MORE information has emerged about last night's fire at a block of flats in Grays, which was started when a electric bicycle battery being recharged overheated and triggered the blaze.

Though the incident was dealt with relatively swiftly after seven fire crews attended the blaze and quickly located the fire and cleared the smoke-filled landing, some residents have expressed concern about the lack of an effective alarm, system in much-maligned Keir Hardie tower block.

The flats, which are under consideration to be pulled down, have featured in innumerable stories including rodent infestation and the blight of mould and damp.

The latest concern surrounds the lack of awareness of a fire and the lack of a general alarm about it.

One borough resident, concerned about the safety of her mother who lives in the second floor flat immediately above the first, has told what happened and believes it was more luck than judgement which meant the incident wasn't worse.

She says: "The alarm from the flat was only heard in the two flats above. Only the fire alarm in the flat in question went off, none of the communal alarms did.

"The fire alarms used to be connected so if they went off in one flat, the ones around it went off.

"Recently the council have put new alarms in that only go off in the one flat.

"Luckily other residents heard it or it could have been much worse, but quick action meant it was contained. Everyone is incredibly lucky."

Concerns about safety and conditions at Keir Hardie House mirror criticism of Thurrock Council by borough MP Jackie Doyle-Price in the wake of another fire earlier this year at Lionel Oxley House in south Grays.

Earlier today (Monday, 28 February) Thurrock Nub News highlighted concerns by residents at Lionel Oxley House and other flats following a decision by the council to remove locks on communal drying areas. There are fears not just about theft of clothing and other items, but also the impact of people having to dry wet clothes in flats already blighted by damp and humidity.

Thurrock Council has declined to answer Nub News questions about its flats and any potential risks to its residents.