- One resident said the collapse was so loud it sounded like a 'car crash'
- The incident happened earlier today at the Prince of Wales Court in Hove
Two balconies collapsed and a car was crushed at a residential block as shocked residents held an early Christmas celebration.
A shocked resident said the potentially fatal collapse, which occurred on Saturday, was so loud it sounded like a 'car crash'.
Jenny Burrow, an upstairs resident of Prince of Wales Court in Hove, heard her neighbours' houses being ripped in half.
She said she heard the 'huge rumbling' as she was about to start her festive celebrations with her family, who had traveled more than 200 miles from Leeds.
Jenny, 39, told Sussex News: 'It looked like a car crash or scaffolding falling off the building.
Two balconies collapsed and a car crushed at a residential block as shocked residents held an early Christmas celebration
A shocked resident said the potentially fatal collapse, which occurred on Saturday, was so loud it sounded like a 'car crash'
'So I went out on the balcony to look and saw a pile of rubble on the ground. I immediately left the balcony.
'A silver Nissan Juke parked in the building's car park was crushed by debris when pieces of masonry smashed the rear window.
“Luckily no one was hurt at the time, or in the car,” Jenny said.
“There is a risk that our balcony will also collapse.”
Firefighters, who were called to the scene earlier today, posted notices on the front door of each flat stating that their balconies were 'deemed unsafe'.
The wrecked vehicle belonged to pensioner Usha Patel, who was lucky not to be in his car at the time as he was on his phone at his house.
Jenny Burrow, an upstairs resident of Prince of Wales Court in Hove, heard her neighbours' houses being ripped in half
She said she heard the 'huge rumbling' as she was about to start her festive celebrations with her family, who had traveled more than 200 miles from Leeds.
Usha said: 'I was here on the phone when there was a very loud noise so I opened the balcony door to find out what it was and there were two people shouting at me to go inside.
'I went downstairs and saw my car crushed under the rubble. The car next to mine doesn't have a scratch or anything. I don't know what's going to happen to my car, but it is what it is.”
A spokesman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: 'Two massive brick structures collapsed on a car.
“No one was injured and the incident has been turned over to the building maintenance department.”