Grenfell Tower

[RhythmAndStealth]

Watching the news just now and I can't believe my eyes. It looks absolutely horrific.

I want to think everyone got out safe, but sadly I just can't.

Some of the news reports are about alleged poor safety standards and dangerous living conditions. If that's true it just beggars belief.

If £8million was spent on this block last year, it's not a question of lack of money, but what it's spent on. I still think it's for another day!

norman smith‏*@BBCNormanS*
Its understood there can be no statement in Parliament on #grenfelltower tragedy cos MPs not sworn in yet

I'm speechless at that.

This is just so so awful.. 😢 how can this even happen it's 2017 for goodness sake! I can't get my head around the fact there was only one way out?! Why wasn't there anymore fire exits! Devastating.

I didn't Nananap but no doubt some will use this an excuse to sell off similar sites for mega money rather than spend on making these blocks safe for the current residents.

Has May not made statement a yet? That's poor.

Thank you to those who responded to my comments about housing disabled people in tower blocks.

Presumably Because the fire is too intense.

Metropolitan Police ✔ @metpoliceuk
#GrenfellTower fire: Concerned about a loved one? Call Casualty Bureau: 0800 0961 233. If you don’t get through 1st time - keep trying

Metropolitan Police ✔@metpoliceuk
#GrenfellTower fire: If you've reported someone missing and they have been located it’s important to let Casualty Bureau know: 0800 0961 233

LBOCS2 I had trouble getting access to my tenants rooms. They said they didn't mind if there were no smoke detectors ffs.

Its understood there can be no statement in Parliament on #grenfelltower tragedy cos MPs not sworn in yet

Sheesh. Surely protocol can be shifted a bit.

What is Thresa May supposed to say? As the fire brigade said it's still a dynamic situation.

I was advised the blocks I asked about had all been properly risk assessed and loads of work had been done to ensure fire safety. There were fire doors everywhere, work done to reduce risk of fire spreading between floors etc, sprinkler systems installed and so on. Because of all that tenants were meant to be safe in flats for at least 2 hours until fire brigade could rescue them.

That doesn't help when the fire is on the outside (cladding) spreading in through windows etc.

intense austerity inflicted on the poorest in society.

FFS. It may have been caused by a faulty fridge. That has nothing to do with austerity; it could be that a plug socket was overloaded. Or that it was one of those Beko fridges that was recalled a couple of years back.

Faulty fridge or not, the fire should not have ripped through the building in the way it did, there are reports of a fire escape being sealed off, ancient wiring, possibly flammable external cladding, lack of proper fire safety assessments, fire doors that were not able to properly close. Those things should have been addressed by proper maintenance. Due to council budgets being slashed time and again, as well as cuts to the fire services, it is not hard to deduce that there was no money for repairs, checks and maintenance needed.

FreakOfNurture Absolutely. I feel that money should have been spent on fire systems (if they weren't there), maintaining fire systems and employing someone to check regularly that routes were cleared, risers could be accessed / were working etc. I don't think money is the issue; they had the money - it feels like (without knowing the full outcome of the investigation) that money was spent on the wrong things.

Also, I wondered about whether there should be spot checks on electrical appliances; I couldn't even charge my phone in a hospital recently as my charger hadn't been certified - someone certified it the next morning so it was OK for me to use it. Surely we need these types of checks on electrical equipment in tall-rise buildings too? Can that be implemented?

LBOCS2 Similar experience in my block of flats when LFB were coming around and giving and installing them for free. They told me that less than 10% of the flats had adequate fire alarms / smoke detectors and they reckoned they'd maybe get another 10 - 20% of the flats to agree to them installing them. They also showed me how to sort our flat accordingly - I lived with someone who was disabled; thankfully I always knew I was strong enough to carry them down the fire escape route if needed - however, in the event that I did have to leave them I know that there were two fire doors to protect them (giving an hour).

Dawn Foster‏*@DawnHFoster*
Notting Dale ward councillor says Grenfell Tower had between 400 and 600 residents living there via @BBCNews

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-london-40239008?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=59410783e4b0831b67031646%26Grenfell%20Tower%20resident%20estimate%26&ns_fee=0#post_59410783e4b0831b67031646

I watched this unfold on social media this morning and couldn't believe how quickly the fire spread. My uncle used to live in a similar flat and every time I visited, I wondered how people were meant to survive if there was a fire. There weren't enough staircases for people to evacuate safely and quickly.
RIP those poor people. It's a horrendous tragedy.

there was no money for repairs, checks and maintenance needed.

Once again, I will reiterate, they had just spent 8.6 million pounds on this building; it was not the case that there was no money. There was money.

There really isnt enough information about what we can do. Where do we send donations, clothes, food, toiletries, blankets, nappies, shoes and What do they need the most.

What is Thresa May supposed to say?

A heartfelt 'thoughts are with everyone effected etc'. That's kind of standard isn't it?

smiletho... - i just heard on the radio that the government can't say anything until after the Queen's speech due to , in my words, the government isn't officially running yet.

Mimi I fucking hope not !

What is Thresa May supposed to say?

Well sympathy and concern would be a start...

There are 1960's high rises in my city which have been recently reclad in a modern style. The flats exclusively house older people, as part of a sheltered accom scheme. The mobility, disability and vulnerability of the residents would be a major concern in the event of a similar incident there. I suspect it's a similar story all over the UK.

Conspiracy theories about the fire being deliberate really don't help. The simplest explanation is the most likely and that is that in an effort to save money corners were cut in the refurbishment.

strange. just saw a witness saying there were no fire alarms going off.