Sheffield tower block resident voices safety concerns over fire escape “obstructed by rubbish and bikes”
A Sheffield tower block resident said he is worried about the safety of his home following recent flat blazes in London as he finds the fire exit regularly obstructed by rubbish and bikes.
Housing campaigner Peter MacLoughlin, who has lived in the Robertshaw tower block in Netherthorpe for 36 years, said he has been raising issues about the safety of the rear fire escape door for years. He is raising them again following the London fires and after the second part of the report into the Grenfell Tower disaster was released last week (September 4).
Peter said that he has repeatedly reported incidents where rubbish is left near the fire escape or bikes have been locked up on stairs next to the door. He said residents routinely use it for a quick route to the shops or to walk their dogs.
He said: “There is a main entrance and at back end is a door at the bottom of the fire escape stairs to get out if there’s congestion at the front.
“It’s supposed to be kept clear at all times.”
Peter said that he has seen rubbish piled up near exits of other tower blocks nearby.
Complaining
Referring to Robertshaw, he said: “The doors are supposed to be for emergency use only. I’ve been complaining for years about this is supposed to be an emergency door.
“At the back is the direct route to the local shops and also for dog walkers to walk their dogs.”
Peter said that rough sleepers have deliberately damaged the door at times so that they can get into the building. He believes it’s also used by residents who have lost their front door entry fob and don’t want to pay £5 for a replacement.
He added: “Sometimes the door doesn’t even open. You can only imagine what would happen in a fire.”
“I’ve been trying to get the doors repaired for years and years and years,” Peter said. “They are not proper doors, they are made-up doors to fit.
“They have a push bar but sometimes that doesn’t work because of vandalism and the door is buckled. I regularly go and test it because if it isn’t working it needs to be reported – why are they having to rely on people like me to constantly tell them?”
Progress
Peter, who is a member of the council’s new high-rise tenants forum, said he had heard the council may put managers in place for tower blocks. He welcomed that as progress if it is true, especially because of the number of vulnerable tenants living in the blocks.
Coun Douglas Johnson, chair of the council housing committee, responded: “Sheffield City Council places a high priority on the safety and well-being of our residents. We are of course fully committed to ensuring all building and fire safety regulations are followed across our neighbourhoods.
“This is a big undertaking. The council operates a continuous fire risk assessment programme, providing both our housing service and our residents with the reassurance that any risks identified risks are dealt with.
“We always appreciate residents bringing concerns to our attention so we can address them. We are also committed to maintaining a proactive approach to fire safety and will continue to respond swiftly where we need to.”
Inspections
The council also made the following points:
- Daily inspections and maintenance of communal areas is carried out by estates officers, addressing issues such as rubbish accumulation and obstructions, particularly around fire exits and external areas. Where residents’ belongings are causing obstructions, residents are requested to remove these. In urgent or serious cases, belongings are removed by the council and stored;
- Additional signage is in place to clearly indicate emergency exits are to be used only in emergencies. This emphasises the importance of keeping these exits unobstructed;
- The council communicates with all residents to advise on the above. This is part of an ongoing effort to ensure all residents are fully aware of fire safety protocols and comply with them;
- The high-rise residents’ forum was established to provide tenants with a dedicated platform to raise concerns, in addition to the usual reporting channels;
- Housing teams are looking into the installation of a break-glass system for emergency exits that will meet both fire safety and building regulations. Tenants will be updated with the outcome of this work.
Assessments
It also stated:
- The council conducts four-weekly fire safety inspections at all high-rise buildings across the city. These are specifically designed to identify and address any fire safety concerns, including assessments of common areas, communal fire doors, evacuation routes, and emergency exits
- Following the last fire safety inspection conducted on August 23, 2024, no issues were found with the rear fire escapes.
The council said in response to the question on the published final Grenfell Report:
- Sheffield City Council has just commissioned an outside company to undertake another round of external wall fire risk assessments for all 24 council-owned tower blocks that reach 18m or taller. This is so the council has an up-to-date set of reports on those properties;
- An £18m tower block fire safety programme was commissioned in February 2024. This is a two-phase programme, with phase one currently being implemented being all about individual flat safety and waste management;
- There is continuous learning in this area of safety across all sectors and government, so work remains an ongoing process and the housing service will be reflecting on the report and looking at ways it can further improve how to keep tenants safe;
- Should residents have any concerns about fire safety where they live, the council asks them to contact housing teams to discuss those.