Tahnie Martin: Wolverhampton University worker 'killed by wood from Mander Centre roof', inquest hears
Wolverhampton Storm Doris victim Tahnie Martin died when she was hit by a wooden water tank cover showing signs of decay and neglect, an inquest was told.
An inquest into Miss Martin's death heard environmental health officers are investigating the maintenance schedule for the cover, which caused the 29-year-old from Stafford fatal head injuries.
Miss Martin, a marketing worker at the University of Wolverhampton, was pronounced dead near the Mander Centre on Thursday last week after being hit by a two-metre-long piece of timber amid high winds.
Giving evidence to the Black Country Coroner's Court, Detective Sergeant John Garbett, of West Midlands Police, said officers had recovered CCTV footage showing the moment the object fell from a roof and hit Miss Martin.
MORE: Woman killed in Storm Doris named as Wolverhampton University worker
MORE: Tributes pour in for 'kind, popular, shining star' Tahnie Martin killed in Wolverhampton
A joint inquiry with the Health and Safety Executive and Wolverhampton City Council established the cover was thought to have been attached to one of two brick structures on the uppermost roof of the Mander Centre, Mr Garbett said.
The officer told coroner Zafar Siddique wooden covers were held onto both structures, containing disused cast-iron header tanks, by metal hasps.
A small part of the cover which struck Miss Martin during the "extreme weather event" broke off before she was hit, the inquest heard, while a second cover is believed to have been blown onto a lower roof.
Mr Garbett told the hearing: "Our inquiries on the day established that there was CCTV footage of the moment that this item struck Miss Martin.
"The debris that struck Miss Martin shows signs of decay and neglect.
"There are certain inquiries being made by the environmental heath department in relation to the maintenance schedule.
"We have had a meeting with our colleagues at the Health and Safety Executive and environmental health officers will be taking primacy in this investigation."
During brief evidence to the inquest, the officer confirmed formal contact had not yet been made with the owner of the building.
Adjourning the inquest until April, Mr Siddique offered his condolences to Miss Martin's family and described her death as an "absolutely tragic set of circumstances".
Solihull-born Miss Martin was struck by the cover while walking near Starbucks in Dudley Street, where dozens of flowers and gifts have been laid in tribute.
A woman who was with Miss Martin suffered a leg injury in a fall but is not thought to have been struck by debris.
Miss Martin had been due to start a permanent job at Wolverhampton University this week after working as maternity cover in the Faculty of Arts since August last year.
In a tribute issued last week, Katharine Clough, director of external relations at the university, said: "We feel privileged and honoured to have worked alongside Tahnie.
"She was one of our shining stars, a talented and creative marketing professional with an enthusiasm and smile which were infectious.
"Tahnie was extremely popular and will be hugely missed. All of our thoughts are with her family and friends at this tragic time."
Meanwhile on Facebook Yasin Akgun described Miss Martin as a 'kind, fun and straight person'.
"Words can't express the shock," he added.
"You've touched so many people and nothing can take that away. I'm so terribly sorry for everybody that knew you.
"I hope you're up there seeing how loved you were by so many.
"Something so cruel to happen to someone so lovely has left us all devastated."
A man aged in his 80s died in hospital after being injured when a tree fell onto a car near Church Stretton in Shopshire during Storm Doris, which generated winds of up to 94mph.
