Repairing fire-hit flats could take up to two years

Nabeel Ahmad fled the flats fire with his pregnant wife (left), youngest son (right) and two other children

Repairing flats badly affected by a fire in a Berkshire apartment block could take up to two years, residents have been told.

Almost 300 people were evacuated from Mosaic Apartments in High Street, Slough, after the alarm was raised on 22 August.

An investigation into the cause of the blaze is under way and will examine the impact of aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding, which allowed fire to spread at Grenfell Tower.

A former resident, who lived with his family on the seventh floor in council-owned accommodation, said he might need to quit his job following the fire.

Mr Ahmad said he might need to quit his job following the fire

Nabeel Ahmad told BBC Radio Berkshire valuable belongings, including jewellery, that he had hoped were unaffected were destroyed in the fire.

Slough Borough Council has temporarily housed Mr Ahmad, his pregnant wife and their three children in Langley.

But he said their children have been unable to move schools and are often late because they get stuck in traffic.

Their former flat could take between a year and two years to be habitable again, Mr Ahmad said.

“In the morning, I cannot go to work because I have to take my children [to school].

“I don’t want to ask my job to extend my unpaid holiday. We are already suffering too much stress and I don’t want to take on any extra,” Mr Ahmad, who works as a security officer at Heathrow Airport, said.

Some flats damaged in the fire, which happened in the top right of the picture, could take up to two years to be repaired

“I have to feed my children with what is left of money and I have to manage my children and their education. If things don’t change, I will have to resign from my job.

“I have to build my life again. It will take a long time.”

Wallace Estates, which owns the apartment building, said it was working with its original developer to “ensure any defective cladding is removed as soon as possible”.

The building will have a waking watch in place to ensure residents’ safety while the cladding remains on the building, a spokesperson added.

A Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said a “complex” investigation into the fire and its cause was likely to take weeks.

“The fire investigation will examine the way the fire developed and to what extent the ACM cladding contributed to the spread of the fire,” they said.

“From initial findings, we do not believe that it was started deliberately. This is a complex investigation, which we estimate that it may take several weeks to complete.”

A council spokesperson said: “The council has previously been in contact with Mr Ahmad to discuss the suitability of his current accommodation.

“In light of the news that he may not be able to return to his previous home at Mosaic Apartment, Mr Ahmad can contact the council’s housing needs service or temporary accommodation welfare officer for advice on the alternative housing options available to him.”