HUNDREDS of people have been left homeless after their block of flats was condemned as dangerous – as fears mount thousands more across the country could be at risk.
More than 400 residents of Barton House in Bristol were emergency evacuated after council officers said the 15-storey tower was at risk of collapsing.
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The 65-year-old block, which has 98 flats, was one of five in the city, and among hundreds across the Britain built with large panel system (LPS) construction.
It was described last night by pressure group Tower Blocks UK as a “house of cards” design which is “susceptible to progressive collapse”.
The group said there are more than 500 tower blocks across the country built in this way.
LPS has been known as dangerous after a gas explosion at the LPS-built Ronan Point tower in east London in 1968 led to its partial collapse, killing four people.
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Other blocks built using the pre-cast concrete floors and reinforced concrete external walls have already been pulled down in Peckham, Portsmouth and Rugby.
Danielle Gregory from Tower Blocks UK told The Sun: “We’ve been campaigning for checks on these buildings since the 1980s.
“Every building using LPS which has been checked since 2017 has not met requirements to resist collapse.
“It would not be a surprise if the other blocks in Bristol are at risk.”
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Last night dozens of families were still looking for somewhere to stay while others refused to leave the block.
Unemployed Stuart Roberts, 44, who lives on the eighth floor of Barton House, said: “I’m not going anywhere. They are wanting to put me in a bed and breakfast but I’m not moving.
“I’ve already lost one place and they put me in Barton House last year and I can’t keep moving around like this.
“Families are being moved from pillar to post and it’s not right.
“This place isn’t going to fall down and I’m prepared to risk it to stay in my own house.
“They knocked on my door last night and told me I had to pack my bags but I told them straight out that wasn’t going to happen.”
Another resident kid Nuh Sharif, who has lived in Barton House since 2012, said he was “panicking” about what he and his family would do.
Fighting back the tears, Mr Sharif, who has two children, said his partner had been told the building “might collapse”.
He said: “We need to go somewhere quiet because they panic and can’t sleep.
“I am worried about where they are going to stay.”
Mobile caterer Theresa Saunders, aged 50, who grew up in the area was keen to help all those affected by having to move out.
She said: “I just want to tell people that they are welcome to any of the food I have at the end of the day.
“It must be a terrible upheaval to have to leave your home not knowing when you will be able to go back in.
“I can’t afford to feed thousands but anyone who can’t afford to buy food they are welcome to come and see me and I’ll do what I can.”
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A structural engineer who was visiting the site said the worst case scenario would be that the whole building will have to be pulled down.
Chartered engineer Simon Clarke, from Structural Surveys UK, said: “The building was constructed using concrete wall panels with slabs slotted in around them.
“It may be that these concrete panels were pre-cast on site rather than in a quality controlled factory setting so there could be an issue with those panels failing.
“If the panels have become compromised then the worst case scenario would be demolition.”
Following the evacuation, Barton House resident and resident association secretary, Shaban Ali, said: “Residents are in a state of shock, panic and disbelief tonight.
“Unfortunately it doesn’t come as a shock anymore, but this is being handled so poorly by the council who have been out of touch with the community for a very long time.”
The council yesterday blamed a failure in the construction in 1958.
Kye Dudd, the city council’s cabinet member for housing services, said: “If the building was built to design we wouldn’t have this problem.
“The issue was in the construction of the building and the job that was done at the time.
“It wasn’t built to the design spec so that’s the problem we’re dealing with.
“Even if it had been built to the standards of 1958 or 1959 we’d probably be OK.
“It looks like an error in the construction of the building.”
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “My thoughts are with everyone at this time and I’m grateful to all residents for your patience.
“I extend my thanks to the family, friends, volunteers, faith leaders and community groups who have come forward to provide support.
“We have written to the tenants of Barton House to update them on what is a fast moving and complicated situation.
“I’m sorry to residents that I couldn’t be with you in person last night.
“Over the weekend, I travelled to Kigali to take part in the Commonwealth local Government Forum’s conference on climate and migration.
“I will be back in Bristol as soon as I can but in the meantime I know housing officers, cabinet members, my office, senior council staff have all been on hand. I extend my thanks to them also.
“We have made the decision to evacuate Barton House because we are putting the safety of our residents first and foremost.
“We understand the disruption and inconvenience this has caused, but rest assured our top priority is to make sure everyone is looked after and updated as the situation unfolds.
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“We are working as quickly as we can to carry out the necessary further investigations and surveys on the building to ensure we have a full understanding of the situation.”
The council was contacted for a comment.
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