Demolition works have begun at an east London block of flats which was ripped apart by a “nightmare fire” after engineers found the site was unsafe.
Over 80 residents lost their homes and were forced to flee after the Spectrum Building in Dagenham was engulfed in flames in the early hours of the morning on August 26.
Following the fire residents spoke out in horror, complaining about fire alarms not going off inside the building and even one fire gate being “padlocked shut”.
Block Management UK Ltd, the company which manages the building was contacted for comment.
Twenty people were rescued following a “significant search-and-rescue operation” after the fire broke out in the building that is used for residential and commercial purposes, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) previously said. More than 80 people were evacuated.
Four people were treated on the scene by London Ambulance Service crews and two were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner describing how it was “incredible” that no-one was killed.
One resident from the block of flats was left surprised at the news the building was being demolished and heartbroken that she would never be able to retrieve any of her belongings.
Irina Vasile who lived on the building’s second floor, said the demolition had taken her by surprise.
The 46-year-old said: “It’s heartbreaking, because [I] wasn’t expecting it to be demolished.
“All of us, we still had hope that we can retrieve some belongings, especially some documents.”
Ms Vasile, who now lives in private rented accommodation, said she had visited the demolition on Monday.
“Today when I went there, it’s like I’m a part of a movie,” she said.
“Since August, my life is not the same. I lost the sense of life, of wellbeing.
“Every single day when I leave the house, I come back three, four, five times to check if everything is okay. I feel something burning in the night. I have nightmares.
“We’re living day by day.”
She added: “We had a beautiful life there, we have many memories, and suddenly we lost everything.
“Why? I don’t know who is responsible for that.”
The property had been undergoing “remedial” work to remove and replace “non-compliant cladding” on the fifth and sixth floors containing flats, according to a planning application.
Demolition works for the privately owned building on Freshwater Road started on Monday and are expected to end by mid-to-late January.
The building’s owners have decided to knock down the building following several surveyor reports which “have confirmed that the building is unsafe” - a council spokesperson confirmed.
There were a number of fire safety issues “known” to the LFB, and an investigation was launched to look into the role cladding played in the fire.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the LFB has finished the on-site phase of its investigation and continues to work with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to see if the building met safety regulations before the fire.
Displaced residents who had nowhere to stay were provided with emergency accommodation by the council and a council fundraiser raised over £26,000 to support families who had “lost everything” in the fire.
Barking and Dagenham Council has also been supporting residents with finding longer-term accommodation, as well as providing wellbeing and trauma support.
In the weeks that followed the fire, the council slammed Block Management, the company that managed the building, for not showing up to meet with residents affected by the blaze.
Block Management previously said in a statement it was working on a communications strategy with the council, which included weekly updates to residents.
A Block Management spokesperson previously said it was unable to answer any questions relating to the cause of the fire or to the insurance policy or its claim provisions as this was put in place by the building owner.
A council spokesperson said: "Following the fire that took place at Spectrum building on August 26, the building owners have taken the decision to demolish the block following several surveyor reports which have confirmed that the building is unsafe.
"While this is a private block not owned by the council, we have continued to provide humanitarian support to residents affected by the devastating fire.
"Our support has included emergency accommodation with support into longer-term accommodation, rest centre access, providing essential supplies, advice and wellbeing and trauma support."
They added: "Working with our partners, support also included welfare advice, food vouchers, clothing and essentials, replacing key documents, support for parents and families, and more.
“Demolition works for the block will start today (December 2) and are expected to conclude mid-late January. The council is continuing to communicate with residents and ensure there is open and transparent communication with all parties involved."
