Tower block residents complain of aggression and chaos during evacuation

As they contemplated a decision between staying in towers deemed unsafe or facing weeks living out of a suitcase, residents of the Chalcots estate were clear about one thing on Sunday: either way, the result would bear a heavy personal cost.

Around 120 households were still reported to be considering staying on Sunday, many with sick or elderly relatives. They complained of chaotic management and some examples of aggressive behaviour from those charged with handling the process.

One resident claimed to have got into an altercation with security guards after he was refused access to his flat upon returning from evening prayers at a local mosque at around 11pm.

Others said that the evacuation was an “overreaction”, with some complaining about security guards preventing people from coming in and out of the blocks at night.

One of those who refused to go, a man in his 70s who declined to be named, said that his wife has cancer. He added that he will not leave the Burnham tower block until short-term temporary accommodation is provided.

Standing outside the block where he has lived for 38 years, he said: “I don’t want to take her [my wife] to a hotel as all they have offered us is four nights there and we will be out of the house for weeks. I don’t want to be moved about.”

Throwing a bag of rubbish on an overflowing pile outside, he added: “They have gone around the building and people are putting notices on your door to identify if you are staying – I am staying because my wife is very ill and my priority is her.”

Residents have complained about security guards who have refused people entry after certain hours. They say that the fob entry and exit system has also been switched off, with people only allowed through doors heavily guarded by security.

Ibnul Sayed, 23, who lives in the Dorney tower block said that he had planned to stay in his flat with his family until he was forced out in the middle of the night on Saturday. He left to go to evening prayers at the local mosque, being warned he would not be allowed back in. “I came back ... 15 minutes later and at this point I didn’t believe they would not let us back in,” he said.

Sayed said he snuck in a different door to get his belongings and then left the building with the rest of his family. On the way out he claimed a scuffle broke out between him and a security guard after words were exchanged between the pair. He claimed: “It kicked off and I cut my hand ... the police restrained me and the other security guards restrained him.”

He and his family of five then went to Sayed’s uncle’s house. “After all the anger died down I sat on floor and broke down … because I felt like I lost the battle. I had been physically moved from my home and there was nothing I could do.”

Sayed’s neighbour, Cesar Escebar, also complained that his daughter and her boyfriend were refused entry after returning to the first-floor flat late at night.

Burnham occupant Faridoon Taha, 23, said his parents, three sisters, brother and his wife have all decided to stay: “The accommodation provided in the leisure centre is inadequate for women – they need privacy. Being Muslim that is very important.”

He added: “We also have children and we cannot just get the entire family down there to live on air beds ... We also think the evacuations are exaggerated and we have had fires here before, everyone knows that and it’s been safe.”