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Gas investigations are still under way at Poole flats


SAFETY investigations at hundreds of homes at a Poole development where carbon monoxide fumes were detected were still ongoing yesterday.

Residents of the Harbour Reach Development in Hamworthy were notified of potential problems with boiler flues on Wednesday.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was called in after levels of the potentially deadly gas reached a dangerous level in one flat. Overall it was detected at two properties.

As a precautionary measure gas supplies were turned off at all 340 homes on the development, including those managed by housing associations Raglan and Swaythling.

A spokeswoman for developer Taylor Wimpey said: “Issues with the installation of concealed gas flues have been identified at a small number of properties”

She added: “We have attempted to contact all residents and owners to agree an appropriate course of action. Where immediate access has been gained, only the boiler has been disconnected to allow full use of the cooker hob.

“Where access is not possible, for example if the property is not currently being used, the gas has been turned off at the meter.

“Taylor Wimpey wishes to apologise to customers for this inconvenience. We are continuing to work closely with the Health and Safety Executive, CORGI and the housing associations to ensure the situation is resolved as quickly and safely as possible.”

Ian Hanstead, director of housing operations at Raglan, said a permanent solution to the problems affecting gas flues had not yet been settled.

The housing associations have been working to get gas cookers back on, and connect electric immersion heaters in boilers to provide hot water. They have provided residents with electric heaters and will be compensating them for additional energy costs.

They have also offered residents hotel accommodation – but only 14 took up the offer as of Thursday night.

An HSE spokesman said it was satisfied that everything was being done to protect the safety of residents.

Comments(4)

skcollob says...
12:44pm Sat 31 Jan 09

Not relevant to the story but isn't the photo with "Gas investigations are still under way at Poole flats"
underneath the wrong photo?

dopey says...
4:39pm Sat 31 Jan 09

skcollob wrote:
Not relevant to the story but isn't the photo with "Gas investigations are still under way at Poole flats" underneath the wrong photo?
Could be looking for work as a qualified gas appliance fitter?

Sounds like they may need one, although the anguished look of despair on what you can see of the face, makes me think the pay was no good !!!

linlin1 says...
7:51pm Sat 31 Jan 09

the first photo on friday's echo was of Cormorant House not Kittiwake as I live at Cormorant.we have had no gas for 4 days now!!

Jamesj123 says...
12:02am Sun 1 Feb 09

our gas is off, we have no heating and yet we can get no inforamtion from anyone! All we have been provided with for heating is onemeasely fan heater, do the developers seriously think that can haet a whole home? Someone cut corners whilst building this development, shouldn't we get comensation for our increased bills for heating?


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