Schoolgirl, 12, crushed to death as wall collapses in gym changing room

A GIRL was crushed to death yesterday when a wall inside her school collapsed on her.

Scotland, Keane Grace Wallis-Bennett, Liberton High School, Edinburgh, crushed to death, wall partitionKeane Grace Wallis-Bennett, 12, was crushed to death by a collapsing wall at her high school[FACEBOOK]

Keane Grace Wallis-Bennett, 12, died at Liberton High School in Edinburgh as she changed for a PE lesson in the gym.

Pupils claimed staff were warned three months ago that the partition wall was unstable but had been told it “should be fine”.

An Edinburgh Council spokesman said last night: “A full survey of all our schools, including Liberton High, was carried out in 2012/13 and no concerns with this wall were identified.

“However, specialist staff will be surveying all similar walls in schools where we know that they exist. A full survey will be carried out on Liberton High before the main building re-opens to pupils.”

The council was fined in February after a pupil fell 15 feet down a lift shaft at Liberton High and fractured three vertebrae.

It’s just very sad, my thoughts are with the family

Neighbour of the Wallis-Bennett family

Paramedics rushed to the school after yesterday’s accident but Keane was pronounced dead at the scene.

Parents were sent a text message by the school alerting them to the tragedy, which happened just before 10am, but stressing the dead pupil’s parents had been contacted.

Nevertheless, within minutes frantic mothers and fathers began arriving, many running into the school.

Crying youngsters were later seen being comforted as they were led away.
Keane’s parents, Clark Bennett, 47, a chef and restaurateur, and Abbie Anne Wallis, 34, and younger brother Ryan, 11, were last night being comforted by relatives.

No one appeared to be at the family home in Gilmerton. A tearful neighbour said: “It’s just very sad, my thoughts are with the family.”

Police Scotland said it was working with the Health and Safety Executive to establish the cause of the collapse.

Liberton High School, Edinburgh, crushed to death, wall partition, police, statement, Andy GrayAndy Gray, right, Head of Schools for the area, gives a statement outside Liberton High School [PA]

But a pupil claimed she had warned a teacher in January that the changing room wall was unstable.

Devon Blyth, 13, who was being escorted home by her father, David, said: “I reported it, about two months ago, that the wall had moved when I leaned on it.

The member of staff said it would be fine. Nothing else was done about it.
“The wall is almost the length of the changing room and it separated the showers.”

Mr Blyth said: “It should have been dealt with when it was reported.”
Another pupil, Tamara Taylor, 12, said: “I change there myself, beside that wall. It could have been me. The wall looked OK, but it was loose and it wobbled a bit.

“Some of the kids have been pushing it while they were changing. It has been like that for months.”

But speaking at the school, Edinburgh Council’s head of school and community services, Andy Gray, said the authority had not been aware of any concerns.

He said: “We are working with the police and the Health and Safety Executive to find out what happened.”

The council was fined £8,000 in February after a pupil received serious injuries when she fell down a lift shaft at Liberton High. Morgan Seaton was 15 at the time of the accident in December 2011.

A pupil at the school died in December while playing for Tynecastle FC’s under-14s.

Jamie Skinner, 13, collapsed during a match at Saughton Sports complex  on December 22.

His sister Sonia McCraw paid tribute to Keane last night. She said: “My thoughts are with her family, such sad news. Those poor kids have been through so much and now this.”

Police Scotland’s Superintendent Matt Richards said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and with the children today and hopefully they can get back to school as soon as possible.”

First Minister Alex Salmond said he was “shocked and deeply saddened”.

Local Tory councillor Nick Cook said: “Serious questions need to be asked of the Children and Families Department about how this has come about.”

Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, said: “It’s an absolute tragedy. I hope an explanation is forthcoming quickly.”

Liberton High School was built in 1959. The PE accommodation was refurbished in the mid-1980s.

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?