In a dramatic turn of events, families living in Redstone House, Harlow were forced to evacuate due to serious fire safety issues attributed to the inaction of the property's owner, Dunlap Property Solutions. Since May 7, 2024, the residents have been relocated to temporary accommodations as emergency interventions were undertaken by the Essex fire service. Senior firefighter Dan Wastell highlighted that the building had become untenable due to significant safety concerns that could lead to increased fire spread in the event of a blaze.
After initially requesting urgent fire safety improvements in early 2024, the fire service conducted further inspections and found that the existing fire alarm system was inadequate. As an emergency measure, a ‘waking watch’ was put in place; however, doubts about the effectiveness of this solution persisted. In light of the risks involved, particularly with young children living in the building, the decision to evacuate was made with significant urgency.
Redstone House is not an isolated case; it is the second property in Harlow to receive a prohibition notice within the last year, following the evacuation of residents from Joseph Rank House in June 2024 due to similar concerns. Both incidents have escalated conversations regarding the viability of converting office buildings into residential spaces under current development regulations.
Chris Vince, the Labour MP for Harlow, expressed his concern over the potential for similar issues to arise in the future, underscoring the urgent need for a reassessment of safety standards in such conversions. These ongoing events underline critical issues of regulatory compliance and tenant safety that demand immediate attention and action from property owners and local authorities alike.
