VINCI launches investigation over Blackpool incident
Department for Work and Pensions staff were evacuated from the Fylde View office block on Wednesday after a piece of brise soleil fell from the sixth floor.
VINCI Building had been the main contractor for the £100m Fylde View, which completed last year. The 215,000 office is a prominent part of Blackpool Council and Muse’s £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration project. The MAKE Architects-designed building is wholly let to DWP, which moved into the premises this past spring.
VINCI issued an apology for the incident, adding that Fylde View remains closed as a precaution. The contractor said that it will be removing all the brise soleil fins from the first to sixth floors over the weekend.
“A full investigation into the incident and why it occurred is now underway, and the supplier of the brise soleil system – along with VINCI Building’s façade engineer – are visiting the site today (8 January 2026) and tomorrow (9 January 2026) to inspect the brise soleil,” the company said in a statement.
“VINCI Building is also undertaking a thorough review to establish the cause of the incident and has begun a plan for required remedial works.”
You can read VINCI’s statement in full at the bottom of this article.
When contacted by Place North West about the incident, Muse stated: “Muse is aware of the incident at Fylde View and is taking it very seriously. We are working closely with our contractor VINCI Building to ensure this is fully investigated.”
VINCI’s full statement
VINCI Building apologise for the incident early on Wednesday morning when a piece of the external brise soleil fell to the pavement from the sixth floor from Fylde View, the DWP Building in Blackpool. Clearly this could have caused injury to anyone hit by it and we are sorry for any distress caused and the ongoing impact to the occupiers of the building.
An external 4.2m, 200mm deep brise soleil fin fell to the pavement from the sixth floor of the DWP Building in Blackpool at approximately 9.45am. The pavement beneath the affected area was immediately cordoned off, and secure fencing with ‘no entry’ signage was erected within public spaces to create an exclusion zone around the office entrance.
The building was evacuated as a precaution and remains closed.
After being notified of the incident, a rope access façade subcontractor was called to site immediately to inspect all brise soleil at Levels 5 and 6. Upon inspection, four further pieces of brise soleil were removed.
As a precautionary measure and to provide DWP with the required level of confidence for their employees to safely return to the building:
- The rope access façade specialist is returning to site on Friday (9 January 2026) and over the weekend to remove all brise soleil fins at levels 5 and 6.
- VINCI Building is also arranging to remove all brise soleil fins at levels 1 to 4 on Friday and over the weekend using cherry pickers.
A full investigation into the incident and why it occurred is now underway, and the supplier of the brise soleil system – along with VINCI Building’s façade engineer – are visiting the site today (8 January 2026) and tomorrow (9 January 2026) to inspect the brise soleil.
VINCI Building is also undertaking a thorough review to establish the cause of the incident and has begun a plan for required remedial works.
A secondary piece of the outside fell off so they evacuated the whole building? come on, a bit over the top. Just use another door.
Sadly I think we’re in for regular incidents like this with a lot of ‘facade systems’ going up now; such flimsy cheap materials being used.
By Anonymous
How long has it been built?
Cheap materials and poor workmanship
By Anonymous
Need to check the whole building
By Anonymous
Why was this not inspected when in progress ? When will all the other faults including smells to rooms, the air con and the windows the place should not have been handed over . Heads should roll and it should all be at cost to others .
By Anonymous
They said we immediately cordoned off the area what less would you expect? Someone could have been killed. The same contractor Muse is carrying out the work on the new MOD building nearby. Heads should roll.
By Anonymous
As someone who frequently works in the building I would say that it is a significant improvement over previous offices. There have been a few minor issues but there have not been any days when I have not been happy to work there. There is only the main entrance designed for large numbers of staff to use on a regular basis, the only secure alternative is the entrance through the cycle store. The reason for people being sent home would not have been the risk to them whilst in the building but safety and security whilst entering and leaving. Doesn’t seem that unreasonable.
By Anonymous
Typical civil service reaction
Evacuate the entire building
By Jed