Two vulnerable men have said they have no choice but to continue living in darkness, in a condemned block of flats without power – rather than face life on the streets.
A number of people who own or rent private apartments at 80-100 Baguley Crescent, in Middleton, Greater Manchester, had to move into temporary council accommodation following a fire last year.
When some later moved back into the flats, claiming they had nowhere else to go, they found the power had been disconnected for safety reasons and the building had been declared unfit to inhabit.
Lawrence Cook, 68, said he returned to his flat after an operation to find the electricity had been cut, and now lives in “total darkness”.
The building was condemned by the fire service, after what Bury Council described as an arson attack, with Electricity North West later disconnecting the power following an inspection.
Inspectors for the energy provider found evidence of an “illegal and highly dangerous connection” at the flats bypassing the meter, a spokesman said.
Fuses had also been taken from the electricity box.
The power was ultimately cut since engineers could not safely reconnect the flats, he added.
Resident Theodore Tony Henry was present in the building when the power was turned off and pleaded with engineers to stop.
“Nobody had nowhere to go – nobody told us. We have sick people in here – you’re not supposed to come and cut the electric,” he said.
“These are two vulnerable, older gentleman – they could die,” said Stuart Potts, who runs the Saving People Shelter Project.
“If you’re not going to give anyone any kind of alternative accommodation – nobody in their right mind is going to move onto the street, especially with winter coming on,” he added.
Bury Council has said it is “obviously concerned if vulnerable people are still in the property”, and has asked Mr Potts for details of the two men, a spokesman said.
Mr Potts said the local authority had been trying to get hold of all the property owners and landlords, so works to bring the building up to standard could be agreed upon.
The building is a combination of privately-rented and resident-owned flats.
“The council did act to help residents immediately after the fire last year, providing some with temporary accommodation in a hotel and those with higher priority with permanent rehousing,” the council spokesman said.
But ultimately the prohibition notice on the building means “no one should be living there,” he added.
Mr Cook and Mr Henry’s landlords have been contacted for comment.
