7:00am Saturday 31st January 2009
By Juliette Astrup
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.
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