Resident's life 'on hold' as repair delays leave fire-damaged flats uninhabitable
ITV News Meridian's Rachel Hepworth met with an affected resident outside the flats
Residents who had to leave their homes one year ago after a major fire ripped through a block of flats in Hampshire have been told it could be another two years before they can move back.
In May 2023, 24 homes were destroyed or damaged in the blaze along Oakridge Road in Basingstoke. No one was injured.
It took around 80 firefighters several hours to tackle the blaze which spread along the roof.
Twelve properties at the site, owned by VIVID Housing Limited, remain uninhabitable.
Leaseholder Nigel Lunn lost everything in the fire and says that due to delays he is unable to move on with his life.
Mr Lunn said: "As you can see, nothing's changed. I want to retire but I can't, I've got a flat to sell."
Other owners who have returned home, say they are living with damp and mould which they say is caused by ongoing problems with the roof.
Last week, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service issued a report which said the fire was accidental and most likely caused by an electrical item on an external balcony, with a fractured gas pipe and cedar cladding contributing to the spread.
Glenn Bowyer, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, said: "We understand the impact that this fire has had on residents and the local community.
"We recognise that while everyone safely evacuated from the property, people lost their homes and valued possessions that day.
"Our role as a fire and rescue service goes beyond extinguishing the fire and we have been working to support the residents affected through community reassurance activity and Safe and Well visits.
"We continue to engage with the community and will be attending this year’s Oakridge Hall4All Community Summer Festival to offer residents fire safety advice.
"I would also like to remind everyone that they can access our home safety check tool on our website."
A spokesperson for VIVID Housing Limited said: "We know that for many of our customers the fire at Oakridge Road, is still something they are living through and affected by. "Agreement was reached with the insurers and local authority building control about the building’s repair and refurbishment recently, and we've written to customers with homes in the impacted building to update them about this and the information below. "A scope of works has been prepared and we are in the tender process to appoint a contractor for the works.
"Until the contractor is appointed, we won’t have a detailed plan or timeline to share.
"We can however provide a very broad estimate for the time it will take to complete the works as there are so many dependencies in an extensive repair like this.
"We’re aiming for a contractor to start on site by August this year and for the work to take approximately 18 months to complete.
"Until we have a contractor and their detailed plan this could change.
"We'd like to acknowledge the way in which everyone in the impacted building, those who are currently in alternative accommodation and the wider community continue to pull together.
"It really is testament to the close-knit spirit and support people have for each other in Oakridge. "We know those customers with homes in the affected building will have many questions and we continue to make sure we can address these and support them.
"For our customers still impacted we are and will continue to help and support them as the work progresses." Tom Robinson, Executive Director of Assets and Sustainability at VIVID, said: "We know that there are constant reminders a year on and that the work required to get the building completed will take time.
"Our customers' needs remain our priority and we will continue to work closely with them until work is complete."
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