We’re continuing to support residents following the fire that took place at the Spectrum building, on Freshwater Road, Dagenham in the early hours of Monday 26 August.
The building is privately owned, and no council tenants were living there. Block Management UK Ltd manage the building and we are calling on them to comply with their obligations to affected residents.
In these situations, the council’s primary role, with our partners, is to provide emergency humanitarian support to those evacuated from their homes because of a major event. In our humanitarian capacity we have supported over 80 people displaced by the fire.
Our support has included providing emergency accommodation for residents who were unable to return home and had nowhere else to stay. We remain in contact with those residents and continue to provide emergency accommodation whilst we discuss their individual needs around longer-term accommodation options.
Since the early hours of Monday morning, the council has also been providing a safe space for residents, providing food, essential supplies and wellbeing support at an emergency rest centre at Becontree Heath Leisure Centre.
This centre will continue to be open for affected residents until Friday 30th August. We will then transition into a Community Assistance Centre in one of our own buildings – the Dagenham Learning Centre - where residents will be able to access any support they may need. It will be open 12 – 4pm daily.
In addition to this, we’re providing further support through a virtual centre, with dedicated information and support available to affected residents online and by phone.
Together with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, we will continue to press Block Management UK Ltd to meet their obligations to residents. We will also look to recover costs from responsible parties.
We want to thank the many residents who have come forward, offering help to those who have lost everything.
Right now, we’re asking people not to donate items, and we have set up a GoFundMe where you can contribute if you would like to support those affected to get back on their feet: www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-families-dagenham-fire-2024
If you’d like to help, this is the best way to do so. We know just how much those affected appreciate your contributions.