Residents evacuated from tower block fire to be re-housed

Nearly 30 people were evacuated during a fire at a block of flats in Coventry this morning.



Housing provider Whitefriars says 28 people were affected when the blaze broke out on the fourth floor at Paul Stacey House in Hillfields.

They were taken to nearby Sidney Stringer School and have since moved to St Peter's church.

Whitefriars said two properties were so badly damaged residents would need to be rehoused.

Mark McCarthy, who lives on the fourth floor at Paul Stacey House in Hillfields, said he woke up and "could hardly breathe".

"I woke up to my fire alarm, and it seemed like the fire was in my flat. I evacuated the people from my flat and people were just panicking.

"When we came out of the front door we saw the fire and saw just how bad it was.

"It's been a major shock to most residents in the flats."

One early report seemed to suggest that this might not have been an accident.

The tenants will be sent the bill for the repairs whether it was or wasn't.

Its being investigated by the fire department according to the news.