Fire chiefs have shut down a Plymouth car park over serious safety issues, prompting urgent measures for residents’ protection
Plymouth: So, here’s the scoop. Fire chiefs have decided to close a car park at the Ocean Crescent apartment block because of some serious fire safety worries. They found issues that could really put people at risk if a fire broke out.
Just before Christmas, residents got letters saying that an inspection revealed significant problems. It’s a bit of a shocker, especially with the holidays around the corner.
This building is 11 stories tall and was supposed to get its cladding replaced soon. But, surprise! Engineers found safety concerns that needed immediate attention. It’s been eight years since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and it seems like lessons still need to be learned.
Both Plymouth City Council and the fire service were alerted right away. The fire service acted fast, shutting down the car park on the ground floor to keep everyone safe.
To add to the mix, they’ve also started “waking watch” patrols. This means security staff will be on duty 24/7, costing a pretty penny each week. There are about 124 flats in the building, housing around 250 residents, some of whom have disabilities.
A spokesperson from the fire service said they had to issue a prohibition notice to stop cars from parking under the building. They’re doing this to protect everyone after finding out about the building defects.
They know it’s tough timing, especially right before Christmas, but safety comes first. They’re hoping the building owner will jump on fixing these fire safety issues quickly.
Back in 2021, they found combustible materials in the walls, which led to the decision to replace the cladding. Just a couple of days ago, residents got emails from the management company saying they were looking into how fire could spread inside the building.
Plymouth Block Management has apologized for the hassle and mentioned that they’ll need to do some remediation work, but the details are still up in the air. They want to lift the restrictions and reopen the car park as soon as they can.
In the meantime, the city council has set up temporary parking options nearby for residents while the car park remains closed. It’s a bit of a mess, but they’re trying to make it work.
