More suffering, sad news about the tower block fire in London

[Pete999]

Tower block fire in London, apparently there are many deaths, some saying the smoke/fire alarm didn't work, our thoughts are with the survivors and Family members of the Dead and injured.

 

[Bobster]

I found earlier this morning a report on how shoddy the wiring, fire system, space for emergency vehicles and escape routes were. This report told the housing company in no uncertain terms that this was exactly what was going to happen! I'll try and find a link to it again.

From the report it's likely to be an electrical fault that started it, the block had a £10m upgrade recently, wonder if they fit metal CU's? (Is it too early for a joke?)

 

[LankyWill]

I bet there's a few sparks booking plane tickets this morning.

 

[Specialist]

Not heard about this until now, yes our thoughts definitely go out to those involved & their families.
Too early to know exactly what happened, only a thoroughly open investigation will reveal that.
Only then can those responsible be held fully accountable.

 

[Pete999]

I bet there's a few sparks booking plane tickets this morning.

Plenty of Test and Inspection work around the corner I suspect.

 

[onions1066]

Well questions will be asked as to how a fire can spread like that in a newly refurbished block of flats. Serious lack of fire barriers and containment by the look of it. There will be some twitchy bums this morning from whoever did the refurbishment.

 

[Wilko]

A quick look at early footage suggests (to me) that whatever started it, it went straight up the facade of the building ... as if they've clad the building in a flammable material (?) . I hope I'm wrong, but polite words fail me.

I can't bare to watch any more knowing the pain and suffering this will have caused.

 

[westward10]

Whether an electrical fault or not fire should not spread through a block of flats like that. Something seriously amiss there.

 

[Octopus]

According to the news, a refurbishment doesn't have the latest fire regs applied, which seems more than a little odd. That said a house refurb doesn't have to have mains powered smoke alarms, but if it has a new CU it has to be metal!

 

[LankyWill]

I bet there's a few sparks booking plane tickets this morning.

 

[westward10]

It is the speed of fire spread which should not have happened in a block of flats, correctly constructed it should have been restricted. That was unbelievable it was almost like it was constructed of wood.

 

[Rpa07]

I bet there's a few sparks booking plane tickets this morning.

We heard you the first time - now where's my sombrero?

 

[Joshua]

I'm working in Hammersmith today and I can see the building from where I am.
I don't understand how something like this can happen when everything is centred around health and safety.

sadly, change only happens when something terrible like this happens.

 

[westward10]

A quick look at early footage suggests (to me) that whatever started it, it went straight up the facade of the building ... as if they've clad the building in a flammable material (?) . I hope I'm wrong, but polite words fail me.

I can't bare to watch any more knowing the pain and suffering this will have caused.

This is highly possible, if a fire occurs in one flat the rest of the block should be well protected by the containment of that flat though some surrounding dwellings may suffer damage. External cladding may well have aided its spread with people likely to have had open windows. People state they could smell plastic burning and I suspect this is what they could smell. I wouldn't mind seeing the findings of any FRA carried out on it.

 

[Andy78]

Absolutely tragic. I hope answers are found and prosecutions brought where appropriate. The families involved are going to need some explanation no matter how awful.

 

[westward10]

I do a lot of FRAs on various buildings but never a block of flats and if it were the cause I would seriously question whether I would have noted the external cladding, I will now.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Reports on skynews saying resident heard a faulty fridge caused it... Nothing confirned though...
The refurb clad the building in some sort of white plastic based cladding. Hence why it spread so quick.
Agree with others that there will be squeeky bums in many an office this morning. No doubt getting paperwork in order as we speak!

 

[westward10]

You can see from the footage the external cladding burning up the building and falling off. If this is the cause of the rapid spread because internally it should not have happened then some people are sitting very uneasy this morning.

 

[Specialist]

I think there are going to be a lot of people saying they heard it start either this way or that. Some of them just to make themselves feel more important, whether that be residents, neighbours or the press. At the end of the day no one will know what actually caused the fire or why it spread so fast, until the Police & Fire investigations have finished.

 

[Andy78]

Just been watching BBC and listening to some eyewitness reports. It seems accepted that the fire spread very rapidly up the exterior of the building beyond the control of the fire services already on scene dealing with the fire on the lower floors.

It also seems that the residents had an action group in place trying to get health and safety concerns addressed, fire safety being among them.

Council owned block but managed by a private company on their behalf.

 

[The Ghost]

Wow they have just about finished cladding all the high rises and maisonettes around where I work from. I wonder if they will have to take it all off now? Idiots! Where is the risk assessment?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

There are a load of tower blocks in bristol around the barton and lawrence hill areas where the council were in process or about to clad in similar manner as this london tower. I wonder if they will stop and reconsider now? Or at least until they can determine what went wrong

 

[Specialist]

Fire has just taken hold again with flames bursting out of windows half way up the tower.

 

[Lou]

I cant believe this it is terrible!

People have lost everything including lives it is so sad. Any news on how it started yet?

 

[westward10]

A lot of speculation as to how it started and then spread so rapidly even the Fire Service have never seen such destruction to a block of flats.