A LEADING building expert fears several more children have died because their homes were riddled with mould.
Professor Mike Parrett told GB News he’s aware of more fatalities in the south east of England due to poor housing conditions that have not yet been reported.
He was speaking after an inquest found that two-year-old toddler Awaab Ishak died due to breathing in “severe” levels of mould in a one-bedroom flat in Rochdale.
Professor Parrett told GB News: “When I look at the disparity of knowledge, particularly among social housing – it’s even worse in the private sector, it fills me with horror that we’ve arrived at the situation we have.
“My office has received calls from some sources where there are allegations of further fatalities Involving young children. I knew the day would come, I knew that this would happen.
‘It wouldn’t surprise me prior to this case, there were other cases which have slipped through the net. They’ve slipped under the legal radar. In America there’s been many claims of a proven causal link between mould spores in the air – inhalation and fatality, that is a fact. This sadly, is going to be the first of many, and I say sadly because my whole life…I’m a doctor I’m trying to do the best I can for my patient. It’s an uphill struggle, I’m trying to roll a boulder uphill with this. Sadly there will be more fatalities before this is all eventually sorted out.”
GB News reporter Alice Porter also spoke to Dan Whiteside who lives in a leasehold flat in south London with his wife and two children.
He said they have been suffering leaks, mould and damp since February, which has left them sleeping on the sofa and unable to use the master bedroom.
“Mushrooms are coming through the wall, which then quite quickly started turning into a large area of black mould,” said Mr Whitehead.
“I’ve been calling my housing association L&Q twice a week and they finally sent out a damp expert to come out and have a look and that was two weeks ago.”
He told GB News: “It’s pretty difficult to ascertain that you have something related to the news story of the child who sadly passed away.
“They mentioned on the phone we couldn’t have a newborn baby living in these conditions, which obviously makes me quite angry because my wife was pregnant throughout this.
“We have to bring a newborn baby back to this, we pay a mortgage and a service charge and we’re living in a nightmare.”
In a statement, L&Q Housing Association said it was sorry for the delay in carrying out repairs, as establishing the cause has proved more difficult than anticipated.
