Massive fire in London apartment block

[AnimMerc]

In case it is taken offline... a local resident is suggesting that it was no accident, and that 'they' (the Council?) purposely spent £10m on covering this building in flammable material to get it burned down so that they can get rid on the unwanted tenants. His 'evidence' is that he "has been living here all his life" and there was never any fire before last year's refurbishment.

The fact that he lives there qualifies him more to have this opinion rather than those on here who don't what is more he could be right.

https://www.channel4.com/news/regen...lass-cleansing-kensington-resident-and-writer


David Cameron: I will kill off safety culture | The Independent

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

£25 million rebuilding cost

£25 million.

If they spent £10 million to upgrade the heating and exterior, when another £15 million could have rebuilt the whole thing to 21st century standards, with at least a 40 year life, it looks like they spent their money badly.

"Other people's money" being poured down the drain yet again.

And that's without asking why those people have to live in crowded, dirty Central London, and not out in the 'Burbs like the rest of us.

They certainly could have had fabulous quality, brand new spacious homes, if that valuable land had just been sold and they'd been moved out to the 'Burbs. My Central London white working class family moved out from that area decades ago - for exactly that reason.

 

[DSM10000]

The fact that he lives there qualifies him more to have this opinion rather than those on here who don't what is more he could be right.

https://www.channel4.com/news/regen...lass-cleansing-kensington-resident-and-writer


David Cameron: I will kill off safety culture | The Independent

Of course these are completely related and unbiased sources

 

[geraldrobins]

Interestingly, an eye witness living locally described hearing a series of explosions as the fire spread through the floors, adding that each flat had their own gas storage, which I found odd at the time.

The planning document refers to boilers in the basement so these were presumably gas fed?

 

[geraldrobins]

Gas services in multi storey flats were outlawed after the Ronan Point flats collapsed in 1968. These flats were built after that, so unlikely gas had anything to do with it.

Russ

But what about a district heating scheme with boilers in the basement say?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

The fact that he lives there qualifies him more to have this opinion rather than those on here who don't what is more he could be right.

https://www.channel4.com/news/regen...lass-cleansing-kensington-resident-and-writer


David Cameron: I will kill off safety culture | The Independent

To all. Any further mention of UK politics / politicians will get the thread closed.

Why is this so difficult to get a grasp of

 

[wemorgan]

The most crucial thing about this is that no one died because money was spent to protect people.

I'm quite certain that the UAE is not a beacon of light in the world of industrial and residential safety.

The very poor manual labour migrant population are treated appallingly.

 

[AMGeed]

Hi,
The difference with the UAE fires - is that the cladding on the outside of the building burnt and there was damage on one side of these buildings with less ingress into the building.
From the back - the Address hotel looked totally undamaged - we had a look at it a few days after the fire. It's about to reopen soon after the refurb.

My sister has an apartment on the 38th floor and was there that night (NYE).
Luckily no loss of life , just lots of smoke damage.
All occupants who owned apartments were given free use of another apartment in town. The whole cost of refurbing the affected apartments has been met.
Here is a view from her balcony looking across to the Burj- Khalifa.

 

[AnimMerc]

I'm quite certain that the UAE is not a beacon of light in the world of industrial and residential safety.

The very poor manual labour migrant population are treated appallingly.

Thats not the point though is it? all lives matter is.

 

[wemorgan]

Thats not the point though is it all lives matter is.

Indeed, that was my point too.

The UAE may provide state of the art fire safety to whites and locals, but offer little but over cramped sweat boxes to the Pakistani and Indian labourers.

Whilst I'm sure much can be done to improve social housing in the UK, it can not be compared to the UAE where poor immigrants are treaded as 3rd class.

 

[AnimMerc]

To all. Any further mention of UK politics / politicians will get the thread closed.

Why is this so difficult to get a grasp of

You did refer to all but why do you always intervene mainly when I post?

 

[Steveml63]

I'm quite certain that the UAE is not a beacon of light in the world of industrial and residential safety.

The very poor manual labour migrant population are treated appallingly.

Actually you are very wrong.
HSE is taken very seriously here and in my work I visit many building sites.
The migrant labour population is treated much better these days and as from yesterday - Summer hours have been declared - so all outside work stops from 12.30 until 15.00 from now until mid-September.
Midday break begins in for UAE’s outdoor workers | The National
Building codes here are very strict - including materials, insulation, sustainability, fire safety, ventilation, cooling, water useage etc.
It makes London look very third world!

 

[AnimMerc]

Indeed, that was my point too.

The UAE may provide state of the art fire safety to whites and locals, but offer little but over cramped sweat boxes to the Pakistani and Indian labourers.

Whilst I'm sure much can be done to improve social housing in the UK, it can not be compared to the UAE where poor immigrants are treaded as 3rd class.

OK I misunderstood.

 

[DSM10000]

Indeed, that was my point too.

The UAE may provide state of the art fire safety to whites and locals, but offer little but over cramped sweat boxes to the Pakistani and Indian labourers.

Whilst I'm sure much can be done to improve social housing in the UK, it can not be compared to the UAE where poor immigrants are treaded as 3rd class.

Actually you are very wrong.
HSE is taken very seriously here and in my work I visit many building sites.
The migrant labour population is treated much better these days and as from yesterday - Summer hours have been declared - so all outside work stops from 12.30 until 15.00 from now until mid-September.
Midday break begins in for UAE’s outdoor workers | The National
Building codes here are very strict - including materials, insulation, sustainability, fire safety, ventilation, cooling, water useage etc.
It makes London look very third world!

So wemorgan, first hand knowledge seems to refute your claims?

 

[wemorgan]

So wemorgan, first hand knowledge seems to refute your claims?

I've been there too and I had family living there as a civil engineer on construction projects. So mine is also first hand information. Just a different perspective.

 

[Steveml63]

I've been there too and I had family living there as a civil engineer on construction projects. So mine is also first hand information. Just a different perspective.

How long ago?
Things have changed massively in past few years.

I first started working in this region 33 years ago!

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Was all kicking off on the ITV news feed a moment ago, they cut the audio from an interview with a fireman there which I missed. Trying to find out what he said

People forcing their way into the town hall and all sorts

 

[markjay]

The planning document refers to boilers in the basement so these were presumably gas fed?

Don't know... one of the issues with eye witnesses' evidence is that they often conflict.

 

[geraldrobins]

Don't know... one of the issues with eye witnesses' evidence is that they often conflict.

They mentioned on the BBC news just and showed a photo of gas services rising in the communal area.

 

[rf065]

But what about a district heating scheme with boilers in the basement say?

If the building was renovated last year, the current standard would have a boiler house or gas supply outwith the main building. Only hot water pipes would enter the building, even an older system with a boiler in a basement would have had the incoming gas supply turned off as soon as the fire dept arrived on site if there was any suggestion of gas being involved.

I would imagine there are many varied objects in the average house which would explode subjected to the heat of a fire which would account for any witness hearing an explosion.

Russ