Disabled people at iconic London tower ‘trapped inhumanely inside’ after lifts broke

Disabled and elderly people said they were left trapped ‘inhumanely’ in a 28-story building after their lifts stopped working.

Residents living inside Balfron Tower, in Tower Hamlets, east London, were stuck inside their homes for nearly a week from May 13 after their lifts broke.

The 26-storey Grade II-listed tower, which forms part of the Brownfield Estate and is managed by property firm Way of Life, has two lifts.

Residents say one of the lifts works ‘sporadically’ while the second stopped working completely last week.

Many said they found it ‘physically impossible’ to get up and down the hundreds of stairs and claimed they were not able to access the 24-hour assistance they were offered by building management.

In an email sent to residents last Thursday, which seen by Metro, Way of Life said both of the lifts need fixing, with ‘major components’ required in both lifts, something that the company said was ‘highly unusual’.

It added: ‘It is incredibly unfortunate that this has occurred across both lifts at the same time and for that we apologise.

‘The on-site team, lift company, landlord and I have been doing everything we can to expedite the situation, however, we are still unsure of the exact length of time that the lifts will be out of service.’

It added it could take a few days to fully fix rectify, which they understood ‘was not welcome news.’

The company has since added one has been turned on temporarily since yesterday afternoon using ‘old parts’.  

But the time Metro returned to the office from the building – the lift had broken again.

Vasundhata Gupte, 22, told Metro she cannot walk up and down the stairs due to a serious hamstring injury.

‘I am coming back from recovery sessions for my leg, but I then have to walk up 15 flights of stairs so what is even the point in trying to fix it.

‘Way of Life emailed us and said to contact them if we need help with everyday tasks like grocery shopping, but I couldn’t reach them on Saturday and I had to walk with my bad leg to go get them.’

Another resident Peter, who only gave his first name, told Metro it feels ‘suicidal’ using the lift knowing it has only been temporarily fixed with older parts.

The 58-year-old has a severe spinal injury, meaning he cannot use the stairs at all.

He said: ‘If fixing it temporarily was always an option, why did they only do this yesterday, when we have been without a lift for more than a week?

‘What if there is a fire? What if I have a heart attack? Who will come and get me? Lives are at stake here.

‘We don’t know how to get help, we are at a loss.’

He claimed he previously asked for help with his groceries, but once his food arrived he said ‘the man downstairs on reception point blank refused to walk past the seventh floor’.

While Metro was speaking to Peter, the building manager knocked on his flat door and asked him whether he knew who created the viral Reddit post, in which a number of residents desperately asked those online for advice on what to do.

Sophie, who lives on the 21st floor, said she is capable of walking up and down the stairs but needs to carry her 14-year-old dog every time to let it out to use the bathroom.

She told Metro: ‘Imagine finishing a 10 hour night shift, and having to walk up the 21st floor.

‘My housemate has had to temporarily move out of the flat because he has mobility issues and he knows there is no way he can manage the stairs – it’s the same with my friend on the 24th floor.’

A spokesperson for Way of Life told Metro: ‘We are aware of the situation with the lifts at Balfron Tower that has impacted residents and can confirm that the service has been restored. Despite regular maintenance and servicing, this issue was caused by a component failure.

‘The London Fire Brigade were notified immediately, and an increased service was offered to residents on all floors, in particular for those with additional needs. We apologise for the frustration and distress this has caused.’

Metro has contacted Way of Life for further comment.

The Brutalist block was designed by esteemed architect Ernö Goldfinger and completed in the early 1960s.

It is owned by housing association company Poplar Harca and house builder Telford Homes. It contains 146 flats, which were refurbished in 2019, and contains a mixture of social housing and private rentals.

A two-bedroom flat can cost £2,300 per month to rent.

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