People living in a block of flats which has been shut down don’t know when they will be able to return to their homes.
A prohibition notice was issued at Miller Heights in Maidstone yesterday (Tuesday) and a major incident was declared after a burst water main led to power failure.
All those living in the block had to leave their homes, with some being put in emergency accommodation, some booking hotels and others at a rest centre at Mote Park Leisure Centre.
This morning, Maidstone Borough Council said it does not have a timeline for when people may be able to get back into their flats.
A spokesperson said it is no longer deemed a major incident, but a “longer-term recovery operation continues”.
Sarah Cummings’s daughter and two grandchildren have been at the block since 2020.
The 48-year-old said the situation was disgusting and that people reported a leak in the basement around 10 days ago.
Speaking to KentOnline today, Sarah said her daughter was one of the “lucky ones” as she had been put into temporary accommodation by 6pm and had managed to retrieve her essential items.
She claims the leaks had been going on “for years” and said her daughter’s carpets were constantly wet from them.
“It’s just not safe to go back. It’s a miracle that no one got seriously harmed,” she added.
The mum hopes that an investigation goes ahead into the major incident to make sure lessons are learned.
Provisions have been put in place to allow residents to collect essential items from their homes.
This is taking place from today until May 19, and Kent Fire and Rescue Service will be on site each day from 10 till 11am and 4 till 5pm to allow residents to collect personal belongings from their property.
Miller Heights is operated by Centrick and has 122 flats. The company says it has prioritised safety and communication.
In a statement yesterday, it explained: “Miller Heights has experienced recurring water ingress issues in the basement area, which have historically been managed as and when they have arisen.
“The situation escalated significantly following a fresh incident, which initial investigations indicate was caused by a burst water pipe in the basement.
“This resulted in flooding that affected parts of the building’s electrical infrastructure and required immediate emergency action.”
But, council leader Stuart Jeffery has said the situation has been allowed to escalate, and that Centrick must “get its act together”.
Today he added: “We understand how distressing this situation has been for residents, and while the major incident has now been stood down, our focus remains on ensuring everyone is safe and supported.
“The prohibition order is a necessary step while we complete all safety checks. Residents will not be able to return until we are confident the building is safe.”
The council set up a rest centre at Mote Park to give families evacuated somewhere to stay.
However, the Welfare Centre is planned to stand down at 12.30pm today, as MBC confirms the situation is no longer being treated as a major incident.
Residents who have not yet accessed support and are facing homelessness are urged to call 01622 602127 for assistance.
Yesterday, two families were receiving emergency support there. Now, 10 evacuees are staying at the site, and five more have arrived this morning.
In a statement published yesterday, a council spokesperson said: “A prohibition notice has been issued at Miller Heights following an incident on Monday, May 11, which affected the building’s electrical systems, meaning residents must not return to their homes until it is confirmed safe to do so.
“The building is owned by a third party and is not a council-owned site.
“The prohibition order has been put in place to protect residents’ safety while specialist teams continue to assess the damage and carry out essential works.”
Council officers, representatives from Centrick and fire crews have been at the scene.
Cllr Jeffery told kmfm this morning: “We have been focused on providing humanitarian support for the people in the large block of flats in Maidstone Town Centre that has been affected by the end of its water and electricity, meaning there’s no sprinklers, there’s no fire alarms and of course that makes the whole building very, very dangerous.
“Monday night and last night we opened a rest centre at our leisure centre, and we’re providing support for those people who have had to rapidly leave their flats. My heart goes out to them.”
He says that residents are angry at the management team at the block, and believe people have been failed.
“People were rightly upset. I was at the leisure centre for a number of hours yesterday, and people were very, very unhappy about the situation.
“Clearly, the management company has failed these families, and they really must get their act together, make sure that the electricity and water are returned and that these people have a safe place to live.
“Frankly, I think it’s disgusting that the situation has been allowed to escalate to this level and to affect the lives of so many people so dramatically.”
A frequently asked questions page has been set up by the council here for residents.
