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London tower block fire
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"Horrible watching it all unfold on tv  "
Indeed, I had to stop watching, I have been trapped in a flat surrounded by fire when I was a kid and it never leaves you!
Nice to see people bringing supplies and local Clubs opening their doors  |
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I stay 18 floors up in a block of flats not far from Glasgow city centre We have had cladding put on and this seems to have caused the fire to spread more rapidly in London We also have only on flight of stairs to get out of the block All the high rise blocks in Glasgow which the Glasgow Housing Association Have this cladding on In no way am i hitting the panic button but it is so worrying  |
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By *ndykayMan
over a year ago
Falkirk |
"I dont know if the cladding GHA have used is the same type as was used in this block in London"
I guess time will tell heather. If you're really concerned call GHA and ask for contact details of the contractor and ask them.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"been a firefighter for almost 28 years now, shocked at how quickly this has spread and involved the whole building.... that simply shouldn't happen"
Indeed, I know an ex fireman who expressed the same concerns, either the type of cladding used is way substandard or it's been treated with something such as a waterproof coating which is highly flammable. There is something very suspect about it anyway and such a tragedy for the people involved. |
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By *ndykayMan
over a year ago
Falkirk |
"been a firefighter for almost 28 years now, shocked at how quickly this has spread and involved the whole building.... that simply shouldn't happen"
That's what I thought.
I also wonder what happened with the fire alarm system. However, I think we will have to wait some time until they have investigated thoroughly before we have any answers |
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By *ndykayMan
over a year ago
Falkirk |
"been a firefighter for almost 28 years now, shocked at how quickly this has spread and involved the whole building.... that simply shouldn't happen
Indeed, I know an ex fireman who expressed the same concerns, either the type of cladding used is way substandard or it's been treated with something such as a waterproof coating which is highly flammable. There is something very suspect about it anyway and such a tragedy for the people involved. "
In my experience, the insulation and cladding 'should' all be fireproof. Simple as that. However, like I said, only time will tell |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"been a firefighter for almost 28 years now, shocked at how quickly this has spread and involved the whole building.... that simply shouldn't happen
That's what I thought.
I also wonder what happened with the fire alarm system. However, I think we will have to wait some time until they have investigated thoroughly before we have any answers "
My Firefighter friend even suggested it may be a terrorist thing Andy but I hope not... just a series of shoddy mistakes and inept people. |
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By *ndykayMan
over a year ago
Falkirk |
"been a firefighter for almost 28 years now, shocked at how quickly this has spread and involved the whole building.... that simply shouldn't happen
That's what I thought.
I also wonder what happened with the fire alarm system. However, I think we will have to wait some time until they have investigated thoroughly before we have any answers
My Firefighter friend even suggested it may be a terrorist thing Andy but I hope not... just a series of shoddy mistakes and inept people."
Having worked a lot in the area when I lived in London, I would say this was a tragic accident rather than a willful or deliberate act. At least, that's what I hope |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"been a firefighter for almost 28 years now, shocked at how quickly this has spread and involved the whole building.... that simply shouldn't happen
That's what I thought.
I also wonder what happened with the fire alarm system. However, I think we will have to wait some time until they have investigated thoroughly before we have any answers
My Firefighter friend even suggested it may be a terrorist thing Andy but I hope not... just a series of shoddy mistakes and inept people.
Having worked a lot in the area when I lived in London, I would say this was a tragic accident rather than a willful or deliberate act. At least, that's what I hope "
Agreed - incompetence and cost cutting are more likely the cause. |
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I don't see how the cladding caused the fire to spread so fast internally - on the video it looks like all the flames are inside the building and not focussed on the outside - hope the fire investigation sorts this one out fast and if anyone is to blame for cost cutting etc. they get prosecuted. Another sad day for London. |
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"I don't see how the cladding caused the fire to spread so fast internally - on the video it looks like all the flames are inside the building and not focussed on the outside - hope the fire investigation sorts this one out fast and if anyone is to blame for cost cutting etc. they get prosecuted. Another sad day for London."
The fire 'could' have spread up the outside of the building and then through open windows, or windows broken by the intensity of the fire. This would then circumvent the compartmentation and fire stopping within the building.
I say 'could' because although it seems highly likely that this is the method of fire spread, it is still speculation at this point. |
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"I don't see how the cladding caused the fire to spread so fast internally - on the video it looks like all the flames are inside the building and not focussed on the outside - hope the fire investigation sorts this one out fast and if anyone is to blame for cost cutting etc. they get prosecuted. Another sad day for London.
The fire 'could' have spread up the outside of the building and then through open windows, or windows broken by the intensity of the fire. This would then circumvent the compartmentation and fire stopping within the building.
I say 'could' because although it seems highly likely that this is the method of fire spread, it is still speculation at this point."
It appears that there was a cavity between the cladding and the insulation material, this along with wind/air circulating acted like a chimney/funnel and spread the fire very quickly both up and around the building.
The investigation to come should clear this up.
Very sad tragic event. |
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Wehad a bad fire in the block next to me it and another 2 blocks have verandahs my block block and the other one doesnt The fire which was started accidentally but by 2 boys playing with petrol spread from the 12th to 15th floor but downwards to the 6th floor it happened during the day and thanks to promt action by the concierge no fatalities But to get to the point there were windows open heLping the spread of the firE and NO fire stops the cladding wasnt touched |
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The verandahs were open when the blocks were built but in our 12million refurbishment programme 4 yrs ago were enclosed in we still havent been given the fire report by our land lords GHA even though the fire service have passed it on |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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A high rise is designed to prevent fire spread, pretty much concrete boxes with no gaps to keep any fire held within affected flat, saftey measures such as self closing doors on stairs to prevent smoke spread. Even outside (window sills) are designed to prevent fire from below spreading into the floor above, but with the suspected problems with the cladding, this has allowed unatural amount of fire to affect the next area unrestricted. |
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A contributing factor to the high casualty number was the advice from the fire response service to stay put, rather than evacuate, based on the theory that fires in such structures are designed to be isolated by design and construction.
Far from it, there was a conflagration, which demonstrates that the theory is only as good as how rigorous is the implementation.
If it transpires that sub-standard cladding panels were used in order to save costs, that would indeed make the suffering and anguish of the victims much worse.
If there are design flaws in the method of fitting, there will be many occupants of high rise buildings with similar upgrades who will be filled with anxiety.
The implications of this tragedy for the country's high-rise housing stock are extremely worrying and one can only hope that the magnificent response of local people will be matched by a ruthlessly determined effort by the different authorities and experts to establish the causes of this conflagration as speedily as thoroughness allows. |
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"A contributing factor to the high casualty number was the advice from the fire response service to stay put, rather than evacuate, based on the theory that fires in such structures are designed to be isolated by design and construction."
Why not say London Fire Brigade, rather than fire response service. If your going to apportion some of the blame, then at least be clear to whom your apportioning it. |
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By *ndykayMan
over a year ago
Falkirk |
"A contributing factor to the high casualty number was the advice from the fire response service to stay put, rather than evacuate, based on the theory that fires in such structures are designed to be isolated by design and construction.
Why not say London Fire Brigade, rather than fire response service. If your going to apportion some of the blame, then at least be clear to whom your apportioning it. "
Because the LFB aren't the only fire service who give the advice. It's standard practice.
However, in this instance it would appear that the fire was able to penetrate the building from the outside |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Thing is if the fire is inside the stair then the staying put advice is sound. But this fire appears to have spread up the outside.
What's interesting is that the residents of that block were all door knocked just in last few weeks by Fire officers to remind them what to do if there was a fire inside the block so that advice would be fresh in their minds.
Whatever happened it's a tragedy whole families have been wiped out and the death toll is going to rise & rise.
RIP to those that lost their lives and my thoughts are with those families who have lost loved ones x |
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TheLFB was giving the advice given to all residents in High rise flats as these flats are contained units and the fire is not supposed to spread to other flats In this case something has went tragically wrong In the case i mentioned before the flames spread so quickly as it did in this case in our case there were NO fire stops on the verandah,s which in my opinion there should have been |
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"What's interesting is that the residents of that block were all door knocked just in last few weeks by Fire officers to remind them what to do if there was a fire inside the block so that advice would be fresh in their mindsx"
Absolutely, there was a fire in my flat building when I was a kid and we were trapped on the 3rd floor.
My mum knew exactly what to do as the Firemen had come to the door the week before selling Christmas calendars.
Was a blessing.
And seeing that picture that has been circulating, of them all on the ground absolutely exhausted! I have great respect for those guys |
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"A contributing factor to the high casualty number was the advice from the fire response service to stay put, rather than evacuate, based on the theory that fires in such structures are designed to be isolated by design and construction.
Why not say London Fire Brigade, rather than fire response service. If your going to apportion some of the blame, then at least be clear to whom your apportioning it. "
I was choosing my words in order not to appear to be apportioning blame, nevertheless you seem to have decided that I was doing just that.
The advice given by the 999 service would have been based on the protocol for that building, established by input from all the appropriate experts.
The implications of this catastrophe are crucial not just for the victims and families, but also for those entrusted with the safety of such buildings throughout the world.
There are serious questions to be answered, particularly as this type of fire is not unprecedented, but absolutely no apportioning of blame was intended in my post |
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