'It is in the back of your mind': Residents tell of their fears for safety at Brierley Hill flats
Residents of Dean Court in Brierley Hill have spoken out about ‘botched repairs’ and percieved fire risks in their high rise block.
Diane Hobley said she had been raising concerns about the Dudley Council-owned building for 16 years but claimed she had not been taken seriously.
Mrs Hobley, aged 73, said fire doors on landings are blown open by wind coming through ventilation slats on the opposite wall and then do not close properly, creating a risk that fire could spread through the building.
Mrs Hobley said: “Gradually it got worse, the doors just wouldn’t close. The council has tinkered with the doors, at one time they sent someone out every day to adjust the closer.
“They adjusted it and we couldn’t open the door, the postman got stuck.
“We had to push the door open for him to get out and then the opposite happened where it was permanently open.”
Gaynor English, aged 45, added: “They are trying to do things but they are not doing the right things, if we do it ourselves they will take it down.
“Even our front doors are no good, I can see daylight through mine.”
Mrs Hobley said: “It’s the slats, it’s nothing to do with the doors, you could go to B&Q, get a block of wood and nail it to the thing, it would only cost £10.”
With disasters like the Grenfell Tower fire of 2017 in their thoughts, residents said they would not be willing to wait in their homes during an emergency and trust the doors to keep flames at bay.
Mrs Hobley said: “It is in the back of your mind, especially if you smell an odd smell. I wouldn’t wait an hour for a fire to be put out.”
“It nearly did, nine years ago there was an old dear living opposite me – in the middle of the night I heard banging.
“It was the fire brigade, they were trying to break the door down.
“Smoke was coming out and one of the firemen came out with a pillow – she was smoking in bed so there was what could have been a fire.”
A Dudley Council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the authority has emergency procedures to evacuate flats in the event of a fire.
The spokesperson added: “DMBC has a robust Fire Safety Management Plan aligned with the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 this ensures DMBC’s residential communal living sites are managed and maintained in such a way as to reduce the risks associated with fire and building safety.
“The council responds to all concerns raised in relation to building safety and compliance.
“Any high-risk actions identified from FRA’s, door inspections or officer site inspections are raised without delay to ensure ongoing fire and building safety.
“Any remedial works identified are reviewed, risk rated and issued where required to third party specialist fire contractors.”
