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Residents could be waiting six months to return to homes following Bow crane collapse
Tower Hamlets Council has confirmed it could take up to six months to clear the crane that collapsed on a housing association-owned block in Bow and killed one resident.
In an update the council said it was not in a position to confirm a timescale for the work, but warned residents who had been evacuated from their homes to “plan for a range of between four and six months”.
Nearly 100 people from 26 households were forced to leave their homes, which are owned by Gateway Housing Association, after a crane collapsed on a neighbouring Swan Housing Association development last month. One person was killed and four people injured by the incident.
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A limited number of residents have since been allowed to return to their homes, however Tower Hamlets Council said it does not expect anyone else to be able to move back permanently until the removal operation is complete.
The council said the work to remove the crane, for which Swan is responsible, “will be among the most complex operations of its kind to be undertaken in London for many years”.
At the time of the incident, Swan promised to be fully transparent during the investigation process, which is being carried out by Metropolitan Police and the Health and Safety Executive.
Gateway Housing is responsible for providing accommodation and other support to residents of Compton Close and David Hewitt House who are unable to return to their homes.
Tower Hamlets Council has made support worth £200 per person available for clothing as well as four weeks of food support.
The means testing criteria for this support has been relaxed after a number of people who applied for support through the scheme were rejected.
