Ipswich Cardinal Lofts resident Anthony Volz raises residents' fears over the building's safety
A resident at flats that were evacuated by the fire service last week has spoken of his ongoing fears over the building's safety.
Anthony Volz, 56, who has lived in Cardinal Lofts, in Ipswich, for a decade, said the top floors being vacated last Tuesday has only heightened his and others' concerns for everybody living there, and thinks they are not being kept informed.
He believes measures put in place have not set the public’s minds at ease.
GR Grey, the management company for the flats, said contractors were on site this week to investigate the issue and have arranged for independent fire safety experts to carry out new assessments.
Mr Volz said: “It’s bad for all of us, mentally and physically, to have to live everyday with the thought that our homes could go up in smoke at any moment.
“I’m fortunate myself to live by myself, but there are lots of families here, and we’re all concerned for their wellbeing and how long this will go on for.
“The people evacuated - many of whom were our friends and cherished members of our community - we don’t know where they’ve been shipped off to, or when they’ll be back, and I think this is the latest of the issues that have built up in the flats in recent years.”
“Internal issues like cladding have come up a lot in recent years, which makes me wonder what so wrong with the flats that warrants an evacuation where other flats, which are undergoing similar issues, have not. It makes me scared we're in a far more serious situation than we realise."
Suffolk Fire and Rescue service confirmed last Wednesday that the top three floors of Cardinal Lofts were ‘unfit for occupation’ and required immediate action.
Mr Volz was confused as to why the top floors were evacuated, while the rest were deemed safe, and said the remaining residents don’t know if they will eventually have to vacate their homes on short notice.
He noted many flats, including his own, do not have proper fire exits and added he could have to climb out of a window to escape.
Residents have set up a WhatsApp group to see if they can take community action or get answers.
Due to being on the waterfront, Cardinal Lofts are considered prime real estate, with many residents having bought their flats as an investment.
Mr Volz, who did the same, now feels he is trapped within the block, as he would struggle to sell his flat on the market under the current conditions.
“This is seen as a lovely - desirable - part of town, but I feel like I’m trapped here.
“We’re in a serious position where we feel not enough is being done, and we’re unsure of how safe we are living here.
“Other flats in similar situations, such as those wrapped up in plastic so they can deal with the cladding, haven’t been evacuated yet, so it makes everyone living here worry constantly about what could possibly be wrong.”
A spokesman for GR Grey apologised for the disruption faced when the flats were evacuated.
They said they have arranged alternative accommodation for those affected, with plans to return them to their homes by January.
They said they were awaiting the outcome of their assessments and continue to support residents.
“This decision is based on the high demand for accommodation at this time of year and our wish to reduce disruption to residents any more than is necessary," they added.
"We continue to follow the advice of the Fire and Rescue Service and are communicating regularly with them throughout this process.”
The firm will continue to keep residents informed as further updates become available.
A six-man waking watch was also installed to monitor the building, which Mr Volz said each resident has to pay for.