Part of a building has collapsed onto a street prompting concerns about the safety of the remaining structure. The building that was home to the Tilers Arms has been unused for the last few years and the safety of its structure has been in question since 2018.
On Monday, December 19, the fire service was called to reports of an unsafe structure on Abertillery Road in Blaina, after the front of the building collapsed at about 12.45pm. The area was quickly cordoned off and scaffolding has been put in place.
Richard Jones moved to the area with his wife in 2017 and noticed that the building had been untouched for several years. As a previously trained health and safety inspector who served in the Metropolitan Police for 22 years, Richard began questioning the building safety to the local council in 2018 He said: "I understand it's private property but because they've just left it derelict it's in risk of moderate collapse - which we had yesterday."
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He added: "I don't care that it looks like an eyesore - it was like that when we moved here. All I care about is the public safety aspect." Richard explained that young children live in the area and he's worried that it's an accident waiting to happen. He added: "We have a four-year-old granddaughter and we walk on that road - I don't want her getting hurt."
Richard also has concerns about older children entering the property in groups. He said: "Kids have been breaking in - kids will be kids - but I'm worried they will injure themselves. I would hate to see what it's like in that cellar." Due to his concerns, a building control officer also attended the building in April 2021 and identified aspects that required attention.
On December 19, Richard called the fire service after witnessing the front side of the building collapse. He said: "There was no point phoning the local council because they wouldn't shift it quick enough and the rubble was everywhere."
A spokesperson from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "At approximately 12:46pm on Monday, December 19, 2022, we received reports of an unsafe structure on Abertillery Road in Blaina. A crew from Abertillery Fire and Rescue Station attended the scene alongside emergency service colleagues. The area was cordoned off as a safety precaution and a stop message was received at approximately 1:25pm."
Richard also has concerns about the scaffolding in place, due to the volume of cars they see speeding on Abertillery Road. He states that "the scaffolding takes up half of the road" which he thinks could be dangerous in the dark if it's not signed clearly. He added: "I've seen a lot of stuff that has gone wrong, and I look at that and see the potential for something horrible happening." Blaenau Gwent Council has confirmed that the appropriate signage is in place.
A statement from Blaenau Gwent Council: “The Local Authority responded by instigating emergency measures to attend to the reported incident. The owner has been contacted and made aware of the situation, and we are working with the owner on potential options going forward. Ensuring site safety will continue as a matter of priority.”
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