ONE OF PERTH’S thoroughfares was completely closed yesterday as fire and rescue crews removed potentially dangerous loose masonry from a four-storey property on George Street.

Crews used an aerial ladder to reach the loose material before it could fall to the ground.

Police also attended and a cordon was quickly thrown up around the affected building.

The drama began shortly before 4pm and the normally busy road remained closed for around 45 minutes.

Perth’s centre was bustling with Christmas shoppers and the closure of George Street sparked much interest.

“If masonry did fall from such a height there could be certainly be fatal consequences—it does not really bear thinking about,” one passer-by said.

“Closing the street in such circumstances is certainly the right thing to do and it is just good to know the loose masonry was spotted so it could be safely removed.”

Fire crews were called into action after building control officers at Perth and Kinross Council alerted of a potential problem.

“It was reported that there was loose masonry or rendering at the building in George Street and, after checking it out, we requested assistance of the fire and rescue service,” said a spokesman.

“They attended at the scene and assisted in removal of a quantity of loose material.”

A spokeswoman for Tayside Fire and Rescue said that the incident had been promptly dealt with.

“We attended the four-storey building at 3.46pm.

“Police were also requested and closed the road.

“The aerial platform takes up a fair bit of space so there was no option but to close the street.

“Unsafe material was removed and the road was reopened at 4.31pm,” the spokeswoman added.

There have been a number of incidents of falling masonry in Perth in recent years, the most serious coming in the summer of 2000 when a number of diners enjoying the sunshine outside the Ring O’ Bells pub were struck and injured.