Major incident declared as flat residents evacuated

A major incident has been declared by a Kent council after residents were evacuated from a block of flats due to safety concerns.

Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) said a prohibition notice had been issued at Miller Heights on Lower Stone Street following an incident on Monday where a flood in the basement damaged the building's electricity supply and caused a power cut.

The prohibition notice prevents anyone from living or sleeping at the premises, or entering for anything other than remedial works, Kent Fire & Rescue Service (KFRS) said.

MBC leader Stuart Jeffery said: "We will not allow residents to return to their homes until we are confident it is safe to do so."

He added: "We understand how distressing and disruptive this situation has been and our priority remains making sure everyone is safe and supported."

Although not council-owned, MBC said it was "working closely with partners, including emergency services, building management and technical specialists" to resolve the problem.

It has promised residents will be "kept updated at every stage".

Daniel Noonan, KFRS's head of building safety, added: "Following an incident, our building safety inspectors visited the premises and found a number of fire safety concerns.

"The safety of the public is paramount, and we will continue to work with the responsible persons for the building during this legislative process to ensure any issues are resolved."

The local authority said access to emergency or temporary accommodation had been provided to those who needed it, along with welfare assistance where required.

A rest centre has also been made available for residents needing immediate support.

The prohibition order will remain in place until all necessary inspections and repairs have been completed and the building is confirmed safe for occupation, MBC added.

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