UK - Huge fire rips through Grenfell Tower, Latimer Road, White City, London, June 2017

[gregjrichards]

"Survivors of the horrific Grenfell Tower inferno have 'freaked out' after being offered temporary accommodation in high-rise tower blocks.

Nadia, who lives close to the 24-storey tower in west London, revealed one of the men who escaped the burning building was offered a place to stay in a hotel.

But she said he refused to go there with his children because they were frightened to enter a tall building similar to the one they dramatically fled."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...aked-offered-accommodation.html#ixzz4kLXKwcqK

I'm not surprised they don't want to live in a tower anymore.

 

[gregjrichards]

"Flammable cladding that helped the inferno which destroyed the Grenfell tower is already illegal in Britain, Philip Hammond claimed today.

The Chancellor said criminal probes and a public inquiry into the disaster would answer why the controversial material was used.

Mr Hammond was challenged by the BBC's Andrew Marr today on why the material - which is banned in America and Germany - was used on British homes."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Grenfell-cladding-illegal.html#ixzz4kLXknyuj

 

[Ellmau]

"Survivors of the horrific Grenfell Tower inferno have 'freaked out' after being offered temporary accommodation in high-rise tower blocks.

Nadia, who lives close to the 24-storey tower in west London, revealed one of the men who escaped the burning building was offered a place to stay in a hotel.

But she said he refused to go there with his children because they were frightened to enter a tall building similar to the one they dramatically fled."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...aked-offered-accommodation.html#ixzz4kLXKwcqK

I'm not surprised they don't want to live in a tower anymore.

No indeed - but I'm also not surprised if that may be the only option available in the area. I hope they can find something else.

 

[Ellmau]

I think that may well be an issue with permanent rehousing too.

 

[Ellmau]

The cladding is not supposed to be used on buildings over 18 meteres high.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4615012/Chancellor-claims-Grenfell-cladding-illegal.html

 

[Ellmau]

Recent building control records for the borough are searchable online, and I found some interesting entries.

The major recladding project: status is given as "completed, not approved": https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/bconline/bu...o?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_RBKC_BCAPR_124682

So it looks as if it was never signed off by building control.

It looks as if they considered demolishing the tower in 2014: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/bconline/bu...o?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_RBKC_BCAPR_123520

 

[KaaBoom]

Recent building control records for the borough are searchable online, and I found some interesting entries.

The major recladding project: status is given as "completed, not approved": https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/bconline/bu...o?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_RBKC_BCAPR_124682

So it looks as if it was never signed off by building control.

It looks as if they considered demolishing the tower in 2014: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/bconline/bu...o?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_RBKC_BCAPR_123520

Maybe they decided to let it burn down, and collect the insurance instead. I'm not sure what else their reason for putting illegal flammable materials all over the outside of the building would have been.

 

[Ellmau]

Cheaper, so more profit for the contractors.

 

[wfgodot]

Sunday Mail:

Decision of death: Hero firefighter reveals harrowing account of the Grenfell inferno as he faced agonising choice whether to save a mother and daughter on the 10th floor or a family on the 14th

 

[Ellmau]

Sunday Mail:

Decision of death: Hero firefighter reveals harrowing account of the Grenfell inferno as he faced agonising choice whether to save a mother and daughter on the 10th floor or a family on the 14th

They did incredible work getting as many people out as possible.

 

[wfgodot]

“It feels like the ineptitude is continuing," Nina Masroh, who lives in a low-rise block at the foot of Grenfell Tower, said regarding Kensington and Chelsea council.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...e-after-angry-exchanges-in-no-10-live-updates

 

[Ellmau]

The manufacturer of the cladding panels denies reports they were banned on high buildings:

John Cowley, managing director of CEP Architectural Facades which fabricated the rainscreen panels and windows for Grenfell Tower's cladding sub-contractor Harley Facades Ltd, said: "Reynobond PE is not banned in the UK.

"Current building regulations allow its use in both low-rise and high-rise structures.

"The key question now is whether the overall design of the building's complete exterior was properly tested and subsequently signed off by the relevant authorities including the fire officer, building compliance officer and architect before commencement of the project."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-london-40239008

However, another report that they advised against it in their own brochure: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/81...ot-to-be-used-Arconic-manufacturer-Kensington

The discrepancy here might lie in the late change fro Reynobond to the cheaper version?

 

[Ellmau]

A lovely tribute to Khadija Saye: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/17/khadija-saye-grenfell-tower-artist-venice-biennale

 

[Ironside]

Maybe they decided to let it burn down, and collect the insurance instead. I'm not sure what else their reason for putting illegal flammable materials all over the outside of the building would have been.

Absolutely not an insurance job. It was just stupidity.

 

[wfgodot]

Of Grenfell Tower Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “Is it the case that the cladding currently appears to be lawful according to the regulations, but isn’t fit for purpose? Is it the case the way the cladding was fitted was faulty? How many tower blocks have this cladding? How many tower blocks have had cladding fitted properly or improperly?” The government needed to examine.

Mayor Khan added: “If it’s the case that some tower blocks are - forgive me for language that may cause concern - if some tower blocks are death traps, we need to know which ones they are. And action needs to be taken, to provide housing for those people in their communities in the same area, and if necessary those tower block repaired and refurbished in a safe way, not cutting corners, or those tower blocks pulled down as soon as possible”.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...e-after-angry-exchanges-in-no-10-live-updates

 

[Ellmau]

Obviously a lot of questions for the enquiry to investigate.

 

[dotr]

Sunday Mail:

Decision of death: Hero firefighter reveals harrowing account of the Grenfell inferno as he faced agonising choice whether to save a mother and daughter on the 10th floor or a family on the 14th

This small detail about numbered staircases, are often overlooked, but it turns out it can be very important in emergencies.

There were no numbers on the stairwells so everyone was told in no uncertain terms, “Count your floors.” It’s not as easy as it sounds in those conditions.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ount-inside-Grenfell-Tower.html#ixzz4kN9L0Qmz
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[dotr]

A lovely tribute to Khadija Saye: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/17/khadija-saye-grenfell-tower-artist-venice-biennale

So poignant, yet haunting in retrospect.

 

[Hiandmighty]

If a 24 story building had one stairwell, and if all the others have the same, then yes they need to all be torn down because they are death traps.

 

[Elainera]

They did incredible work getting as many people out as possible.

Yes very admirable.

How is it done I'm wondering? Do they lead people down the stairs in small groups, do they give them breathing masks, protective blankets or something?