Camden Council leader mass evacuation was not planned properly
Camden Council leader Ms Gould speaks with residents on the Chalcots estate (EPA)Elderley Residents left outside to sleep over night.
At 8pm on Friday evening, up to 4,000 people – including families with newborn babies and a Second World War veteran – were told to leave their homes after fire officers said they could not guarantee the safety of the buildings.
Leader of Camden Council explains why she decided to evacuate 4,000 people from their homes on a Friday night pic.twitter.com/XyqW9vcJHK
— Camden New Journal (@NewJournal) June 23, 2017
The elderly woman said: “I am having a pop at you in a funny kind of way because I am so absolutely stressed. Why were hotels not looked at before we were all evacuated?
“I’ve sat in a chair over here since 9 o’clock last night, I’m 72 years old. I suffer with emphysema. Now, I’m being told they can’t rehouse me because I’ve got a dog.
#ChalcotsEstate resident confronts Camden Council chief pic.twitter.com/Mr6pwAmXGd
— Federica De Caria (@federicadecaria) June 24, 2017
The woman’s daughter joined in: “I’m her daughter. She’s 72 years old and you’ve allowed her to sit in a chair with her dog and she’s stressing more for her dog than anything and you’ve allowed this to happen.”
She added: “For this long now, you’ve allowed them to live in a property that’s been dangerous.”
Ms Gould agreed that it had been “a horrible, horrible night” and said she would help find the woman a hotel.
Camden council resident told he might have to sleep on an inflatable bed in the leisure centre for 'one to two months'
#Camden council resident told he might have to sleep on an inflatable bed in the leisure centre for 'one to two months' pic.twitter.com/FAXbOVgy4f
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 24, 2017
Residents evacuated from Chalcots Estate tower blocks arrive at Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre and Library in Camden
Scene inside leisure centre where dozens of beds laid out for evacuees. Shot by a resident who's "dreading" prospect of night here. #CAMDEN pic.twitter.com/hjOp3NWdyf
— Joe Tidy (@joetidy) June 23, 2017
Yet more than 80 people have refused to leave their flats, branding the decision to evacuate as "excessive" and a "knee-jerk reaction" by the council.