A worried High Wycombe father fears the block of flats he lives in is “another Grenfell waiting to happen” amid a string of gas leak problems. 

Bernie Vink, who lives in Romero Court in Olympic Way with his wife and eight-month-old baby, feels his family – and their neighbours – are taking their lives into their own hands every time they step into the building because of a number of problems with the gas supply there. 

He fears the building could go up in flames if the problems – which he has reported multiple times – are not sorted out by housing association Home Group, or the National Grid. 

He likened the issue to the catastrophic fire at Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey block of flats in North Kensington in June last year, killing 71 residents. 

Mr Vink reported a gas leak on February 7, with the National Grid visiting two days later to disconnect the gas supply to the whole building. 

Two days later, he returned home from work in Stokenchurch at 5.15pm and says he could smell gas again.

On February 9, Home Group said a gas engineer would arrive at 5.30pm but as a customer service adviser put Mr Vink on hold he was transferred to a voicemail and despite leaving a message, no-one called him back. 

The leaking pipes in the building were again cut off by the National Grid, but on February 12, while taking out the rubbish, Mr Vink smelled gas again in the area where there had been gas leaks all week, resulting in another call to Home Group and the National Grid. 

Fearing the problem is not being taken seriously, Mr Vink said: “This is an extreme number of ongoing issues in the building. They just don’t seem to care much about it. 

“This is another Grenfell Tower waiting to happen. I am having to check the gas every day just in case - my wife and children are at home and I’m worried for everyone’s safety.

“There are nearly 40 flats in this building with young children and families. 

“I am seriously worried for our safety and that HomeGroup cannot ensure a safe living environment.” 

A spokesman for Home Group, operations manager Karen Evans, apologised to residents in the building for the “disruption and inconvenience” caused by the gas leaks. 

She said: “Safety is our paramount concern, and we’d like to reassure residents that gas levels were deemed to be safe by National Grid and individual metered supplies were unaffected.

“The gas supply has been shut off to allow local repairs to be undertaken to the main supply.

“We are currently communicating and working with the affected residents, and will conclude this work before the full supply is resumed.

“Home Group will work flexibly with homeowners.”