TfL manager plunges to his death at HQ 'after hearing of redundancy'
A senior manager plunged to his death from the top floor of Transport for London's new headquarters in front of horrified colleagues.
Jack Shemtob, 53, was seen falling six storeys and landing in the lobby of TfL's offices in Greenwich.
Several security guards who saw his fall in the atrium were granted leave after being left traumatised.
A source claimed that the married father of two, a TfL employee for about 30 years, fell soon after human resources told him he was losing his job as part of the company's cost- cutting programme.
"Everyone is really shocked," said the source. "He just took the lift to the sixth floor, climbed over the barrier and fell into the main entrance.
"This guy was of a certain age and clearly he didn't react well to being told he was going to have to leave. The security staff are in a right state. It was a gruesome sight.
"TfL employs 25,000 staff and has to cut 20 per cent of them. This is a very stressful time for people."
The company refused to confirm or deny whether Mr Shemtob fell to his death after being told he was to be made redundant. However, it is understood he was in the "re- deployment unit" and had applied for about 10 other posts at TfL.
A company spokesman said: "One of our colleagues tragically died at our Pier Walk building at lunchtime last Friday. Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with his family, friends and colleagues. We have issued a statement and an investigation is going on." TfL's cost-cutting programme includes widespread redundancies of white-collar, middle management roles.
About 3,000 jobs have disappeared, including 800 station staff. A further 1,500 jobs are threatened by plans for wholesale changes to the London Underground operation. Today Mr Shemtob's widow Susan, of Rickmansworth, was too upset to speak but friends described his death as a "bolt from the blue".
Tony Bryan, chairman of Chorleywood Tennis Club, where Mr Shemtob had been a member for four years, said: "Jack was an integral part of the club and a lovely guy who had run the membership committee for three years. I heard he'd had a few problems over the past two years and he retreated from the club a little.
"He was very disturbed about something. Whether it was problems at work I wouldn't like to speculate but he'd not been himself."
Head coach Roy Richardson said: "Jack was a very generous man and made time for everyone. He was always there to listen if you had a problem. He loved being on court and was a very keen player. This has come as a real shock."
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "At 1.05pm on Friday officers were called after reports of a man falling from the sixth floor of a building in Pier Walk. A man of 53 was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin have been informed."
