Residents who had to be evacuated from a city centre block of flats over fire safety concerns have started to return to their homes.
Sections of the Rialto Building on Melbourne Street, in Newcastle city centre, were served with a prohibition notice last week by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) due to 'immediate concerns for residents'. It resulted in a number of residents being asked to temporarily leave the premises until remedial work can be carried out by those responsible for the building to address concerns raised with the fire service.
The prohibition notice, served on Tuesday, June 27, came following concerns raised by the management company responsible for the premises. Investigations from TWFRS found that there was "insufficient fire resisting separation between individual residential flats on all levels and other residential flats within the property".
Read more: Residents evacuated from Newcastle block of flats over fire safety concerns
It added that "any fire in a residential flat will result in heat and/or smoke filling the escape route and prevent people from making a safe escape from the premises." The findings, outlined in a notice posted on the building by TWFRS, concluded that "the premises must not be used for residential purposes" until concerns were addressed.
However, after plans for a 'waking watch' were put in place, TWFRS today confirmed that it is "confident" that one of the four residential blocks which had to be evacuated now has measures in place which "allows some residents to return to their homes until all issues are fully remediated". And as a result the prohibition notice issued by the service has now been removed from part of the property.
The prohibition notice has now been lifted on 36 of the 68 flats at the building. A notice will remain on the other three blocks, containing the remaining 32 flats and the car park.
A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) spokesperson said: "We can confirm that we are aware of remedial measures that have been put in place at the Rialto Building by the responsible person.
"The introduction of a robust waking watch means we are confident that one of the four residential blocks have measures in place that will allows some residents to return to their homes until all issues are fully remediated.
"As such, we are removing a prohibition notice on a section of the Rialto Building that affects 36 of the 68 flats at the building. A notice will remain on the other three blocks, containing the remaining 32 flats and the car park.
"It is the responsibility of the responsible person of the building to put remedial measures in place for the remainder of the building and to ensure compliance with fire safety legislation.
"We will offer them support to be able to do this as quickly as possible but the onus for this work is on the responsible person and we will not lift our prohibition notice until we are confident that there is no risk to residents.
"We understand these prohibition notices have caused upheaval for residents and we would reiterate that we only take this approach when all alternative options have been exhausted."
