Call for independent inquiry over Sheffield high-rise flats fall deaths

Peter MacLoughlin, who has repeatedly raised safety concerns about tenants in high-rise flats, made the call to Sheffield City Council following the death of Saffra Winn in 2022 and another fatality last December. Ms Winn fell from her flat in Upperthorpe in July 2022.

South Yorkshire assistant coroner Alexandra Pountney last week (April 3) issued a prevention of future deaths report that she sent to the council following an inquest held into Ms Winn’s death last month.

She raised questions over safety issues and linked her death to another tragedy in Netherthorpe, involving an unnamed woman, who died last December.

Ms Pountney criticised Sheffield City Council for failing to carry out any risk assessments of the windows or safety latches.

She was also concerned by the council’s lack of formal procedure or policy on investigating such cases and pointed out “the inquest was told that the head of housing investment and maintenance for the council was not aware of the fatal incidents above until his attendance was required at this inquest”.

Safety

The council has 56 days to respond to the coroner’s report.

In response to Peter’s call, it has ruled out an inquiry as it says these are called by the government, not by councils.

Peter, a former member of the city council with responsibility for housing, has also recently expressed concern over vulnerable council tenants housed at height and about the safety of children living in high-rise flats.

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Peter, who lives in a 14th-floor council flat, has now written to the city council “to formally request if you will enact a full open and transparent investigation into the damning findings within the official coroners’ report into the death of Saffra Winn in 2022″.

He added: “The investigation I am calling for should include to establish who was responsible for the damning shortcomings highlighted within the said mentioned coroner’s report.

“The investigation should also inquire if any past or current council policies, procedures or working practices have been ignored or haven’t been carried out in full.

Injuries

“It should also enquire if any tenants or leaseholders have raised any issues related to deaths or injuries appertaining to SCC-owned high-rise residential buildings.

“The investigation should fully list all failings with the pretext of what lessons have been learned as a means of preventing such similar incidents from ever happening again across all SCC’s housing services.

“Any investigation should be made public in the interest of being accountable towards all your service users.”

The council has made the following points in response to Peter’s concerns:

• The council has carried out the necessary fire risk assessments on its high-rise blocks and all recommendations have been implemented.
• Safety standards are regularly reviewed.
• The council will respond to the coroner as required.
• Public inquiries are investigations set up by government ministers rather than a local council. Should a public inquiry be launched into window restrictors, the council would contribute wherever necessary.