A GAUNLESS Valley village resident feels like she is “living in limbo” after a meeting to find out when she can return to her home which was affected by a fire at a haulage yard last month.
Pamela Sams was one of four residents of Newholme Crescent, in Evenwood, who met officials from Durham County Council and the Environment Agency to find out when they could access their properties.
Ms Sams has been told to keep out of her property because of diesel contamination. She was offered alternative housing by the council but turned it down because she wouldn’t have anything to furnish it with.
Ms Sams said: “I’m not allowed in because of the fumes, but it is just so frustrating. They said we’re just going to have to wait and see.
“They said until they have cleared the site and have sent soil samples away for analysis they can’t give us a timetable. So I’m not holding my breath as to when I can get back in.”
Ms Sams and her partner, Stuart Wilson, have been living with relatives in the village since returning from holiday four weeks ago to find her home was one of those affected by the fire at Ramshaw Removals haulage yard.
The fire blazed for eight hours before being brought under control.
Since then, Northumbria Water has removed more than a million litres of water from the site using tankers and environment agency officials are monitoring the local water supply.
Joanne Waller, Durham County Council’s head of environment, health and consumer protection, said: “We are continuing to lead multi-agency work to recover and remediate the site. This involves carrying out environmental sampling which is currently being subject to further analysis. We will continue to offer advice and support to those residents who are in temporary accommodation until such time as they can return to their homes.”
