Residents relocated to hotels following storm damage to apartments

A woman whose flat sustained damage from Storm Darragh stated that observing the roof detach was “frightening for her children.” Panels from the building located on Westfield Close, Bridgwater, were dislodged by powerful winds. Lisa Grant, 37, and her two children are currently residing in temporary accommodation after water began to leak through her ceiling. Homes in Sedgemoor, which maintains the 14 maisonettes in the block, indicated through a spokesperson that they are now working to conduct a “proper and full assessment” of the damage. Ms. Grant recounted: “My daughter woke me up screaming, saying the roof was falling off the building. “As the day went on, we noticed water dripping through the light fittings and the smoke alarm.”” Firefighters and police responded to the incident on Saturday, and a cordon remained in effect for several hours. Individuals from two of the flats have been moved to local hotels, while occupants of another maisonette are staying with relatives. Scaffolding will now be erected around the property before it is made watertight. Lisa Grant expressed her hesitation to return to the flat: “My concern now is the ceiling will fall on me. That’s my fear.” Claire Tough, Director of Communities and Customer Services at Home in Sedgemoor, commented: “We will remove any debris from the roof to make an assessment of the repairs that need to be done.” Ms. Tough further added: “It’s about making sure the property is wind and water tight before progressing with the repair work.”