Tower block fire danger forces families from West Bromwich homes
The High Street tower block has been described as a tragedy waiting to happen.
Dozens of families have been ordered to leave their homes after flats in West Bromwich were found to be failing fire safety regulations.
Around 80 people, including families with young children, have been moved from Metro Court, a former office block on High Street, after it emerged they were living in a potential death trap.
The building's leaseholder could now be prosecuted after a series of failings were discovered surrounding fire doors, fire and smoke alarms and insulation to prevent blazes from spreading.
Fire service chiefs served a Prohibition Notice, meaning it was felt there could be a risk of death if there was a fire.
The residents, who are mostly Romanian, were hurriedly told to leave after the problem was discovered and have been left homeless.
Some have been put up in the Premier Inn hotel next door until they can make other arrangements.
Sandwell Council has said it will work with the fire service to try and find those affected new homes. Fourteen families with children have been put in temporary accommodation.
The authority said it was also seeking an order to close the building to prevent anyone else from living there.
The shocking failings on fire safety have been brought to light just weeks after at least 80 people died in the Grenfell Tower disaster in London.
Metro Court, a prominent three-storey block in the heart of the West Bromwich town centre, is leased by First Job and owned by Metro Court WB.
Sandwell Council deputy leader Councillor Syeda Khatun said: “Our inspectors found a long list of problems in this building, including the fire alarm not working properly. If there had been a fire, the building would have been incredibly dangerous.
Watch Commander Gary Jones of West Midlands Fire Service's Fire Safety team said: "Following a referral from Sandwell Building Control, our fire safety officers have made a number of visits to Metro Court.
"Several fire safety deficiencies were identified yet, in spite of our prohibition notice and follow-up visits, the building stayed in residential use."
Loradana Grivei, 29, who lived at Metro Court with her five-month-old daughter and is currently staying at the Premier Inn, said: "We were told families with children had to leave.
"They said nothing is safe. Fire doors are not safe and we can't open the windows."
Her partner Dragos Morman, 39, said: "I'm very angry. We should have been told earlier so we could have some time to think about what to do."
Ana Hothaza, 21, added: "I was told to leave because it is not safe for us if a fire happened.
"We were all shocked. It is not good, it's dangerous.
"I'm very angry. Nobody told us when we moved here this building was not safe. I want answers."
