Charging fault with electric bike thought to be the cause of fatal Bristol tower block fire
No evidence that fire alarms didn't sound, according to fire officers
Last updated 27th Sep 2022
A charging issue with an electric bike is understood to have been the cause of a tower block fire in Bristol that cost a man his life.
He died after falling to his death trying to escape a blaze on the 16th floor of Twinnell House, off Stapleton Road, Easton in the early hours of Sunday morning.
It is now thought that four people in total may have been initially trapped by the blaze, which started in the foyer of a flat and spread through the hall way therefore blocking the front door, main escape route.
Vaughan Jenkins, Avon Fire and Rescue Area Manager, has described what emergency crews were faced with on their arrival. He said:
“There were two other people within the property at the time who had exited and were then precariously positioned hanging on to some grating on the side of the building on the 16th floor.
“Crews working with police colleagues were able then to rescue those two people from that area and drag them in through an adjacent window into the stairwell of the building.”
A fourth person managed to escape the blaze and is still being treated in hospital for burns.
Despite residents' reports that fire alarms hadn't gone off, Mr Jenkins told us that an alarm would have gone off, but only in the flat affected and may not have been heard in communal areas.
He added: "That alarm would have actuated, unfortunately it probably didn't actuate for very long due to the severity of the fire and the proximity of the foyer to the alarm sound itself. So, although people didn't hear it, unless you were in the property itself you wouldn't have heard it anyway."
Fire crews have offered their thoughts and condolences to the friends and families of those affected.
Around 90 residents in total were evacuated, and a rest centre at St. Nicholas Of Tolentino Roman Catholic Church was set up where Bristol City Council (BCC) provided welfare and accommodation support from council volunteers and voluntary agencies.
In a statement, the Bristol City Council said Housing officers were continuing to provide support both at Twinnell House and also by making welfare calls to all residents over the coming days.
Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes at Bristol City Council, said:
“We’d like to offer our condolences to the family and friends of the person who sadly lost their life on Sunday. Many people will feel affected by this tragedy, and I’d encourage residents to seek support from the Council’s housing team who will continue checking in on everyone.
“I’d like to thank everyone who responded so swiftly to help out when our community needed it most. This includes the heroic efforts of our emergency services and colleagues on the front line.
“In particular, I would like to personally thank Margaret Ulloa, St Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church; Daniel Doyle, CEO of Newman Catholic Trust; and Headteacher Rachael James, St Nicholas School; as well as our housing staff and volunteers; for going above and beyond at a very difficult time.”
Avon and Somerset Police Superintendent Tony Blatchford said:
“Our thoughts firmly remain with the family and friends of the man who tragically died.
“We’d like to reiterate our thanks to the local community for all their co-operation and support during the emergency response phase of this incident.”