Disabled man rescued from building after lift broke

A disabled man says he was carried down the side of his south London flat block after falling out of his wheelchair, due to a broken lift.

Nathan Rollinson, 33, said he was unable to eat or use the toilet while he waited 23 hours for emergency services to find a way to evacuate him from the property in Clapham because a lift in the building, managed by housing association Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH), was out of order.

A London Fire Brigade rescue team eventually hoisted him over his balcony and he was treated at hospital for spinal problems, kidney injuries and a blood clot in his lungs, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Lambeth Council said it remained “committed to providing ongoing support [to] Mr Rollinson”. MTVH said it was “concerned” by the distress caused to Mr Rollinson and added the lift was fixed on 2 July.

Mr Rollinson has been a wheelchair user since suffering brain and spinal injuries in a rugby accident last year.

Speaking about his fall on 28 June, he said: “I had to crawl out from under the wheelchair. It’s about 160kg so it wasn’t easy.

“I couldn’t reach my phone so I had to drag myself along the floor.

“I didn’t eat during that period. I couldn’t go to the toilet. I had to hold on.”

Mr Rollinson said the “only safe route” for an evacuation from the building was the fire lift and it was broken.

He said the incident would never have happened if Lambeth Council’s adult social care team had placed him in a more appropriate property.

“It was not wheelchair-suitable. It was impossible to use the bathroom and I couldn’t use the kitchen,” he said.

“There was not enough space for them [the emergency services] to do anything.”

Mr Rollinson has now left hospital and is staying at a hotel in the capital while he waits for the council to find him a wheelchair-accessible property to continue recovering in.

London Fire Brigade said firefighters were called to an incident on Wakeford Close in Clapham on 29 June at 15:24 BST.

A spokesperson said a 32m (105ft) turntable ladder was used to remove a person from a third-floor balcony, and firefighters left the scene at 18:53.

The London Ambulance Service declined to comment, citing patient confidentiality.

Lambeth Council said it was “sorry” to hear of the difficulties Mr Rollinson faced due to the broken lift and was offering him further long-term support, including with his housing.

A council spokesperson said: “The property was offered to him because of his apparent vulnerability and so he could be fully assessed.

“He accepted the offer and an occupational therapist found the flat was suitable for him, with support.”

They added: “We remain committed to providing ongoing support [to] Mr Rollinson.”

MTVH said it was “concerned” by the distress caused to Mr Rollinson by the broken lift and confirmed it was fixed by 2 July, adding it sent someone to investigate the problem within an hour of being made aware of it.

A spokesperson said the earlier delay to repairs had been due to “the complexity of the issue” as a specialist technician was required and a “waking watch” service with someone reassuring residents had been put in place in the interim.