Residents who were evacuated from a Salford apartment block and housed in temporary accommodation after damage to a pipe caused a serious leak have begun to return home.
People living in Salix Court in Pendleton were told to leave their flats on Friday 2 January, on the advice of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
Residents in unaffected flats have begun returning today and most occupants are expected to be back by the end of Wednesday 7 January.
Pendleton Together, which manages Salix Court on behalf of Salford City Council, acknowledged the “impact on residents at a time when many are returning to work and school after Christmas.”
The housing provider said that the damage to the pipe was not related to the recent programme of fire safety works and the incident has been reported to Greater Manchester Police.
Pendleton Together said staff have continued to support residents to retrieve belongings and to make arrangements for accessing work and school.
They confirmed that there was a staff presence at hotels where most residents have been staying all weekend and Monday evening to provide updates and reassurance.
A spokesperson for the company said: “While the leak and associated safety issues have now been addressed, it has caused damage to homes and we are working on a case-by-case basis to assess damage and take appropriate measures to rectify the situation as quickly as possible.
“Pendleton Together, who manage Salix Court on behalf of Salford City Council, recognise that this has had an impact on residents at a time when many are returning to work and school after Christmas and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
“Our priority has been to ensure resident safety and facilitate residents returning home as soon as possible.
“While one lift remains out of action and there will be ongoing work to repair damage caused by the leak, the building is now safe and we are supporting residents to return in phases.
“We have made attempts to speak to every resident affected, offered our full support and have done our best to keep residents up-to-date.
“Where residents have incurred costs related to food and accommodation, they should contact us to see what support we can offer.
“We would stress that residents should work with us to return home and not return without confirming with Pendleton Together staff first, so we can ensure their needs are addressed.
“Any residents with questions should contact us immediately on 0300 555 5567.”
The Mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett, added: “This incident happened over the New Year holiday period, yet despite this, teams from the council, Pendleton Together and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service moved very quickly to support all tenants.”
He highlighted they “assessed the damage, standing up evacuation procedures in a calm and organised way, and sourcing and securing alternative accommodation swiftly to give as much support as possible at what has been a deeply unsettling time for residents.
“Work has happened around the clock, including out of hours, to make this happen.”
Mayor Dennett praised the way the “Community has pulled together and supported each other,” and outlined the support offered to residents who have been affected by the leak.
“Salford City Council has made funds available from its hardship fund to support residents in replacing food and is putting on an additional bin collection to ensure any waste is disposed of safely.
I’m pleased that the leak is now resolved, the building has been made safe and residents are now returning home. I will be continuing to speak to Pendleton Together while the cause of the leak is investigated,” he said.
