You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Residents of Berkshire block severely damaged by fire placed in temporary accommodation
Residents living in Berkshire block that was hit by a devastating fire have been housed in temporary accommodation, it has been confirmed.
Nearly 40 residents of the buildings in the Arborfield Estate in Finchampstead, Berkshire have now been displaced as a result of the fire, which started last Thursday afternoon and took more than seven hours to extinguish.
The building, which included 19 flats, was evacuated as soon as the fire began and all residents and staff members were safe and accounted for. The roof of the block was nearly totally destroyed.
Fire crews from eight stations attended the fire, and some were on site 24 hours after it was put out to inspect the site and monitor hotspots.
READ MORE
Residents who were displaced are now in temporary accommodation, which Inside Housing understands is being paid for by M&G, which owns the building.
The homes in this part of Arborfield Garden Village were constructed by Crest Nicholson in 2018 as part of a private rented sector partnership with M&G’s UK residential property fund, the UK property arm of the major global investor.
Savills, the block’s property manager, said: “The building was evacuated and all residents and staff are safe and accounted for and are currently in temporary accommodation.
“Due to the nature of the incident, we are unable to provide any further information at this time, but we would emphasise that the health, safety and welfare of those impacted is our utmost priority.”
The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said that a fire investigation was under way to establish the cause of the fire, which will be completed when the structure is confirmed safe.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by local residents to support those households that have been displaced by the fire. It has raised just over £2,000 so far.
A Crest Nicholson spokesperson said: “We’re aware of a fire at Arborfield Green in a block owned by M&G. Emergency services attended and put out the fire, and an investigation is under way to determine the cause of the fire.”
Sign up for our fire safety newsletter
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
