Wicker Riverside: Residents can return after Sheffield flats closure threat over fire safety is lifted

Officials say that they are now happy for the building to remain open after work to address serious fire safety concerns was completed.

Fire safety inspection officers from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue served a prohibition notice on Wicker Riverside in December because previously identified issues with the building had not been resolved.

Residents had been warned they may have to leave by the end of the month if the issues - including internal fire compartmentation and external cladding - were not addressed. Earlier this month, people in 35 flats on floors 6-10 were moved out with immediate effect because remedial works had ‘significantly increased’ the risk in the 132-apartment building.

The notice had been due to come into force on January 31 – but work undertaken to address the issues means it has now been lifted. Residents previously evacuated from floors six to 10 of the building have also been allowed to return.

SYFR assistant chief fire officer Andy Strelczenie, said: “Prohibiting the use of a building in this way is always a last resort and we are sorry for the disruption and distress this has caused to all those living there. Ultimately though, people’s safety must come first.

“We are reassured by the efforts taken by the responsible persons to resolve matters within the building. The remedial work completed is the minimum required to keep people safe and we will continue to engage with the responsible persons to ensure the remaining issues with the building are effectively resolved.”

The fire service originally served an enforcement notice on Wicker Riverside in December 2020 and continued to work with the people in charge of the building since then to ensure the safety issues identified by inspectors were resolved.

SYFR is responsible for enforcing fire safety laws in South Yorkshire. It employs fire safety inspecting officers who carry out fire safety audits. If the inspecting officer identifies any fire safety deficiencies, they have a range of options available to them- including issuing a prohibition notice.

A prohibition notice is a legal notice. Where there is a serious and imminent risk to life fire safety inspecting officers can prohibit or restrict the use of premises. If the premises continues to be used against the prohibition notice, then anyone failing to comply with the notice may be prosecuted.