PEOPLE living in Swindon’s tallest building have complained of being made prisoners in their own homes after both of their tower block’s lifts broke-down.

One of the lifts at the David Murray John tower has been out of action for several weeks. Then, earlier this week, Swindon Borough Council stopped residents from using the second lift after finding the winching cable had frayed.

Now, those living in the 20-storey block must trudge up and down concrete steps if they want to leave the tower. The council says one of the lifts will be fixed on Sunday.

Caroline Cabrita, 53, who lives on the 17th floor, said people felt like prisoners in their own homes.

“You’d think in light of Grenfell something more would have been done. What do the people who use wheelchairs do if there’s a terrible fire?” she asked.

“Before it was closed, the remaining lift was making lots of rattling sounds. People have said that it’s actually quite scary to go in them.

“The council needs to rip out what’s in there and bring it into the 21st century. We’re riding around in 40-year-old lift. People say to each other in the lifts, ‘Are we going to make it out alive? What if it suddenly drops?’”

Yesterday, it took one Swindon Advertiser reporter around five minutes walking up to the 20th floor of the DMJ – but just two minutes to trot down the 160 steps to the ninth floor, where the highest of the tower’s offices are located.

Walking up, one woman said it was monstrous the lifts were out of order. The 72-year-old, who asked not to be named, said: “You feel so vulnerable. I’m mobile and I can do it, but I have neighbours who can’t.” There was one occasion in the 25-years she had lived in the DMJ that she could remember the lifts being out of order: “They are pretty good really.”

Leigh Russell lives on the 16th floor and was concerned about her elderly neighbours: “The caretaker’s come round asking if some of the older people living here need any shopping brought up.

“I know a man who uses a mobility scooter on the 19th floor, I don’t know how he’ll manage. Doing the school run and carrying a pushchair down 16 flights of stairs was hard work.”

Council has its say

Swindon Borough Council said 16 elderly or vulnerable tenants had been offered alternative accommodation, with only one taking up the offer.

The warden has been helping residents with their shopping.

“We appreciate this is a real inconvenience to residents and we are doing everything we can to help them while the lift is out of action,” a spokesman said.

“All of the residents received a home visit and were contacted by letter and telephone to advise them of the situation and keep them informed of the plans that have been put in place to help them.”

“There are 72 flats in the building and we have had conversations with 16 elderly or vulnerable tenants and they were offered alternative accommodation if required. Our warden has also been helping them with their shopping. Only one tenant has opted to take up the offer of a temporary home while the lift is being fixed. We will also be visiting those vulnerable residents tomorrow and Sunday, with the lift due to be back up and running on Monday.

“We have staff on standby to offer a concierge service to bring any residents into the building and to take them up to the ninth floor using the commercial lifts and further help will be available to any vulnerable residents or those with mobility issues. The Fire Service has been advised and an appropriate emergency plan is in place.

“The lift was due to be repaired next week, but we were forced to bring this forward on health and safety grounds following one of our regular safety checks. The issues are as a result of general wear and tear rather than a lack of investment as the David Murray John building is now more than 40 years old. In fact the council has invested, and continues to invest, a significant amount of money in the building to keep it in the best condition possible for our tenants.”

Firefighters lift also out-of-action

A firefighters’ lift has also been shut over safety fears, residents report.

The only way for rescuers to access the upper floors of the tower is by the stairs.

Glyn Moody, Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service group manager for Swindon, said his firefighters had been to a residents’ meeting last week: “Appropriate advice was offered to both council officials and residents. We are fully aware of the situation at the DMJ tower and have been in constant contact with borough council officers throughout and leading up to the maintenance work.”

In the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster, which claimed the lives of 80 residents of the London block, Swindon Borough Council chiefs ordered a major fire safety review of council-owned blocks. More than £150,000 was spent at the DMJ, with new front entrance fire doors fitted, hard wired smoke detectors and fire-retardant grilles installed.

The council has retained its “prepare and stay put policy,” which means if there is a fire in another flat or a communal area, people should remain in their own flats.