Overview

• Seven houses on Greenfield, off Pole Lane in Darwen, were evacuated after the collapse on Tilia Homes’ Taylor’s Green development.
• Blackburn with Darwen Council led the response with police, Cadent Gas and Lancashire Fire and Rescue, which deployed a fire engine and a drone unit.
• The council ended the major-incident status just before 4pm on Sunday as operations shifted from emergency measures to assessment and support.
• The Mining Remediation Authority and the developer are investigating potential causes, including historic mine shafts beneath the site.
• Residents pointed to recent heavy rain, drainage concerns and unverified estimates of the hole’s depth, but these claims await technical confirmation.