Grenfell Tower tragedy continued

[RhythmAndStealth]

Twelve people confirmed dead with that number expected to rise significantly.

Many others injured and distressed. People have lost relatives, friends and their homes.

250 firefighters in attendance, risking their lives in an unprecented fire and it's aftermath. Other emergency services and NHS staff working hard to help survivors.

Many questions to be answered.

to all those affected and everyone helping.

I was up all night watching this evolve. I have been out all day and have been wondering if there is any news of the old man at the window? He was there for hours. Does anyone know whether he was rescued?

Yes, he was, at around midday today.

Shadow there was a point made about that on Channel 4 news too. The residents quite rightly want reassurance that the rebuild(s) will be for them and not luxury flats built in place that they cant afford.

Over 70 Tory MPs voted against obliging landlords to make their properties for for human habitation

One of them was my MP. He's a private landlord, and an awful human being to boot. Yet still 30,000 people voted for him.

We've dealt with HA's before, and been treated like absolute scum as tenants.

What a divided Britain we have. So much prejudice.

With what money though? It might be sold off to a private developer.

I don't think they will dare. They'll find the money now they're under the national spotlight. I hope the media are persistent about revisiting and keep the scrutiny up.

Can we talk about the elephant in the room? The fact that these people died because they were poor/living in council housing? And, no, I don't mean to be disrespectful. I don't mean to politicise the issue - this already IS a political issue!

This is completely untrue, some of these flats, particularly the higher up ones were exceptionally expensive, highly sought after, privately owned residences,

think quarter of a million for two bedrooms.....

This has happened before by the way in other countries.

Here's a discussion about aluminium composite cladding from 2015:

www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1801571

Many examples/pictures of cladding fires from around the world in that thread.

This building in China caught fire before construction had finished. Look at what has happened to the cladding.

static.dezeen.com/uploads/2009/02/television-cultural-centre-by-oma-3268281835_12df22f2da_b.jpg

IChannel 4 news live is the one thing I miss since switching to a firestick @HelenaDove

Trust them to be covering the angles on the very first day.

Just to add - there's a collection going round here for nappies clothes toiletries etc - which is all very noble and kind - but it grates that the council/MPs whatever don't have a contingency plan springing into action - rather than relying on individuals and charities

And some of the media now reporting on the tragedy are partly responsible for the way social housing tenants are viewed

Couldn't agree more.

Thatdearoctopus thank you. I have been thinking of him. Very glad to hear he was rescued. I cannot believe he made it until lunchtime!

YY Serf Its the best news programme on TV IMO.

some of these flats, particularly the higher up ones were exceptionally expensive, highly sought after, privately owned residences,

And the owner occupiers were still at the mercy of the building management for safety issues etc. Who were a corner-cutting public housing organisation. Who were complacent because the preponderance of tenants were low income, stretched, working people unlikely to litigate.

Dare? They can do what they like and put out a few nicely worded soundbites. Chip wrapping in 48 hrs and the populace will go back to bickering Tory v Lab.
The 2 party system is a sham. Just polarisation and groupthink. People should organise around issues, and get i dividul mps on board. Forget about rosette colour.

Has anyone seen this? The council sent the residents group a threatening solicitors letter when they dared raise concerns.

www.google.co.uk/amp/metro.co.uk/2017/06/14/council-threatened-blogger-with-legal-action-over-grenfell-tower-warnings-6708453/amp/

Is the management company basically landlord to renters and factor to owners?

And user, 250k is far from exceptionally expensive in London.

Serf, I think you're being optimistic
I think they'll find ways to move the tenants elsewhere
I certainly don't think they'll rebuild as social housing

@7days

I think (hope) that because of the location, the tenant diversity and the sheer scale of the tragedy, they'll have a harder time getting away with stuff like that on this occasion.

I don't have any less sympathy or horror on behalf of anyone caught up in this terrible event, rich or poor, but please don't make it a political situation relating to council tenants, because it just isn't. This was the home of some very wealthy people indeed.

I believe some of the flats had been bought by previous tenants and now let out privately. But they were not 'exceptionally expensive' flats - a quarter of a million for a 2 bed goat is very cheap for the area. Where I live in N London you're looking at more like £350k for a small 2 bed flat and this isn't Kensington.

A lot of insurance companies won't touch composite clad buildings - it's great for insulation but terrible in a fire - lots of restrictions on say ha ugh good pictures that pierce the cladding - should never have been used

@Slimthistime

Well they should certainly be put under serious pressure not to.

Would have been safer living in a goat

And user, 250k is far from exceptionally expensive in London

seriously! As a professional I couldn't even consider anything in that range, and don't know anyone who could..

but in any case, it is irrelevant. All I am saying is this is nothing to do with poverty