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A big fire in a tower block in Latimer Road just been reported on 5live.Eyewitness says there are people trapped on the upper floors. I hope everyone gets out safely.
Sadiq Khan Is just all mouth and no action only talks to the camera, he should be calling for the people that run K&C to be suspended.
He's the mayor, he doesn't have much power over the councils, to blame him for this is a bit odd really, the blame for the council not helping lies with the council no one else.
One of the volunteers was on Peston oN Sunday at the weekend and said that 3 people from the council come every day but they are a different 3 so by the time they have been told whats going on they are gone and they start again the next day.
She said families who have lost homes were given a tenner each and the big money from the government and from the various charities is not getting through to any of the people who need it.
Very similar cock up to New Orleans and very similar in being a poor area no one cares about. The more you hear about it the angrier I get, just a shocking incident and the reaction to it from authorities has been abysmal.
While I agree with most of your post I've got to pick this up...
"Feck European rules, we should now go balls out to set out own higher standards in all 3+ storey buildings."
Our rules are actually the problem here, not the EU. This cladding is banned in Germany. It's our attitude to "red tape" and this idea that health and safety regulations are busy body things getting in the way of business and building that's part of the problem. If we'd had a few more stringent rules on materials, sprinklers etc it wouldn't have happened.
I won't pretend to know what I'm talking about with this but from what i can gather it was the way the cladding was put up which is the issue, they left gaps behind which allowed the fire to spread rapidly and couldn't be put out.
He's the mayor, he doesn't have much power over the councils, to blame him for this is a bit odd really, the blame for the council not helping lies with the council no one else.
Where have I blamed him for this and I know he has little power but as the mayor of "LONDON" you would think he would speak up when we can all see how bad K&C have been. Have you heard one word of direct criticism of them from him.
Where have I blamed him for this and I know he has little power but as the mayor of "LONDON" you would think he would speak up when we can all see how bad K&C have been. Have you heard one word of direct criticism of them from him.
[Post edited 20 Jun 2017 16:54]
Well, you did call him Mr Soundbite in an earlier post. The person that we seem to have heard little from is the new MP for K&C. She was interviewed on TV on the day after the fire and said that the council were not responding to her calls but I haven't heard anything since.
Well, you did call him Mr Soundbite in an earlier post. The person that we seem to have heard little from is the new MP for K&C. She was interviewed on TV on the day after the fire and said that the council were not responding to her calls but I haven't heard anything since.
David Collins of Grenfell Tower residents' association said he was threatened by Rydon's contracts manager.
Kensington & Chelsea also threatened legal action against the Grenfell Action Group blog in 2013.
Btw, the Grenfell Action Group blog was updated yesterday:
'It is incumbent on us also to state our firmly held belief that the cladding in question was not introduced for the benefit of the residents of Grenfell Tower but because Kensington and Chelsea Council had redeveloped the surrounding area, building another of their flagship academy schools right next to Grenfell Tower, and a new sports and leisure centre next to that. The cladding on Grenfell Tower was intended to pimp it up so that it wouldn’t spoil the image of creeping gentrification that the Council are intent on creating, here and throughout the rest of North Kensington.'
David Collins of Grenfell Tower residents' association said he was threatened by Rydon's contracts manager.
Kensington & Chelsea also threatened legal action against the Grenfell Action Group blog in 2013.
Btw, the Grenfell Action Group blog was updated yesterday:
'It is incumbent on us also to state our firmly held belief that the cladding in question was not introduced for the benefit of the residents of Grenfell Tower but because Kensington and Chelsea Council had redeveloped the surrounding area, building another of their flagship academy schools right next to Grenfell Tower, and a new sports and leisure centre next to that. The cladding on Grenfell Tower was intended to pimp it up so that it wouldn’t spoil the image of creeping gentrification that the Council are intent on creating, here and throughout the rest of North Kensington.'
Also worth bearing in mind that Fielding Mellen lives at the Freston Road end of Bramley Road (which came up on this thread earlier today), 2 mins from Grenfell...
Croydon going to fit sprinklers in all blocks over 10 floors
No word from K&C
Nice idea, but I doubt this is possible. Sprinklers require huge water head pressure, meaning big water tanks and somewhere to put them.
Focus must be on means of escape and a plan - preferably several. However, something as simple as wedging a fire door open can be catastrophic to these plans.
Everyone is talking about the cladding, but it must have passed K&C's planning and building control checks - unless something went seriously wrong.
This is an horrific incident, but I don't think it's helpful to jump to conclusions. Serious lessons need to be learnt from a detailed investigation, as with any airplane crash or ferry disaster.
Nice idea, but I doubt this is possible. Sprinklers require huge water head pressure, meaning big water tanks and somewhere to put them.
Focus must be on means of escape and a plan - preferably several. However, something as simple as wedging a fire door open can be catastrophic to these plans.
Everyone is talking about the cladding, but it must have passed K&C's planning and building control checks - unless something went seriously wrong.
This is an horrific incident, but I don't think it's helpful to jump to conclusions. Serious lessons need to be learnt from a detailed investigation, as with any airplane crash or ferry disaster.
Are you say this press release by Croydon that they have priced at 10M is bunkum just to appease local residents and a press stunt
That blog regarding 'Decanting residents' is an absolute fecking disgrace. How dare he talk about human beings like that. I visited the area today and found it an overwhelming experience. My sister In law has lived on the Silchester estate for nearly 40 years and is fearful that she'll be 'decanted' after her block is demolished. This policy can surely not now go ahead after what has happened. Perhaps the Council can spend some of the £247m they've got and upgrade what is already there. There has to be a fundamental change in how the Council deals with its working class residents otherwise I think there will be serious public disorder in the area.
Likewise I sincerely hope that the Police do their jobs without fear or favour and that people are held accountable for this even if it's at Cabinet Minister level or some aristo deputy leader of the council If they don't and there is the merest hint if a whitewash as a result of any investigation by the Police and the Public inquiry I think there will be riots.
That blog regarding 'Decanting residents' is an absolute fecking disgrace. How dare he talk about human beings like that. I visited the area today and found it an overwhelming experience. My sister In law has lived on the Silchester estate for nearly 40 years and is fearful that she'll be 'decanted' after her block is demolished. This policy can surely not now go ahead after what has happened. Perhaps the Council can spend some of the £247m they've got and upgrade what is already there. There has to be a fundamental change in how the Council deals with its working class residents otherwise I think there will be serious public disorder in the area.
Likewise I sincerely hope that the Police do their jobs without fear or favour and that people are held accountable for this even if it's at Cabinet Minister level or some aristo deputy leader of the council If they don't and there is the merest hint if a whitewash as a result of any investigation by the Police and the Public inquiry I think there will be riots.
Well if history is anything to go by, nothing will change in regard to this policy. it's been going on for years and not just in K&C.
I said it way back that they will knock it down and build private housing.
We all know what the right thing to do is but it won't.
Is there anyone brave enough to take on the establishment.
Whistleblowers from within ? I doubt it
They have already sidestepped a coroner's enquiry/ inquest , so little chance of manslaughter charges or anything else,
Well if history is anything to go by, nothing will change in regard to this policy. it's been going on for years and not just in K&C.
I said it way back that they will knock it down and build private housing.
We all know what the right thing to do is but it won't.
Is there anyone brave enough to take on the establishment.
Whistleblowers from within ? I doubt it
They have already sidestepped a coroner's enquiry/ inquest , so little chance of manslaughter charges or anything else,
[Post edited 20 Jun 2017 21:22]
I wouldn't say a Coroners enquiry has been 'sidestepped'. An independent Public inquiry is actually better. A police investigation will be conducted and will report directly to the public inquiry as well as being able to ascertain if any criminal offences have occurred and reports sent to the CPS.
I also don't think its a question of internal whistleblowers as a rather bright light will be shone on all aspects of the Councils policies regarding this and other estates,in the Borough.
As an aside, it would be nice if the person responsible for the blogs posted earlier by TacticalR , was actually elected to the Council at the earliest opportunity as an Independent Councillor.
I wouldn't say a Coroners enquiry has been 'sidestepped'. An independent Public inquiry is actually better. A police investigation will be conducted and will report directly to the public inquiry as well as being able to ascertain if any criminal offences have occurred and reports sent to the CPS.
I also don't think its a question of internal whistleblowers as a rather bright light will be shone on all aspects of the Councils policies regarding this and other estates,in the Borough.
As an aside, it would be nice if the person responsible for the blogs posted earlier by TacticalR , was actually elected to the Council at the earliest opportunity as an Independent Councillor.
Well, you did call him Mr Soundbite in an earlier post. The person that we seem to have heard little from is the new MP for K&C. She was interviewed on TV on the day after the fire and said that the council were not responding to her calls but I haven't heard anything since.
Labour MP for Kensington, Emma Dent Coad, said the co-ordination of the response to the fire had been "appalling", with "people running around like headless chickens". She told BBC Radio 4's The World at One that she had heard "countless reports" of people who had lost their homes in the fire now sleeping rough. People "are too scared to come forward because of worries over their immigration status", she added. It comes as Labour MP for Tottenham, David Lammy, said he had heard victims of the blaze had been "threatened" with being declared "intentionally homeless".
The Grenfell Response Team said it was not aware any victims were sleeping in parks and denied claims some could be made "intentionally homeless".
Victims of the Grenfell Tower fire are not being asked to move hundreds of miles from their homes
In case anyone is on the High Lane estate in Hanwell or with kids at St Johns primary in Ealing, the construction company that carried out the Grenfell regeneration has been contracted to do more work on both sites.
Nice idea, but I doubt this is possible. Sprinklers require huge water head pressure, meaning big water tanks and somewhere to put them.
Focus must be on means of escape and a plan - preferably several. However, something as simple as wedging a fire door open can be catastrophic to these plans.
Everyone is talking about the cladding, but it must have passed K&C's planning and building control checks - unless something went seriously wrong.
This is an horrific incident, but I don't think it's helpful to jump to conclusions. Serious lessons need to be learnt from a detailed investigation, as with any airplane crash or ferry disaster.
I'm avoiding much else apart from "construction issues" on this thread for fear of kicking off more back biting and shame attempts so just picking up on this...
Please do not lose sight of another HUGE failing alongside potentially the cladding. It is catagorically wrong for any escape stair to fail within the time frames it did. The escape stair, ignoring other arguments about its capacity (which looks a fcukin disgrace), should NEVER fill up with acrid chemical smoke, it should be vented naturally and/or mechanically to ensure it's clear even if all fire doors aren't fully engaged. It should be lit to 200lux with investor packs on the lights so even with complete power failure it is lit. Serious, far reaching and criminal questions need to be asked about the above and why these escape core wasn't good for two hours
I would also personally say at least one lift should've been designated a fire fighting lift with maybe a four hour fire rating.
My last observation/question is what happened to the allegation that the dry risers failed? Is this true? If so it's another scandal.
Where are the regular checks and maintenance on life safety systems?
My view on these blocks is they should be raised and low rises in a wider footprint be used and brownfield sites used. However please don't flip that into an interpretation of being against social housing. I'm a supporter of "key workers" getting rent free accommodation near their place of work and totally agree with "council housing" being needed. Christ, I spent half my life in one as a kid!!!
Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal
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