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.

Seems likely the cladding was to blame. I can see news reports of similar fires around the world of modern, but clad, buildings.

If this is confirmed, and if this cladding has been used on other buildings around the UK, those buildings need to be evacuated now. Can't allow hundreds of people + firefighters to be put in mortal danger by a faulty kitchen appliance, or deranged arsonist!

It's an absolute tragedy. And I was myself surprised that things we take for granted like working alarms and emergency procedures often are not at all clear or working in multi occupancy buildings. I bought a flat in a new build in london and I was shocked at the poor building standards creating dangerous conditions and the lax attitude of managing agents and builders. Earlier this year I got so fed up I escalated to the media after reporting over and over again that smoke alarms in communal areas were faulty along plethora of other issues like fire food jamming which were ignored over and over again. Only then managing agents reacted with some speed but that took a lot of documenting and being sharp elbowed about it and we're talking about a much smaller dwelling. I hope this tragedy brings about a much needed change especially as high rises are making a comeback.

My understanding is the fire shot up the lift shafts, which would have added to the "stay inside" advice.

Ive got loads of kids clothes and toys I've been meaning to take to the charity shop. Im a little way away but is it the church doing the collections?

Many people roll their eyes at the mention of health and safety , maybe not so much now eh ?

"Many people roll their eyes at the mention of health and safety , maybe not so much now eh ?"

This.

That poor man. This is too heartbreaking.

I've just been thinking about those poor parents who felt their only option was to hold/throw their children out of the windows to give them a chance.... and those poor children and the fear they must have felt and whether they survived or not.... I'm physically shaking! The whole thing must be beyond the residents worst nightmares, but for those parents it must be so far beyond even inconceivable nightmares!

Horrific. Hopefully no one died in it and the fire was slow spreading as it is concrete.

This is why I don't like being on a high floor in a hotel and always ask to be near an emergency escape.

Nana , as I understand it the Latimer Christian Centre are taking donations , but I would probably leave it for a day or two as it looks very much like their hands are full , and you don't want to be adding to the traffic in the area , as it's in Bramley road , at the top of Ladbroke
Grove , and the whole area is going to be chaos . But great idea though.

Any update on the man? .

You can see from the photos in link [[https://www.openrent.co.uk/property-to-rent/london/2-bed-flat-grenfell-tower-w11/219191]] that there is some kind of plasticy cladding added to the outside of the building to make it look more modern - in older photos it was a 60's concrete monstrosity.

(Incidentally, that flat was let out 2 weeks ago - I really hope the tenants hadn't moved in yet :().

Sorry, link fail: www.openrent.co.uk/property-to-rent/london/2-bed-flat-grenfell-tower-w11/219191

@MackerelOfFact Also, cannot see a single smoke / fire detector, or sprinkler, in those photographs.

I am normally rather stoic and tend to get angry rather than cry, but my god listening to some of the eyewitness accounts have fucking devestated me.

This is what happens when you put profit making above housing.
My DP is a gas engineer, and has worked in some of the most expensive and cheapest tower blocks in London.

He has said for years that tower blocks are a disaster waiting to happen.
Things with "at risk" notices all over them are still used because private companies won't spend the money to replace them, and councils can't afford to.

Our whole housing system and regs is a fucking shambles, and now people are dead. Horrific fucking stories.

We should be campaigning to get social housing more fucking funding, and forcing private companies running housing to put the fucking money in.

They're saying the building was engulfed within 15 minutes. The eye witness accounts are just awful. Those poor poor people

Mackerel, on LBC, about half an hour ago, they were talking to a man who'd moved into Grenfell Tower four days ago.

Gosh that flat looks really nice :(

Surely they legally have to have a sprinkler on a building that size?!

Horrific. Hopefully no one died in it and the fire was slow spreading as it is concrete

Have you seen the news? There are fatalities and the fire was anything but slow moving.

Brexit there are fatalities and the fire spread quickly because of plastic cladding.

Is it still burning?

Muslims awake to eat due to Ramadan are being hailed as hero for helping raise the alarm.

Surely they legally have to have a sprinkler on a building that size?!

The government had been resisting advice to install them in buildings of this type/size.

Sorry that was my first reaction. 15 mins?! Because of some improvement works, it's just too sad

Why didn't they just paint the concrete?

The community hall on the Clem Attlee estate in Fulham is taking donations. Residents are going to need everything .

Why are people still so close to it? If it falls there will be dust and aspetstos and lots of nasty stuff like in 911 that caused lung cancer for many people in the years that followed