Massive fire in London - Grenfell Tower in Shepherds Bush

[Thunder Bolt]

If I'd been lucky enough to get out of that with my family all safe, I'd not give a single thought about any of those things. they are the very lucky ones.

True, but where do you sleep tonight?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

True, but where do you sleep tonight?

I doubt I'd sleep for weeks.

Horrible.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Personally I'm finding Victoria Derbyshires coverage on BBC a bit unsavoury. I fear massive loss of life but some of the coverage seems akin to a tree blowing down or a heavy snowfall.


Six confirmed as dead

On the flip side (ITV), Piers Morgan was going full tabloid, wildly speculating and thrashing around for someone to blame. Think I prefer the BBC approach.

Awful tragedy.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yes, although safety is the ultimate priority there will be hundreds of people in desperate need of help. Luckily in this day and age the Internet generally comes good and I'm sure a Just Giving page or similar will be started to help these unfortunate people.

Edit: A few up and running already.

Yes, you can guarantee some of the residents won't have had insurance. Tragic for everyone.

 

[Hillian1]

On the flip side (ITV), Piers Morgan was going full tabloid, wildly speculating and thrashing around for someone to blame. Think I prefer the BBC approach.

Awful tragedy.

Is it true that Morgan was suggesting that the SAS should have been mobilised to Rappel down the tower and rescue residents or has a guy in my office just made that up?

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

This is a catastrophic disaster - and one the residents have been warning about for years.

This should not have happened and was avoidable.

https://grenfellactiongroup.wordpress.com

Here is a quote from an article written by the Action Group in Nov 2016 -

Unfortunately, the Grenfell Action Group have reached the conclusion that only an incident that results in serious loss of life of KCTMO residents will allow the external scrutiny to occur that will shine a light on the practices that characterise the malign governance of this non-functioning organisation.

 

[neilbard]

Yes, you can guarantee some of the residents won't have had insurance. Tragic for everyone.

I also doubt that the dodgy Management company will be adequately insured.

 

[hart's shirt]

Terrible scenes.

Thoughts and prayers for all those affected, residents, family members, firefighters.

So sad.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Is it true that Morgan was suggesting that the SAS should have been mobilised to Rappel down the tower and rescue residents or has a guy in my office just made that up?

No idea but probably true I could only watch for a couple of minutes had to turn over in disgust.

 

[Badger Boy]

It's not clear to me why they would report that the building will not collapse.

Of course it won't collapse, there's only been one occasion in history when a building has fallen of its own accord due to fire and that day 3 buildings fell. It didn't happen before, and to the best of my knowledge, it hasn't happened since despite a number of savage fires such as this one.

RIP to all those who have died, and to all those whose lives have been changed in a severe and significant way. Horrible news to wake up to this morning.

 

[brightn'ove]

It's not clear to me why they would report that the building will not collapse.

Of course it won't collapse, there's only been one occasion in history when a building has fallen of its own accord due to fire and that day 3 buildings fell. It didn't happen before, and to the best of my knowledge, it hasn't happened since despite a number of savage fires such as this one.

Wow, what a horrendous time to open up that particular can of worms.

Moving on...

I could see the column of smoke from my flat - truly horrendous scenes. I personally could never live in a huge block of flats for exactly this reason, you are not in control of the people that live above or below you and the more people you put in one building the more risk there is of fire.

RIP those that have died - I fear the number will be large

 

[mothy]

Absolutely horrible

 

[Hillian1]

It's not clear to me why they would report that the building will not collapse.

Of course it won't collapse, there's only been one occasion in history when a building has fallen of its own accord due to fire and that day 3 buildings fell. It didn't happen before, and to the best of my knowledge, it hasn't happened since despite a number of savage fires such as this one.

RIP to all those who have died, and to all those whose lives have been changed in a severe and significant way. Horrible news to wake up to this morning.

You missed the bit about those particular buildings having been hit by fully laden aeroplanes.

Other than that, good point.

 

[clapham_gull]

There is some coordination regarding what local companies can do to help.

We're just waiting to hear.

 

[symyjym]

Really quite shocked that a fire like this could happen in this day and age in this country. Just refurbished but with no sprinkler system, or at the very least fire alarms included in the fit.

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

Really quite shocked that a fire like this could happen in this day and age in this country. Just refurbished but with no sprinkler system, or at the very least fire alarms included in the fit.

Its a disgrace that such things aren't mandatory upgrades to all buildings.

What sort of world do we live in when you have to upgrade floodlights in a football stadium so the TV looks better but we don't insist on all these flats having fire alarms and sprinklers

 

[Rod Marsh]

Really quite shocked that a fire like this could happen in this day and age in this country. Just refurbished but with no sprinkler system, or at the very least fire alarms included in the fit.

Do residential buildings have fire alarm systems and sprinkler systems in now? As far as I'm aware they don't. Residents could install a fire alarm in there own properties and that's it. If a BMS system was installed it would need to be managed by someone, maintained etc.

 

[brightn'ove]

Its a disgrace that such things aren't mandatory upgrades to all buildings.

What sort of world do we live in when you have to upgrade floodlights in a football stadium so the TV looks better but we don't insist on all these flats having fire alarms and sprinklers

http://www.thelondoneconomic.com/ne...-safe-last-year-conservatives-rejected/14/06/

 

[Badger Boy]

You missed the bit about those particular buildings having been hit by fully laden aeroplanes.

Other than that, good point.

Only two out of three were, United 23 never took off which was potentially the intended cover story for building 7.

This isn't the time or the place, but science doesn't support any emotional explanation for the collapses. Science says that the fire in this tower couldn't have been hot enough to cause even a partial collapse, and there hasn't and won't be. As it should be, it will still be standing as has every other building gutted by fire. Only controlled demolition can explain the collapse of buildings.

 

[Bold Seagull]

It's not clear to me why they would report that the building will not collapse.

Of course it won't collapse, there's only been one occasion in history when a building has fallen of its own accord due to fire and that day 3 buildings fell. It didn't happen before, and to the best of my knowledge, it hasn't happened since despite a number of savage fires such as this one.

RIP to all those who have died, and to all those whose lives have been changed in a severe and significant way. Horrible news to wake up to this morning.

Terrible tragedy and my intent is not to cause an argument, but progressive collapse has occurred in many buildings and had a whole revision of building regulations to address the structural implications. Ronan Point wasn't a full collapse of the building, but a gas explosion in one flat caused 22 stories on one corner to completely collapse. More recently 29 storey Windsor Tower in Madrid partially collapsed with the top 11 floors collapsing in 2005 after fire. In January this year the 17 storey Plasco building in Tehran completely collapsed after fire. It isn't unheard of and given the severity of the fire, I think it is right to report that engineers have reported it safe.