Fears for other Bristol tower blocks after council evacuates unsafe Barton House

People living in a Bristol tower block that's been around for 65 years were evacuated due to dangerous defects in its construction. The city council disclosed that there are significant risks and other tower blocks with the same build year will be examined. The residents may have to wait for weeks before they can come back home. The evacuation took place in a state of confusion.

Around 400 persons, including an approximate of 100 kids, have been instructed to evacuate Barton House – which is the ancient skyscraper present in the council's property. Although some individuals were provided with alternative accommodation such as hotels and a rest centre at the city hall, there are 9 households that refused to leave and 29 that could not be reached out to. Others decided to stay with relatives or friends until the issue can be resolved.

The mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, stated on Wednesday that additional investigations were necessary before permitting individuals to go back to the 15-story structure. When inquired about whether the construction had been hazardous for 65 years, he addressed with the following statement: "The construction wasn't assembled in accordance with the design standards, so the response is indeed, by definition."

According to Rees, only three flats out of a total of 98 were surveyed and it was discovered that the building may not have been constructed according to its original design. Various concerns have been raised that imply the structure of the building may be at significant risk during a fire, explosion, or other large-scale incidents due to the notable discrepancies between the blueprint and its actual construction.

This refers to the apparent absence of any strong connections linking the floors and the external walls meant to support weight. The materials used in these structural parts offer less protection against fire and have a thinner layer of concrete compared to what was initially proposed for the floors. Even if the concrete used for the layers was as thick as the original plans suggested, it would still be insufficient by current building standards.

According to Kye Dudd, who is responsible for the housing services in the city council, there have been five fires in high-rise buildings recently, therefore, the only option available is to evacuate.

According to him, there is no proof that any other construction has a similar problem. However, they conduct routine inspections, and due to the incident, they will be more careful, particularly when examining their constructions that are of similar age and style.

We are unable to estimate the exact duration for the comprehensive assessments of Barton House. However, I believe it will take a few days or weeks, rather than an extended period.

Many people felt furious and dissatisfied with the way the evacuation process was carried out. They were also worried that other buildings might be in danger, which the local authorities have not yet addressed, despite being asked several times.

Nuh Sharif, a 42-year-old driver who works as a taxi driver recounted that he and his family which includes his wife and two daughters decided to spend the night at a hotel in the city centre. However, according to him, the experience was not pleasant due to the state of the room they were provided. He pointed out that the room was disordered, and the mattress was extremely unclean.

On Wednesday, Sharif went back to his flat on the sixth floor to collect some of his things like additional pillows and sheets. He has been living in the building since 2012 and now feels unsafe to continue living there. Sharif worries that if an accident occurs, the entire building will collapse and questions if management learned from the Grenfell disaster.

Shaban Ali, who is currently 36 years old, decided to stay in his flat located on the eleventh floor even though he was advised to leave immediately. He mentioned that he felt like he had no other choice but to stay because he was not given any other options. He went on to explain that he was promised a call with a possible solution, but unfortunately, he did not receive any communication.

Ali called the mother of his children to request her to take care of them as he was sharing the parental responsibilities. He expressed his dissatisfaction and discontent towards the council's reply, stating that the leadership was non-existent.

Ali expressed his disapproval towards Rees, who is currently attending a conference in Rwanda, for not addressing the evacuation situation until a full day had passed. Ali believes that many individuals are feeling frustrated and may not want to return to their current location permanently due to this negligence. Additionally, there is worry that they may simply be relocated with no regard for their preferences and needs.

According to him, a few individuals were remaining behind to take care of their pets, while others were intimidated that their properties might be singled out. He expressed that folks are highly anxious.

Rayhan Ismail, who has a pair of kids aged six and three, shared that he and his family weren't able to sleep until midnight following the evacuation. He added that the experience was very disordered and unexpected.

Khalid Abdi, who works in the community, mentioned that the people were becoming frantic. He said, "I observed citizens tumbling down to the ground as they were extremely taken aback." Abdi stated that the occupants of other adjacent buildings were anxious that they might also encounter the same ordeal. "The entire region is apprehensive," he added.

Stuart Roberts, aged 44, resides on the eighth level of Barton House and has declared his intentions to stay firmly put. Despite plans to relocate him to a bed and breakfast, Stuart has decided not to move. He finds it inconvenient to keep changing his place of residence and believes it is unfair for families to keep getting moved around. He firmly believes that his current dwelling is structurally sound and is willing to take the risk of remaining there.

In the midst of the sadness, there was a ray of hope. A nearby diner, Cafe Conscious, established itself as a gathering place for locals and accepted contributions of food, water, personal care items, and diapers. "People living in this area can be more effective at rallying together than the local government," stated Rebecca Scott, who is a respected member of the community.