Fears Bibby Stockholm migrant barge could become a 'floating Grenfell'
Fears Bibby Stockholm migrant barge could become a ‘floating Grenfell’ due to fire safety concerns – as government plans to house thousands of asylum seekers face further setbacks
- The Bibby Stockholm will eventually host 500 men at a time in Portland, Dorset
A barge being lined up by the Home Office to house asylum seekers risks becoming a ‘floating Grenfell’ due to fire safety concerns, it was claimed today.
The Bibby Stockholm will eventually host about 500 men at a time in Portland, Dorset – despite intense opposition from the local community.
However, it has not yet received approval from the local fire service for Dorset and Wiltshire.
Meanwhile, fire safety checks last week revealed serious fire safety concerns, according to a local authority whistleblower speaking to The Times.
They said the barge had the potential to become a ‘floating Grenfell’ due to the lack of fire safety protocols.
The Bibby Stockholm will eventually host about 500 men at a time in Portland, Dorset – despite intense opposition from the local community
Protesters gather in Portland on Friday to protest against the controversial barge
The Bibby Stockholm has 222 cabins on long, narrow corridors on three decks but only two main exits.
The Home Office had been expecting to move an initial group of migrants onboard tomorrow.
Other sites being lined up by the government to house asylum seekers for less money than hotels are also running into difficulties.
Plans to move 2,000 migrants into RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire have been delayed until October after delays in conducting surveys on the 14 buildings designated for migrant accommodation.
Meanwhile, the Home Office will this week move more migrants into accommodation at RAF Wethersfield in Essex despite a small number of positive results for tuberculosis being detected at the site.
A view of inside one of the bedrooms onboard the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘Delivering accommodation on surplus military sites and vessels will provide cheaper and more orderly, suitable accommodation for those arriving in small boats.
‘The Bibby Stockholm is now undergoing final preparations to ensure it complies with all appropriate regulations before the arrival of the first asylum seekers in the coming weeks.
‘In addition, the Home Office is working with stakeholders on a carefully structured plan to increase the number of asylum seekers at Wethersfield in a phased approach.’
Suella Braverman has been exploring ways to house people who have crossed the Channel in cheaper accommodation rather than putting them up in hotels.
The canteen area on board the barge, which will house up to 500 asylum seekers
A view of inside the gym onboard the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge
Last week, it emerged she had bought large tents to house up to 2,000 asylum seekers on disused military sites.
The Home Secretary has purchased the marquees to accommodate the migrants by the end of August, according to a Whitehall source.
More than 14,000 people have made unauthorised crossings this year as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak struggles to meet his promise of ‘stopping the boats’.
But Ms Braverman is working on contingency plans to erect the tents in the coming weeks with a surge of boats expected.
The arrival of the vessel into Portland port in Dorset earlier this month was met with protests
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