After the meeting, one angry resident said: “This is a shambles. I think it left people more confused than they were before they went in.

“It is about waiting to see what is going to happen. That waiting is quite traumatic for us all.”

Riverside councillor Steve Munby organised the meeting and agreed emergency plans should change to help deal with the fallout of such incidents.

He said: “People were very angry and concerned – they face terrible problems. The meeting was chaotic, it would be foolish to pretend otherwise.

“The emergency planning system seems to be geared up very well to prevent loss of life and limb and getting people immediately re- housed, but there is a terrible problem with information. There should have been an emergency contact number put in place, and the council has to accept responsibility for doing that.

“We will be calling for a review of the emergency planning procedures to agree in principle to the council establishing a point of contact, a number where people can get advice and assistance.

“There was a flaw in communication –– that has got to be recognised in future.”