Hundreds of people were kicked out of their homes just days before Christmas after a fire service report ‘evacuated’ a city centre tower block.
Residents of Bracken House, on Charles Street, have been staying in hotels since December 22 because a fire risk assessment (FRA) found that work needed doing ‘urgently’ to make the building safe. However, one insider who managed the building previously has told the Manchester Evening News that the issues have been around for years, in some cases .
It’s meant that the insider is sceptical about a promised return date of January 8. That being said, building managers Inspired Property Management (IPM), say they are working to ‘remediation plans as quickly as possible’.
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“It’s issues like fire corridors, which you cannot get out of,” the insider explained. “You cannot use the lift. They cannot just seem to get the homeless people out.
“Obviously the sadness is that it was [just before] Christmas Eve."
Adding: “There’s a to-do list. On the initial list is that it needs a front desk and fire doors, and to fix the lift. Once you have got 24 hour security, all the crime will stop — but that’s £30-£40,000 per year.”
The expert added that money is not an issue as ‘landlords are largely up to date with maintenance fees’. He continued: “They cannot understand who it’s not been done. They have been promising to fix the lift for two to three years. The lift and the security are the two main issues.”
Yesterday (January 4), the MEN learned that plans are in place to continue to house residents away from the building after January 8, the date on which tenants were originally told they could return. Residents are being offered the option to stay in a hotel, or a serviced apartment near to the city centre - with the company footing the bill.
Are you a resident affected by the evacuation? Email ethan.davies@reachplc.com or contact him on Twitter via @EthanDaviesMEN
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) confirmed that ‘Bracken House has a number of known fire safety risks’ and that ‘major work is required to the building, including replacing the external cladding and carrying out work inside the building’.
“Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has been working with the owner of Bracken House and the Managing Agent since 2017 to address fire safety concerns,” a statement added. “The building has a fire alarm system to support full evacuation of the building in the event of a fire, while GMFRS has carried out numerous inspections of the building and monitored fire safety arrangements after the evacuation strategy was changed in 2018.
“Following concerns about the use of many flats in the building as short-term accommodation, GMFRS recently took action to require a new fire risk assessment to be made. GMFRS has also been working with our partners to respond to concerns about nuisance and antisocial behaviour some of which seems to be related to short term lettings.
“GMFRS was informed on 22 December that the building owner had taken a decision to decant the building as a precautionary measure and that all residents are being provided with hotel accommodation. GMFRS has met with all interested parties to discuss the most recent fire risk assessment and will continue to work with those responsible for fire safety in the building to ensure that essential works are prioritised.”
IPM said it has supported residents during a ‘challenging’ period, and the MEN understands that the firm agreed to pay for Hilton hotels in Greater Manchester, and also forked out for a Christmas Dinner too.
A statement added: “On the evening of 21st December, the freeholder received the results of the latest Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) it had instructed at Bracken House. This survey determined that a number of issues required more urgent attention than previous FRAs had identified, and as a result, it was advised that the property needed to be evacuated.
“All residential occupiers were asked to leave the property on 22nd December and we have provided them with temporary hotel accommodation, including meals. We are working closely with Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service and wish to minimise disruption for residents.
“All parties are working through the detail of the recommendations within the FRA and are progressing with remediation plans as quickly as possible. Our priority is focusing on areas of immediate concern, so that people can return to their homes as soon as possible. We sincerely regret the need to take this action and appreciate how challenging this is for residents, however safety has to be the priority.
“We are communicating directly with all leaseholders and residents as further updates become available.”
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