A MAN was pronounced dead at the scene of an incident on a busy Bradford road - with residents saying he had "fallen down a hole."
Highgate Road in Clayton Heights was cordoned off shortly after 7am today and emergency services, including police, the fire service and the ambulance service responded to a concern for safety near the junction of Back Lane next to the Boar’s Head pub.
When the T&A arrived at the scene, police and emergency services focused their attention on the roadworks area where a number of barriers had blown over and holes in the road were visible.
The company overseeing the roadworks in Back Lane has now issued a statement following the tragic news.
Russel Kaye, Operations Manager, Northern Gas Networks said: “We were made aware that a body had been found at a Northern Gas Networks site on the Highgate Road in the Queensbury area of Bradford at 7.32am today (Monday 22 January).
“The safety of members of public and our engineers is our priority and we’re supporting West Yorkshire Police with their ongoing investigations.”
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "At 7.19am this morning (Monday) officers were called by the ambulance service to reports of a concern for safety at Highgate Road, Queensbury.
"A man was pronounced dead at the scene.
"The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner in due course."
In addition to approximately half a dozen police cars and ambulance, two crews from Odsal Fire Station were called.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were called at 7.18am to reports of a concern for safety on Highgate Road.
"We sent two crews from Odsal to assist colleagues from West Yorkshire Police and Yorkshire Ambulance Service.”
Shocked residents spoke out about as police investigated the incident which took place in a roadworks area.
One local resident said: "They closed the road off at 7.30am this morning.
"I was just expecting it to be a crash, but I was shocked when I heard it was a pedestrian.
"All the bollards have totally blown over, and a gentleman's fallen down a hole.
"It sounds like it was a horrible accident. It's really sad."
"It's tragic what's happened," said another resident.
"It might have been a freak accident," said another resident. "It's really sad."
One man said: "I couldn't believe it. It was so busy this morning with all the emergency services here.”
One woman said: "I woke up this morning, pulled the curtains and seen all the action going on. But I didn't see or hear anything."
Another said: "I heard the sirens and saw all the police, so I presumed it was some sort of incident.
"That road (Back Lane) is blocked off with all the works. It's sad what's happened."
A local dog walker said: "I saw someone trying to walk up that road on Saturday. They tried to get past all the barriers that had blown over."
Once the police left the scene, gas workers put back up barriers which had blown over.
One resident said that when Highgate Road was closed this morning that traffic at the top of the scene was diverted through the nearby Westwood Park estate.
The road was closed at the bottom near Cooper Lane, but Highgate Road re-opened by 10.30am.
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