Litvinenko home won’t be cleaned (From Times Series)

Litvinenko home won’t be cleaned

3:28pm Wednesday 25th April 2007

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The contaminated Muswell Hill home of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who died from radiation posioning, will not be de-contaminated until the owners of the property come forward.

Haringey Council said it has been trying to contact the owners of the house, in Osier Crescent, which was declared a no-go zone last week due to remaining traces of Polonium 210, since it received the keys to the property in January. But until it does, the premises will not be cleaned, a move a which has outraged oppostion councillors.

Councillor Neil Williams, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "The council has had four months to establish whether or not the costs of a clear up can be recovered from the house owner.

"If there is no insurance, does this mean that residents in Osier Crescent should have to live next to a contaminated site? It is totally unacceptable."

Defending the decision, councillor Nilgun Canver, executive member for crime and community safety, said: "We cannot write a blank cheque promising to pay whatever it costs to remediate the property, that is the responsibility of the owner.

"Until a survey to examine the extent of the contamination takes place, we do not know how much remediation will cost."

ndutta@london.newsquest.co.uk

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