DOZENS of people were evacuated when a building started to collapse in Teignmouth town centre in June 1989.

Experts said the property was in such a dangerous condition it could have come down at any time, with horrific consequences.

Builders were called into the Ladbrokes building at the Triangle to prop up the floors, and repairs could cost £100,000.

Staff and customers in the ground floor betting shop were immediately ordered to leave.

Holidaymakers staying in the Algarve flats on the top two floors above were also evacuated, along with an elderly couple living in an adjoining maisonette, and a small greengrocers shop below it.

The drama began when a thick party wall on the 100-year-old building began crumbling.

The property was owned by estate agents and surveyors Metcalfe Hambleton, which had offices next door.

Senior partner Roger Brown said the wall was in such a bad state it could have collapsed without any warning.

‘I think a tragedy has narrowly been averted. Structural engineers are still looking at it, but it seems that a chimney breast taken out some years ago seriously weakened the wall.’

A builder from F Shimell & Sons Ltd discovered just how bad the situation was when he was called by staff who heard something falling behind a partition wall in the betting office.

Brian Shimell said: ‘It was obvious to us that the wall was in imminent danger of collapse.

‘It could easily have come down at any moment.

‘We are now shoring up the floors and roof to prevent the building collapsing any further.

The whole of the wall will have to be demolished and rebuilt, and it will be a major task.’

A building control officer from Teignbridge Council said the party wall was starting to come down, and people in the building next door had to be evacuated there and then.

Ladbroke Racing, which leased the building, was responsible for the repairs.

Regional manager Steve Clare said: ‘We are grateful that nobody was hurt.

‘This could not have happened at a worse time for us because it is our busiest time of the year at Teignmouth.

‘The contractors will be working around the clock to repair the wall, and I am hoping it will be a matter of weeks rather than months.’

Ann Fenner, who ran the Algarve flats with her husband Mike, said their six best apartments at the front of the building were mainly affected.

‘When it happened, some visitors moved into other flats, some went home and others switched to bed and breakfast for a few days.

‘We are virtually fully booked right through the season and it is heartbreaking having to tell people they cannot have their holiday. Some of them have been in tears.

‘The Tourist Information Centre has managed to find alternative accommodation for some, but there are not that many vacancies at the height of the season.

‘We are only thankful that the building did not collapse with people in it.’

The elderly couple living next door were temporarily rehoused.