A NI charity has backed grieving parents call for answers after their 23-year-old son fell to his death from a fifth-floor apartment after the railing ‘gave way’
A Northern Irish charity has backed two grieving parents’ call for answers following the tragic death of their son in London.
Joshua Robbins from Claudy died suddenly on Thursday, January 29, at Thurston Dwellings on Newton Street in the city, breaking the hearts of his family and friends. It has been alleged that the 23-year-old fell from the fifth floor of the apartment block after a “railing gave way” as he looked over a ledge to see if a pizza delivery had arrived.
His heartbroken parents Fiona Garrett and Will Robbins have called for “truth and accountability” in the wake of Joshua’s tragic death due to alleged safety failings and have now been backed by The Katie Trust. The charity has said it has been “shocked” by its research into similar incidents and that it has “serious and legitimate questions about building safety standards, inspection regimes and accountability” in the UK capital.
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A spokesperson for the charity said: “The Katie Trust is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Joshua Robbins, aged 23, who fell from a balcony at a residential property in London last Thursday, as reported in the media.
“Joshua was the beloved son of Fifi Garrett, a valued member of The Katie Trust team, and the father of Will Robbins. Our thoughts, love and solidarity are firmly with Fifi, Will, and the wider Robbins family at this devastating time. No parent should ever have to endure such a loss, and no child should grow up without their father.
“While the full circumstances surrounding Joshua’s death will be a matter for the relevant authorities to establish, we are profoundly concerned by reports that the balcony railing failed, leading to his fatal fall. The prospect that a basic structural safety feature in a residential building could collapse so easily is deeply troubling.
“As a Trust, we have been further shocked by our own research into similar incidents and by the number of deaths in London linked to balcony failures and concerns about structural integrity. That such incidents continue to occur in the capital city of a G7 nation—often described as a global leader in housing, construction and regulation—raises serious and legitimate questions about building safety standards, inspection regimes and accountability.
“This is not the kind of scenario one would expect in a modern European capital. It is an issue that demands urgent attention at both local and national level. The building in question falls within the constituency of the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and we believe it is reasonable to ask what action is being taken to address wider concerns about residential building safety and to prevent further tragedies.
“At this time, we also wish to acknowledge and thank the emergency services, who responded swiftly and professionally, and to recognise the trauma experienced by neighbours and witnesses who were confronted with this distressing incident.
“Above all, our focus remains with Fifi and Will. The Katie Trust will continue to support the family in any way we can, and we stand with all families who have lost loved ones in circumstances that raise serious questions about safety, oversight and preventability.
“Joshua’s death must not be treated as an isolated tragedy. If lessons are to be learned, they must be learned fully and transparently—so that no other family has to suffer a loss like this.”
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