A young Brazilian woman who lost her life in a horrific fall from a building in Hackney can today be named as Mariana Pinto.
Ms Pinto, 32, plummeted onto a glass roof and allegedly lay for 45 minutes before falling for a second time to the ground in front of her distraught husband.
Police confirmed she fell from a building in Westgate Street at 4.15pm on Sunday.
Architect John Leetch, whose business has offices next door, said: “We are very disturbed by the events and feel that something urgently needs to be done.”
Witnesses say the woman was hauled onto an un-shattered glass pane after the first fall.
Another resident in the same building risked her own safety to go outside and comfort her – but emergency services were unable to reach her.
Mr Leetch said: “One of the girls was out on the roof with her the whole time. But then she rolled off and fell again.”
The Gazette saw bunk-beds in the building’s windows and found an inactive listing on bookings.com showing pictures of three rooms, two furnished with bunk-beds. It is not currently taking reservations.
The council made it clear no specific licence was required for the building to operate as short-term accommodation and that no investigation would be carried out as Ms Pinto’s death was a police matter.
“The owner does not need a licence from the council to market the property as short-term accommodation,” said a spokesman.
The Gazette was unable to reach the landlord.
Hackney Council added it had received a complaint about the building in August last year but had found nothing wrong when it visited.
The spokesman said: “We inspected the property and found it was being used as a house of multiple occupation, but it did not meet the threshold to require a licence under national guidance. There was no evidence it was being used a hostel.”
Confidential emotional advice is available from Samaritans 24 hours a day on 116 123
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