Bristol tower block resident wins fight to be re-homed after escaping fatal fire

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A mother who escaped a fatal top floor fire at a high-rise block of flats in Bristol says she is 'hugely relieved' to be re-homed by the council after more than two months of living in hotels and temporary accommodation.

Selma Muuse has not returned to Twinnell House since the fire on 25 September after being diagnosed with PTSD. Her neighbour Abdul Jabar Oryakhel, 30, was killed when he fell from the top floor.

On Monday Ms Muuse received the keys to a new council flat at Barton House.

Ms Muuse said: "I feel so relieved. Finally we got a place. I told my son he doesn't have to worry nothing is going to happen here. So I'm happy about that."

Since the fire at Twinnell House, Ms Muuse has been threatened with eviction on three separate occasions after Bristol City Council stopped paying her hotel bills.

In one instance water and power was shut off from her room and she was unable to leave. Her 6 year-old son also missed several days of school.

Ms Muuse said: "It was just one thing after another and we had to move everything with bags and six different places. All I was thinking was when is this going to end?"

Everything has been so hard. I wanted to get over the trauma from the fire and move on. Hopefully now I can."

Cllr Tom Renhard says the council will conduct a review into Ms Muuse's case.

He said: "There's a lot that needs to be looked at with this case and properly reviewed to ensure these situations don't happen again. My commitment is that this case does get a proper review. I don't think it's been acceptable how she's been treated."