver was "shaken".

The area is being refurbished and shops nearby had been closed at the time of the accident.

Eyewitness Nimsy Singh said: "I heard something collapse and my feet shook underneath me.

"As I looked out I could see all smoke coming out."

Another eyewitness, Michael Marsden, said: "An hour before that, anyone would have got killed".

One worker had been standing underneath just seconds before the collapse happened.

"There was this one guy, shaking, and two workmen just dragged him off."
The demolition gang said the driver of the digger was shaken but otherwise uninjured.

They had not begun their demolition work until after the shops had closed as a safety precaution.

They said they were working overtime to clear pedestrian walkway so the shops could reopen.