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Gas-threatened Leeds residents 'living on a timebomb'
RESIDENTS in a block of Leeds city centre flats have been living on a timebomb for two years.
Safety experts cut the gas supply to the flats, saying residents were in "immediate danger". They say they believe illegal plastic gas pipes were fitted in the building rather than metal ones.
People living in the 25 flats in the Ice Works on Cross York Street, Leeds, had their gas cut off a week ago.
Tenants have been without heating, hot water and cooking facilities.
Mark Rolfe, technical services manager for Corgi – which keeps a register of competent gas installers for the Health and Safety Executive – said feedback from its inspectors suggested polyethylene pipes had been fitted instead of the metal ones required by law for gas pipework inside buildings.
He said unlike metal pipes the plastic ones would melt in a fire.
Mr Rolfe said it would have been quicker to install plastic pipes and therefore cheaper.
Darren Smith, commercial director of London developers of the flats, Urban Edge, said: "I can't make any comment because no-one knows the who, what, why or where."
Ice Works was in two phases. The 25 affected flats are affordable housing completed two years ago and owned by Yorkshire Housing.
The second phase of 42 apartments, many rented direct from Urban Edge, was finished more recently and is not affected.
Eve Deighton, 26, was one of the first to move into the affected flats two years ago and lives with her one-year-old son Leo.
She said: "I'm shocked and shaken up. If it had gone up we would have been dead.
"I'm angry and upset and feel let down that we have been living in homes that aren't really fit for living in."
Neighbour Dan Murray, also a resident for two years, said he was "really scared and quite upset."
"It's been really stressful, we haven't been sleeping properly. It's an absolute nightmare."
A spokeswoman for Northern Gas Networks which owns the gas distribution network and whose safety experts inspected the building, said internal gas pipes supplying the 25 homes contravened building regulations and gas-safety regulations but the second phase of the building had pipes fitted in accordance with regulations.
The Health and Safety Executive confirmed it was carrying out its own investigation.
It is believed safety experts were first called because a resident thought they smelt gas.
Ged Walsh, director of development for Yorkshire Housing, said as soon as the problem was brought to its attention it had asked the contractors who built the flats to replace the pipework.
It is not known how long that will take.
He said residents had the option to move into a city-centre hotel, or use its facilities while staying in their flats. They had already been reimbursed for expenses incurred over the weekend and wouldn't be charged rent while the gas was off.
He added: "We are talking to the developers, working with them to try and rectify it as quickly as possible."
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
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