Fire in High rise tower block

@garymarsh6 (23393)
United Kingdom
June 17, 2017 5:10am CST
As most of you may already be aware about the tragic fire that engulfed a high rise tower block in London this week it has left many people devastated and numbed by the sheer destruction and loss of life. There are estimates of over 100 people killed in the fire as yet not all bodies if there are any parts of the body left to recover. The building will be combed slowly by forensic experts, fire officers, police, structural engineers,specially trained police dogs that specifically can find bodies. There are a great many questions that need to be asked about how and why was this allowed to happen. For a fire to take hold of a 24 story building so rapidly appears wrong. I think that within 15 minutes practically the whole building was alight. What we know so far is that the fire started on the 4th floor before spreading upwards. In all this madness there was apparently only one central fire escape in the centre of the building many people were advised to stay in their flats as the escape route quickly filled with smoke. The building had just had a £9million pound refit of which cladding was used to cover the whole building. There are guesses as to which type of cladding was used one type of cladding included polystyrene whereas mineral cladding should have been used. It seems that there was no sprinkling system installed. Many people have lost their homes and are currently homeless. The race is on to find them other accommodation urgently. This is going to be a big inquiry as a few years ago six people died in an apartment block. Following the inquest recommendations were made to prevent such an occurrence happening in the future. None of these recommendations have taken place. The emergency services responded within six minutes and continued to work there for over 24 hours. Some are still on site. Local people and people who live far and wide immediately responded with clothing, water, food and other essential so much so that the local church halls and halls where residents were staying were overwhelmed by the amount of stuff donated. Church groups have provided hot meals all on a voluntary basis. Millions of pounds have been raised so far. Many questions will need to be answered including:- Why have none of the recommendations taken place. Why was no emergency planning operation put in place by the council. Why was non fire retardant materials used. Why were there no fire breaks in the building. Why was there only one escape route. Why was there no fire alarm system to alert people. Why did the safety planning officer sign off the building as being sound. Why is are there no fire tenders that can reach above the 11th floor especially when there are around 4000 such apartment buildings in the UK. I could go on and on with Why's but until they have had the chance to investigate everything these whys will continue. People are understandably very very angry as residents had continuously complained about safety at the apartments. They are angry because they only had the things they stood up in when escaping. All their possessions have been lost. Yes you can replace material things but you can not replace personal mementos, photos, sentimental items and so far the 30 people who have died. The numbers are expected to go up into over 100. Similar fires have happened around the world so why have lessons not been learnt! The photo was taken at the scene of the fire how could anyone escape this inferno! The country is in mouning.
30 people like this
28 responses
@topffer (42156)
• France
17 Jun 17
My bet is that the response to your questions is the same than in the old Infernal Tower movie : greed. It is sure that it is not a problem of security standards, but that security norms have not been followed to save on the building. I hope that the responsible for that will be sued, and not only with a politically correct civil trial.
5 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
17 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 Yes, he has not done his job correctly, but he should not be the only one to be prosecuted : it is not always easy to detect polystirene behind a rendering without doing a hole and they may have cheated the council planning officier that cannot control every wall in a tower, although he is supposed to do it.
4 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
@topffer There is a big possiblility this has happened. I am sure many people will be found culpable and implicit in some way! It should not have happened in the first place.
4 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
I am sure there will be a few people who are going to be prosecuted once the police have investigated this fully. The council planning officer is responsible for signing off the safety of the building so no doubt they should be prosecuted too for not doing their job properly!
6 people like this
@dodo19 (47056)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
17 Jun 17
I did hear of this sad story. It is awful and sad that this happened. So many lives lost. So many losing their homes. It does seem as though this could have been prevented.
5 people like this
@dodo19 (47056)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
17 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 Absolutely.
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (45467)
• India
18 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 but most of the times wealthy builders go unscathed.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
Absolutely horrific. I am sure there will be many people culpable for this
3 people like this
• Pamplona, Spain
17 Jun 17
I was left holding the baby so to speak when I had to be President of a Portal which is the main doorway of the Flats and all the people that lived there. Yes they told me about where the fire Extinguishers were and that was about it. They never told me what to do if a Fire started anywhere or whom to call. Nothing at all. I was supposed to be responsible for all that and other things. This thought came to me when I saw that go up like a Torch it was horrendous to see and I really feel for all that has happened.
4 people like this
• Pamplona, Spain
18 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 Did they have a fire hose on every floor? We did but I did not have a clue as to how to use them and I was supposed to call people to give them a revision as well which I did. Now most have a Fire Extinguisher in their house also. There were six floors where I lived that is 24 Families to see to. I would never do that again I can tell you it was a complete madhouse.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 17
It was far too rapid within 15 minutes the whole building was ablaze something catastrophic has occurred!
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 17
@lovinangelsinstead21 The fire was so rapid it engulfed the whole building within 15 minutes. Crazy they never stood a chance.
3 people like this
@vandana7 (98826)
• India
18 Jun 17
A bit hard to like post but liked because logical questions asked. If it happened in India, I could overlook saying that can only be expected. It is hard to believe that such things are happening at your end as well. Out here temperatures soar and at times cars burn in outdoor parking places simply because of the heat. And you must be aware how closely the buildings are built here without precautions for getting out when there is fire.
2 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (45467)
• India
18 Jun 17
@vandana7 disaster planning in urban India is pathetic and needs a lot of improvements.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 17
Heads will roll on this one the whole nation are enraged about it.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
20 Jun 17
@vandana7 There is a lot of speculation and misinformation at the moment. People are beying for blood. They want answers such won't be available for a while.It will be a judicial review and inquiry so there could be legal ramifications for many people.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
17 Jun 17
It is truly the stuff of Hollywood. Already checks on buildings here are under way, with the local hospital that has some 14 floors, I believe.
The tower block at Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital is among a number of buildings set to undergo an urgent fire safety check after a devastating blaze swept through a block of flats in London this week.
2 people like this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
17 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 I am wondering if the source of the blaze will be found to have been a faulty charger for one of these infernal vaping devices, or a mobile charger or one of these electric stand-on self-balancing scooters (or "hoverboards")... Please don't let it have been a chip-pan blaze. I had heard that there was a gas main going up the main stairwell in the centre of the building, also a major flaw, lack of sprinklers and presence of non-fire-rated cladding aside.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
@pgntwo There has been a report that a mans fridge exploded. He alerted his neighbours to the fire. It has not been confirmed yet. I have never heard of fridges exploding. If it did it makes you wonder what he was storing in it if that were the case. I checked it out and apparently it is the 'green coolant' is a cause for fridges exploding!
2 people like this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
17 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 The green refrigerant fluid, now that is an interesting one. I wonder... Surely that is only as flammable as its predecessor, which wasn't (the older-style coolant gases are also used in gas extinguishant systems).
1 person likes this
@Rhombus (357)
• South Africa
17 Jun 17
Absolutely awful, everyone's nightmare. Yes, the building should have been better protected. Curious whether tenant in flat where it started will be prosecuted? I've read reports where he packed clothes etc before alerting neighbours.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
Well it is all speculation at the moment. You know a bit like chinese whispers You break a finger nail and by time the story has got around you have had an arm amputated!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
@Rhombus Absolutely and thank you for caring!
2 people like this
@Rhombus (357)
• South Africa
17 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 There were so many errors made, and yes, a lot of theories. My prayers to all affected, the images and witness accounts too terrible to comprehend.
2 people like this
@MGjhaud (23171)
• Philippines
17 Jun 17
I've read that it was recently renovated and most probably it was not done yet. i don't know.. I can't imagine what happened to the kids in that building.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
It is too horrible to think about!
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Jun 17
all those thimgs tat the building did not have it was a womder this had not happened before how horrible to not have any of the thiongs a high rise apartment buidking should have amd yet they rented to goup
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 I sure ope so that was maybe a wajje yo' call to change the way they were do ing
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 17
I hope that lessons have been learnt just like they did when the MGM hotel in Las Vegas caught fire. It made great strides in how buildings are built in the USA so hopefully it will do the same thing here!
2 people like this
@egdcltd (12060)
17 Jun 17
There are a number of old 60s tower blocks in my city that were cladded, some years back now. I imagine they're going to be looked at more carefully now (because, after all, fixing stuff after it causes a problem is far more sensible than before).
2 people like this
@egdcltd (12060)
18 Jun 17
@garymarsh6 I think the root problem is that the 60s tower blocks were garbage to start with, and cladding them was cheaper than knocking them down and starting again.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 17
@egdcltd I do not like any of these tall buildings. They are like rabbit cages. Far too small especially if you have kids but they continue to build them sadly!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
Very true but shame that this has to be the case and should be rectified before it is signed off as being safe!
2 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (45467)
• India
18 Jun 17
Looks like there were inadequate safety measures. And no preparatory fire drills. In Delhi NCR too we now have a lot of existing and upcoming high rises and I have a doubt whether fire and earthquake safety is adhered to ?
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 17
Probably not. There must have been some catastrophic incident for the whole building to have caught fire within 15 minutes. There are different theories being expressed at the moment but until they have had the chance to properly investigate things it is all supposition.
1 person likes this
@Shavkat (137215)
• Philippines
17 Jun 17
That's really terrible. I feel bad for the victims.
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (48937)
• United States
18 Jun 17
This just makes me cry. It is so very tragic.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 17
Horrible isn't it.
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
18 Jun 17
quite horrific - shame
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 17
Horrible Lany!
1 person likes this
@vsai2008 (11796)
• India
17 Jun 17
My prayers are with them
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 17
Indeed as with everyone else!
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (45467)
• India
26 Jun 17
Something I stumbled upon today and is more disturbing =
Twenty seven high-rise apartment blocks have failed fire cladding safety tests that were launched in the wake of the Grenfell Tower blaze. Communities department said local government staff would work with the fire services to determine what action needed
@vandana7 (98826)
• India
18 Jun 17
A bit hard to like post but liked because logical questions asked. If it happened in India, I could overlook saying that can only be expected. It is hard to believe that such things are happening at your end as well. Out here temperatures soar and at times cars burn in outdoor parking places simply because of the heat. And you must be aware how closely the buildings are built here without precautions for getting out when there is fire.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (134456)
• Roseburg, Oregon
22 Jun 17
That looks like a very bad fire. So many people losings their lifes all on the account of saving money by not making the building safe.
@just4him (306196)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
21 Jun 17
That is such a tragic loss. I hope they learn from this and buildings are built better in the future.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Jun 17
Those are all very good questions and hopefully in future better actions will be taken to prevent such a thing. Very sad stuff, I hadn't heard of it
@YrNemo (20261)
19 Jun 17
I was very surprised and horrified when I first read about this news some days ago. This is a good article with respect to the few I read at the time. These days, many builders use polystyrene cladding unfortunately due to its low cost.