Barton House residents to return from 20 February
Bristol City Council have issued a letter to residents
Last updated 20th Feb 2024
Residents from the evacuated tower block in Bristol - Barton House - are being allowed to return from Tuesday (February 20).
In a letter, Bristol City Council have confirmed the block is safe to return, now all of the remedial work required has been carried out.
Avon Fire & Rescue service said: “With these measures now in place, Avon Fire & Rescue Service support the decision to allow residents to reoccupy Barton House, as the risks previously identified have been addressed, in line with the recommendations of the Fire Engineers reports."
Hundreds of people were forced to leave Barton House on 14 November 2023 after survey work on three flats suggested there were structural issues with the building, that were so severe a fire could cause it to collapse.
Since then most residents have been living in hotels or staying with friends and family, while further survey work was carried out on the block.
The current council contracts for these hotel stays were due to expire at the end of this month.
Bosses said the structural issues initially feared are not actually present and so the building is fundamentally safe - with the work being carried out seeing fireproofing upgrades and a fire alarm system being installed.
Avon Fire and Rescue say they "acknowledge and appreciate that the recent temporary evacuation of Barton House has been a stressful and challenging time for residents and the community".
"The Service supports Bristol City Councils’ decision to install a full alarm system throughout the building, with smoke detection in every flat, and their decision to complete structural works, which have now improved fire resistance of key elements in the construction of the building. "
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