Fire service raises city flats safety concerns

East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has raised concerns about 10 blocks of flats in Brighton

A critical incident was declared after safety concerns were raised over 10 blocks of flats in Brighton.

East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service served enforcement notices and sent "record of inspection letters" to Brighton & Hove City Council after an inspection of a six-storey block of flats in Turton Close on 18 March.

Flat residents have now been told to keep all common ways clear and a 24/7 "waking watch" has been put in place to deal with the concerns in blocks across the city.

Housing issues, including long-term options for the flats, will be discussed at the council's cabinet meeting on 15 May.

The latest concerns follow a critical report from the Regulator of Social Housing, which was set up after the Grenfell Tower fire in which 72 people died in June 2017.

The regulator, an official watchdog, said last August that the council's housing department had "serious failings" and needed to make "significant improvements", with particular concerns over fire and electrical safety.

An update on housing safety prepared by the council's director of homes and investment Martin Reid found a "high level of risk" in relation to panels in the stairwells of the building, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Other flats affected by the issues are the Allamanda, Calendula, Cherry, Damson, Hollyhock, Jasmine, Meadowsweet, Sorrel and Viscaria blocks in the Bristol Estate.

The council declared a critical incident and changed its advice in the event of a fire from 'stay put' to 'evacuate immediately'.

It put in place a 24/7 waking watch, told residents to keep all common ways clear and reminded them that, in the event of a fire, they should use the stairs instead of lifts.

Immediate actions taken include holding a resident drop-in and visiting the 248 households affected.

Work to render the stairwells safe had made good progress at five of the blocks – Allamanda, Hazel, Jasmine, Meadowsweet and Sorrell – according to the report.

It said that in those five blocks, the fire service had confirmed "a return to the remain in place evacuation policy".

The regulator's report said that more than 1,700 medium and low-risk fire-related repairs and improvements were overdue by at least two years in council homes in Brighton and Hove.

Opposition councillors plan to raise their concerns that fire risk assessments in high-rise blocks – due to be completed by September this year – are not on schedule.

Fire risk assessments have been completed for all medium-rise buildings as have 99.8 per cent of homes in low rise buildings.