Protesting Holly Lodge residents have been told the rooftop exits do not comply with safety standards

• I LIVE on the top floor of one the blocks in Holly Lodge mansions. I was away last week and I came back to a nasty ­surprise, one that keeps me awake at night!

Despite resident objections, and without notice or any warnings, a Gerda fire lock has been installed to our fire exit on the roof (totally unacceptable) so that if there’s a fire below my flat I cannot escape on the roof as always has been the case.

Instead I’ll jump out of the window (I suppose) onto my beautiful pine tree, as I wouldn’t stay put waiting to die by smoke, I tell you that. Alternatively, a crowbar would do the job or buying the Gerda firelock key.

As far as I know I didn’t sign a new tenant agreement with new specifications of the fire exit rules.

Sabrina Bordin came home to find a Gerda fire lock has been installed to fire exits

We had a meeting with the residents and Camden reps recently and, in the past, talks of special doors that were supposed to open with smoke were meant to be fitted… And a manual opening device for other emergencies… Water tanks on some of the roofs and rain water leaking problems or gutters. Many questions were not answered.

All the flat doors are meant to have changed to new fireproof ones but in my block one flat hasn’t got the new door yet.

Incidentally I experienced a fire next door to me in 2008 that almost burned the flat down. As a consequence my flat was full of smoke (it turned into soot) in no time.

The firefighters on the phone kept talking to me while my flat was full of grey/black fog, at 2am! But I could run down because there was no smoke below.

These flats are old style wood and bricks; steam, smoke, and smells come through the floorboards and wall pipes.

I do feel this is an illegal act from Camden Council and I’ll seek legal advice regarding the matter asap.

SABRINA BORDIN
Holly Lodge Mansions, N6