Rowe Court Fire
Thames Valley Police, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Reading Borough Council are continuing to work together to make the building safe in Rowe Court, Reading following a major fire which began at the site on Wednesday, 15 December 2021.
Tragically, we know that one person has died as a result of this incident. On Thursday 30 December 2021, a second deceased person was located in the building.
It is likely these are the two people who have been reported missing, however we cannot confirm at this time.
Due to the structural instability of the building it currently remains impossible to recover those who are inside.
In the weeks since the fire, scaffolding has been put in place around the site and good progress has been made.
However, in recent days, the building has started to collapse inwards, which has resulted in some parts of the roof falling inside.
It is therefore possible that further collapses will occur due to the instability of the building.
While it is impossible to predict when or if this will happen, the emergency services continue to monitor the site closely as well as weather conditions which could affect the situation.
If the collapse does occur, it is expected that this could be loud as well as visible to those living nearby.
In the event of a collapse, people are advised that they should keep windows and doors closed to prevent dust from entering their homes.
An exclusion zone which is already in place will continue to protect properties and keep residents safe.