Hundreds of residents forced to leave housing block ruled 'serious risk to life'

Hundreds of students have been forced from their homes after firefighters found a "serious risk to life" in their tower block.

Some 300 residents were evacuated from the block in Leeds city centre and have had to move into temporary accommodation after fire fighters discovered a number of fire risks rendering it too dangerous to stay in.

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service served the building's owners with a prohibition notice as crews undertook safety checks as part of the recommendations made by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry's Phase 1 report.

The service's deputy chief fire officer Dave Walton said they were left with "no choice" but to evacuate after finding privately-owned Eldon Court was in "too serious" a condition.

"The decision to take this action has not been taken lightly," he said following Tuesday's evacuation.

Around 300 people were evacuated from the building on the edge of Leeds city centre after firefighters were left appalled at several serious fire hazards (Google)

"Especially given the resultant upheaval it has caused for many people. We had no choice but to act in this way after our investigations highlighted serious concerns and risk to life.

"We were called in after a survey of the building revealed several potential fire risks.

"The risks were so serious that it would have been dangerous to allow people to continue to stay in the building once these were identified.

"It is our duty as the enforcing agency to ensure the safety of our residents is paramount.

"We only serve notice where the risk to people’s life is so serious that we must prohibit or restrict the use of all, or part of, the premises until specified matters have been remedied."

The service failed to disclose the exact fire hazards which caused the building to be evacuated.

Students living in the block have been put up temporarily by their respective universities for the meantime, with the building's owners given an ultimatum to remove the hazards.

If they don't, they could be liable for prosecution.

According to student accommodation websites in Leeds, Eldon Court was built in 2005, is a short walking distance from the University of Leeds and comprises one to five-bedroom flats, with open plan kitchen and living areas.