Massive fire in London - Grenfell Tower in Shepherds Bush

[Frutos]

Apparently Theresa May has visited the site but refused to meet with any of the survivors.

 

[Titanic]

Sussex firm, Rydon Group, worked on the refurbishment project:

A Sussex firm was involved in the refurbishment of the London tower block which was the scene of a devastating fire this week. Rydon Group Ltd, based in Forest Row, carried out a partial refurbishment of Grenfell Tower in west London two years ago, the company confirmed yesterday. The fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning and emergency services are still at the scene. The cause of the blaze in which at least 12 people died and many dozens more were critically injured has yet to be established. But a residents group had raised concerns about fire safety as recently as last November.

Rydon Group Ltd is a privately owned, £270million turnover construction, development, maintenance and management group operating throughout England. Its headquarters are in Station Road in Forest Row and it has regional offices. Robert Bond, the CEO of the Rydon Group, said in a statement on the company’s website, “We were shocked to hear of the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower and our immediate thoughts are with those that have been affected by the incident, their families, relatives and friends. “Rydon completed a partial refurbishment of the building in the summer of 2016 for Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation on behalf of the council. “The project met all required building regulations and handover took place when the completion notice was issued by the Department of Building Control at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. “We are working with the relevant authorities and emergency services and fully support their enquiries into the causes of this fire.”

Read more at: http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/sussex-firm-shocked-by-tower-block-tragedy-1-8009331

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Tensions appear to be running high on the ground still especially with all the press sticking microphones in everyone's faces. Potential for riots once the death count increases?

I know the immediate area very well. It is a poor area with a lot of housing association. Monsoon have security guards at points to the route back to, and from Shepherds Bush station and Latimer Road due to a spate of employees getting mugged a few years ago. However I don't believe there is a potential for riots, angry disturbances yes, but it doesn't seem like the kind of area to go full tilt at the cops.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I saw a tweet today that made me cry. Several girls from the flats, turned up to school, to take their exams, in their nightclothes, yesterday.
That is bravery.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I saw a tweet today that made me cry. Several girls from the flats, turned up to school, to take their exams, in their nightclothes, yesterday.
That is bravery.

Traumatised, and on little or no sleep. They should have had dispensation to take them at a later date.

 

[symyjym]

Mod delete - out of order. Totally not what this thread needs.

 

[worthingseagull123]

Apparently Theresa May has visited the site but refused to meet with any of the survivors.

Any source on this?

 

[Titanic]

Any source on this?

There were photos on BBC News and VictoriaLIVE of her meeting with and talking to Fire and Rescue staff and Police.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Any source on this?

Yep, all over the Guardian blog.

 

[Ernest]

Any source on this?

It was on Guardian website, Corbyn now at the site meeting survivors etc

 

[Napier's Knee]

Any source on this?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ondon-apartment-block-white-city-latimer-road
go down to entry for 10.54 am

 

[btnbelle]

Corbyn - The truth has to come out.

 

[Titanic]

Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered a Full Public Inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower. The truth will come out.

 

[The Clamp]

I'm a Professional Health & Safety consultant but as an Occupational Hygienist my area of expertise is health issues so can't really comment upon Fire Safety except to say I would have thought that there should have been an up to date Fire Risk Assessment carried out by a suitably qualified person.

Would be interested to see what that RA said.

I'm in building management so deal with H&S regs all day long and you are quite correct a FRA would have been carried out and a report made. Having a risk assessment is all well and good but meaningless if no follow up actions are taken. It is looking like early signs say a risk assessment had flagged up this building as a fire risk.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Sian Berry, chair of the London Assembly’s housing committee, told the Guardian the committee had called for stronger building regulations, including fire safety measures, in tower blocks after the Lakanal House fire, which killed six people in Camberwell, south London in 2010. The committee called for clearer building regulations and higher quality fire assessments.

“They realised it was a mess and people doing inspections were not qualified to say whether buildings were safe,” she said. “The system was not fit for purpose in giving residents assurance their buildings have good fire safety or what to do in the event of a fire.” In 2010, she said, the committee found 20% of safety assessments of tall residential buildings were inadequate.

But an update to the building regulations that was due in 2012 still hasn’t happened. “The government has a lot to answer for,” Berry said. “Residents all around London who live in similar blocks will want to know what’s the safety of their buildings,” she said. “That can be done urgently by councils.”

Blocks that have been re-clad, as Grenfell Tower was, will need particularly urgent attention, she said. The implications of the fire are “absolutely enormous” for London’s councils and housing management bodies, but the central government needs to take action too, she said. “Of course if you don’t make it statutory for sprinklers private companies won’t necessarily provide them,” she said.

I guess that regs update was what Barwell was sitting on?

 

[Since1982]

It occurred to me today that I wouldn't work in an office building without a fire alarm system that was tested weekly and a known and rehearsed evacuation procedure - yet it appears those obligations don't apply in a residential tower block where there is a much greater risk of a fire.

 

[symyjym]

Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered a Full Public Inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower. The truth will come out.

Gross negligence? There had been warnings about an accident waiting to happen on her's and Cameron's watch.

 

[Lankyseagull]

Sussex firm, Rydon Group, worked on the refurbishment project:

A Sussex firm was involved in the refurbishment of the London tower block which was the scene of a devastating fire this week. Rydon Group Ltd, based in Forest Row, carried out a partial refurbishment of Grenfell Tower in west London two years ago, the company confirmed yesterday. The fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning and emergency services are still at the scene. The cause of the blaze in which at least 12 people died and many dozens more were critically injured has yet to be established. But a residents group had raised concerns about fire safety as recently as last November.

Rydon Group Ltd is a privately owned, £270million turnover construction, development, maintenance and management group operating throughout England. Its headquarters are in Station Road in Forest Row and it has regional offices. Robert Bond, the CEO of the Rydon Group, said in a statement on the company’s website, “We were shocked to hear of the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower and our immediate thoughts are with those that have been affected by the incident, their families, relatives and friends. “Rydon completed a partial refurbishment of the building in the summer of 2016 for Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation on behalf of the council. “The project met all required building regulations and handover took place when the completion notice was issued by the Department of Building Control at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. “We are working with the relevant authorities and emergency services and fully support their enquiries into the causes of this fire.”

Read more at: http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/sussex-firm-shocked-by-tower-block-tragedy-1-8009331

The cladding contractor was based in Crowborough.

http://www.theconstructionindex.co....-tower-blaze-puts-cladding-system-in-the-dock

 

[The Clamp]

It occurred to me today that I wouldn't work in an office building without a fire alarm system that was tested weekly and a known and rehearsed evacuation procedure - yet it appears those obligations don't apply in a residential tower block where there is a much greater risk of a fire.

Exactly what I was trying to say.

 

[Notters]

The cladding contractor was based in Crowborough.

http://www.theconstructionindex.co....-tower-blaze-puts-cladding-system-in-the-dock

Rydon are based in Forest Row.