Dagenham: 'I've no home, no answers after flat block fire'
Spectrum Building was demolished last December after surveyor reports deemed the building unsafe. Ms Williams said: "Just seeing a former home in rubble on the floor is quite difficult. "Nobody was ever able to get back into their flats, we had no opportunity to say goodbye other than standing on the outskirts watching as they destroy your home."She said the fire will cost her over £100,000 in terms of the possessions she lost, which she did not have contents insurance for, and the cost of renting a new home.
"Collectively, as residents and leaseholders we're looking at millions of pounds that we will face in costs for a fire that was not our fault."The insurance company will pay for three years of rent but Ms Williams said this falls short of the possible six years it is projected to take to rebuild the block.A letter signed by 17 MPs - including Margaret Mullan who represents Dagenham - addressed to Aviva Group chief executive Amanda Blanc called for "answers about what caused the fire and what allowed it to spread so quickly that their lives were in danger".The letter stated: "The Spectrum Building fire caused profound upheaval to the victims and continues to have significant negative effects on their lives. "Today, the leaseholders are still in temporary accommodation across our constituencies, uncertain how to rebuild their lives."The letter acknowledges that the MPs and former Spectrum residents had seen Aviva's forensic report but it goes on to request more information than what was provided.Ms Williams said: "What we want is some kind of technical information about what our building was made of, photographs and evidence."
James Allchurch owned one flat he lived in and rented out another in the tower block.He told the BBC: "At the moment I I would just like some transparency, accountability, responsibility."We know Aviva conducted a forensic investigation into the cause of the fire and I just feel that something as important as that should be available in the public domain to prevent it happening in the future," he said. While he has been able to buy a new home in Kent, Mr Allchurch said he did so without being able to sell or rent out his Spectrum House properties. "We were renting out our flat, that was our pension for the future and that's gone as well," he added.
"Aviva remains committed to supporting the Spectrum Building community during this difficult time," a spokesperson for the insurance firm said."Throughout this process, we have actively engaged with the freeholder and their representatives to ensure information is shared appropriately, balancing transparency with our legal obligations and the integrity of the ongoing investigation."They said they had issued a letter "outlining our forensic findings" to all leaseholders "via the freeholders representatives" as well as several MPs.The spokesperson said Aviva's investigators cannot begin their work until the London Fire Brigade (LFB) and Met Police investigations conclude and the site is opened.
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