Massive fire in London - Grenfell Tower in Shepherds Bush

[Insel affe]

It's the sort of disaster we expect to see in a poor third world country.

We are.

 

[pearl]

Now reporting 12 dead confirmed with a significant number unaccounted for. Number not given.

just heard that too

I had to log-out, but was going to add there could have been God knows how many people who don't actually live there among the unaccounted for

 

[TomandJerry]

Over 200 people unaccounted for.

 

[symyjym]

So the government delayed a review on fire and safety regs last year. Brexit takes up all the time these days so important things can wait I guess.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Well how many Tories live in a High Rise?

 

[Hillian1]

Political point scoring.

Classy.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Well how many Tories live in a High Rise?

Political point scoring.

Classy.

I think its a fair point because they are likely to have less awareness of the issues or the concerns of people about living in such places.

 

[Hillian1]

I think its a fair point because they are likely to have less awareness of the issues or the concerns of people about living in such places.

Crack on then.

 

[jackanada]

Sobering reading
https://grenfellactiongroup.wordpress.com/2016/11/20/kctmo-playing-with-fire/

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Crack on then.

I do actually take your point, on reflection........ but it doesn't mean that they care any less about what has happened or about doing something about it.

 

[beorhthelm]

Well how many Tories live in a High Rise?

tens of thousands across London. so sad that people and politicans are trying to make political points and the fire isnt even out.

 

[clapham_gull]

So very odd today. Busy but the burning building visible outside.

Nothing you can do. We've all been asked to bring toiletries in tomorrow, which I thought a bit odd because they are readily available and this is a capital city in a modern country.

Then it hits you. Survivors have lost everything except what they were sleeping in and they are homeless.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Watching BBC news tonight and the building still seems very much alight behind Huw Edwards.

 

[brightn'ove]

So very odd today. Busy but the burning building visible outside.

Nothing you can do. We've all been asked to bring toiletries in tomorrow, which I thought a bit odd because they are readily available and this is a capital city in a modern country.

Then it hits you. Survivors have lost everything except what they were sleeping in and they are homeless.

Please keep doing the good work

 

[dazzer6666]

Watching BBC news tonight and the building still seems very much alight behind Huw Edwards.

Sky reporting just now that 12 floors still alight.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I agree. I am an Architectural Technologist and work on large scale residential developments for national housebuilder clients. In my 28 year career, I have only dealt with one development of apartments in which a sprinkler system was installed (at the time, the late 90's it was the first development in Surrey to include one). The only reason it was included was because it was the only way to achieve Building Regulation compliance for the design.

You have to remember that the Building Regulations set out the MINIMUM standards that buildings must be constructed to. Most developers see that as the benchmark and anything else is "guilding the lily". The current Part B documents do include references to sprinklers however they only come into play if certain other criteria cannot be met - more often than not, you can make a building safe from fire spread by applying the minimum standards.

There is also no requirement to install a communal fire alarm system - only smoke/heat detectors within individual flats - and 'stay put' policy is normal.

Most tower blocks being designed these days will include the services of a Fire Engineering Consultant to ensure that the design of a building not only complies with the regulations, but exceeds them - sometimes professional engineering not only provides a compliant solution, but can represent a saving to the developer on a design that complies with the minimum standards.

My personal view is that we will see the Building Regulations updated to make sprinkler systems mandatory. Unfortunately, it has taken a catastrophic & tragic event such as this to start the process.

Unfortunately, the only way you will ever really know whether a building is 'safe from fire spread' is on occasions such as this one.

 

[clapham_gull]

Please keep doing the good work

Please I've done nothing.

Lots of charity vehicles going past all day bringing "aid". Remarkable in London in 2017.

There has been more on the local news but the local community round there have been amazing.

Utterly astonishing.

Feeding, clothing etc...

Nurses getting out bed to help the injured, churches of all faiths feeding either the survivors or those evacuated.

Local man trying to distract himself from the cries he heard from the building by getting up early to buy food and distribute it around the scattered homeless.

This is London 2017 - up the road from Kensington and next door to Notting Hill.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Please everybody, drop the politics, this is not the time.

 

[clapham_gull]

Please everybody, drop the politics, this is not the time.

Well said. Instead click on the link posted above and donate a couple of quid.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Well how many Tories live in a High Rise?

Shut up you ****, actually having thought about it, how f**king dare you align this to political belief. Totally out of order, Don't believe I've ever been offended you've come close!!