Fire safety concerns at city flats complex

DUBLIN City Council has been urged to immediately
evacuate tenants from a 19th century flats complex in the south inner city
because of fire safety concerns.

Last January, Southside People reported how residents
at the Crampton Buildings in Temple Bar had urged the local authority to
rehouse them due to the dilapidated condition of the flats and concerns they
had regarding fire safety.

The residents requested that they be moved after being
informed by officials that a planned refurbishment of the buildings would not
take place for several years due to the economic downturn.

Cllr Mannix Flynn (Ind) has now called on Dublin City
Council to ensure the health and safety of the residents of the Crampton
Buildings by evacuating them immediately.

“This should be done with informed consent,

? he said.

“And the considerations of the residents who wish to go back to a regenerated
Crampton Buildings should be honoured.

?

Mary King, a 51-year-old widow living at the inner
city complex, had told this newspaper in January 2011 that there was no central
heating in the flats. She said residents had to light a fire instead to keep
warm.

However, she added that she could not do this as a
problem with ventilation in her chimney meant that her room filled with smoke
every time she lit a fire.

Southside People has since seen a report carried out
by a certified chimney sweep on Ms King’s property that identified issues with
ventilation and risks of fire.

Last week, Ms King told Southside People she had
submitted this report to the council but claimed the local authority has yet to
contact her about the issue or carry out any work to rectify the problem.

“I still have not heard anything from them and no maintenance
work has been carried out,

? she said.

“I no longer use my fireplace in
accordance with the advice in the report. I also fear that other chimneys in
the building currently in use could be in a similar dangerous condition.

?

The Crampton Buildings were built in the 1890s by
Dublin Artisan Dwellings.

A spokesman for Dublin City Council said it had
commissioned an engineering report on Crampton Buildings.

“The council is currently examining this report and
will be briefing residents and councillors within the coming two weeks,

? a
spokesperson said.