Some Barbourne Works residents able to return to evacuated flats
Some residents who were forced to evacuate their apartment block due to dangerous cladding have been allowed home, according to the building's managing agent.On 4 June, 60 people, including eight children, were told to leave Barbourne Works in Worcester after inspectors found dangerous fire safety risks.On Friday, bosses at FirstPort, which operates the building on behalf of a management company, said residents on the ground and first floors were being allowed to return.They said a prohibition notice remained in place for residents on the second and third floors.
A spokesperson for FirstPort said those homes on the upper floors did not currently meet required standards for fire escape."Work is under way to implement the necessary safety measures to enable safe reoccupation of these floors as soon as possible," they said."We fully recognise how disruptive this situation is for residents. However, this action was taken with their safety as the highest priority."We remain committed to working closely with all parties to provide continued support and timely updates as we address the issues raised."
Earlier this week, some residents told the BBC the events of the past week had left them struggling."I feel mentally exhausted, because every day you don't know where you are, what you're doing or what's going on," Anne Eason said.Army veteran Chris Sherwin, 43, and Amy Hawkswood, 40, were also evacuated and are being housed at a hotel in Droitwich.The couple are due to get married next week but Mr Sherwin said the stress of the situation had overshadowed what should be a memorable time."We're getting married, but we don't know if we will be able to do any of the plans we wanted," he said.FirstPort said there had been a comprehensive review of the external walls and an independent fire engineer's assessment carried out on the building.It described the situation as "complex and evolving".
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