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More fire homes may be demolished | More fire homes may be demolished |
(40 minutes later) | |
Six remaining homes damaged by a fire which spread along a street of houses in Newport are to be inspected to see if they are structurally safe. | Six remaining homes damaged by a fire which spread along a street of houses in Newport are to be inspected to see if they are structurally safe. |
Six houses have already been demolished and engineers will decide if the remaining homes need to be demolished. | Six houses have already been demolished and engineers will decide if the remaining homes need to be demolished. |
Some 100 residents were evacuated after a fire began at a joinery workshop in Marlborough Road, Maindee, and spread to a neighbouring row of terraces. | Some 100 residents were evacuated after a fire began at a joinery workshop in Marlborough Road, Maindee, and spread to a neighbouring row of terraces. |
Newport Council has said it is working hard to help those affected. | Newport Council has said it is working hard to help those affected. |
On Wednesday, six of the houses affected were demolished for safety reasons but there are now concerns about the remaining six homes which were damaged. | On Wednesday, six of the houses affected were demolished for safety reasons but there are now concerns about the remaining six homes which were damaged. |
Power has been restored but gas will be cut off until Thursday | Power has been restored but gas will be cut off until Thursday |
A spokesman for Newport Council said: "A site meeting will be held later and a decision should be made this afternoon about the houses. | A spokesman for Newport Council said: "A site meeting will be held later and a decision should be made this afternoon about the houses. |
"Structural engineers will decide if they need to be demolished on health and safety grounds," he added. | "Structural engineers will decide if they need to be demolished on health and safety grounds," he added. |
Some of the residents from the houses being examined have been allowed in to collect belongings they may want to save. | |
Meanwhile rubble from the demolished houses is being taken away. | |
Housing officers and social services staff have been speaking to people and assessing their needs on an individual basis. | Housing officers and social services staff have been speaking to people and assessing their needs on an individual basis. |
"Some are staying with friends and family and some need us to re-house them. Where appropriate we will re-house them," said the council spokesman. | "Some are staying with friends and family and some need us to re-house them. Where appropriate we will re-house them," said the council spokesman. |
Gas cut off | Gas cut off |
On Wednesday, briefings were held at Newport Leisure Centre where a team of people from the council and emergency services updated residents. | On Wednesday, briefings were held at Newport Leisure Centre where a team of people from the council and emergency services updated residents. |
Gwent Police said that the area had been made safe and the electricity supply had been restored, but the gas would remain cut off until Thursday. | Gwent Police said that the area had been made safe and the electricity supply had been restored, but the gas would remain cut off until Thursday. |
Newport Mayor Councillor Allan Morris said people who had been made homeless would be given accomodation. | |
"You're talking complete devastation of an entire block of houses but there is always a silver lining, things could have been much, much worse," he said. | |
All the stuff was insured but it's not the point, because the stuff what was belonging to my mother, I'll never get back again Resident Jamie Kingsley | All the stuff was insured but it's not the point, because the stuff what was belonging to my mother, I'll never get back again Resident Jamie Kingsley |
"I was a fire officer myself and to see a fire on that scale without one injury or one death is almost a miraculous thing in itself. | "I was a fire officer myself and to see a fire on that scale without one injury or one death is almost a miraculous thing in itself. |
"Had it have been later in the evening, I think we'd have been looking at a totally different situation here." | "Had it have been later in the evening, I think we'd have been looking at a totally different situation here." |
He said concerns about how the fire spread so quickly would be addressed by the fire investigation currently under way. | |
Jamie Kingsley said he broke down in tears when his home, which had been left to him by his late parents, was among the six to be demolished. | Jamie Kingsley said he broke down in tears when his home, which had been left to him by his late parents, was among the six to be demolished. |
He said: "The house I don't really particularly care about, it's the stuff in there... all the stuff was insured but it's not the point, because the stuff what was belonging to my mother, I'll never get back again." | He said: "The house I don't really particularly care about, it's the stuff in there... all the stuff was insured but it's not the point, because the stuff what was belonging to my mother, I'll never get back again." |