Residents of a block of flats in Dundee feel they have been transported back to the dark ages with no electric lighting in their close for days.
Pensioners have been too scared to leave their flats and babies are being carried down stairs in darkness in the Craigiebarns Road building.
One man has already fallen in the dark since the lights broke on Friday and residents have resorted to lighting candles, leading to fears of a fire.
Dundee City Council sent out an electrician on Friday who was unable to fix the problem.
On Monday, another workman was able to fix lights on the bottom two floors but the rest of the block remains in darkness.
Young mum Shawney Cuthill lives on the top floor of the five-storey block with her baby, Calvin.
She said she and her partner have been forced to risk carrying Calvin down stairs in complete darkness.
Shawney said: “This is an absolute nightmare.
“The block is in complete darkness. It’s like living in the dark ages.”
‘I’m terrified I’m going to fall’
She added: “I am terrified that when I’m carrying my baby to and from the top floor in the dark that I’m going to fall.
“We have been calling the council constantly but we still have no light.
“We have been forced to use candles to try to see where we are going.
“This obviously carries with it a huge fire risk.
“An electrician came back on Monday but he only fixed the lighting on the ground floor and the first floor.
“I have to go up three more flights of stairs carrying my baby in total darkness.
“I am terrified that one of us will stumble and fall in the dark while carrying the baby.”
Forced to light candles
Residents have placed candles around the close to provide some light but Shawney fears they could cause a fire.
“That is far from ideal and also creates a genuine fire hazard,” she said.
“It would be so easy to knock a candle over while carrying the baby in the car seat then the whole building could go up in flames.
“If the worst was to happen there is no way anyone would see at all to clear the building safely.”
Complete darkness
One of Shawney’s neighbours, who asked not to be named said: “For four days we have to cope with complete darkness in the hallways and on the stairs.
“It’s obviously getting darker at nights and the stair cases get completely dark.
“It is a nightmare for all of us living here and we are very afraid there will be a serious accident because no one can see where they are going after dark.
“One of our neighbours actually stumbled and fell on the stairs at the weekend because he couldn’t see where he was going.”
Another resident, who lives on the top floor said: “It has been terrible.
“I’ve just not been going out after dark at all.”
Dundee City Council did not respond to a request for comment.
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