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The twin block that gives clue to what might have happened in blaze tragedy
Robert Mendick and Mira Bar-Hillel7 Jul 2009
A series of potential safety flaws at the Camberwell tower block where six people lost their lives in a blaze can be revealed today.
An Evening Standard investigation at an identical block of flats on the same south London estate showed:
* Narrow fire exits no more than 2ft wide blocked by rubbish.
* Fire doors left open because hinges had been stolen by vandals - or else wedged open.
* Electrical wiring exposed after wood panels were ripped from walls.
* A single internal stairwell serv- ing almost 100 flats and no external fire escapes.
Investigators are trying to establish why the blaze spread so quickly through Lakanal House on the Sceaux Garden Estate, trapping victims in a deadly inferno. They are looking at the design of the 13-storey block, built in the late fifties, to understand why residents were unable to get out.
The building is currently shut to the public but the Standard instead toured a twin block, Marie Curie House, about 200 yards away on the same estate. It offers a glimpse of what might have gone wrong at Lakanal House.
There is only one staircase going up the centre of the building, with fire exits about 2ft wide running along balconies that take residents back to the central staircase. If the staircase is on fire or filled with smoke, there appears to be no other way of getting out of the building. Residents complained to the Standard that fire exits were sometimes blocked by rubbish bags dumped there by neighbours, rather than thrown down the central chute or taken to outside bins via the lift.
The Standard found telephone wiring exposed on one floor where a wood panel had been ripped out.
The main electrical wiring runs along ducts above each floor. Draughts from the ducts can be felt below, suggesting that a fire in the electric cabling could spread quickly along each floor.
Student Yety Adeniji, 21, who lives in Marie Curie House with her son Ezekiel, two, said: "There is no separate fire escape. If there was ever a fire in the staircase we could not escape.
"The fire escape is often blocked with rubbish. The council doesn't seem to clear it." Artist Stefano Minzi, 33, said: "I didn't even know there was a fire escape." Other residents said there were no proper fire evacuation notices and the Standard did not see any. John McGrath, chairman of the tenants' association, said the council recently increased the period between cleaning inspections from four weeks to six. Mr McGrath said there had been reports of fires in both buildings but none had previously posed a danger.
The Standard found evidence of an attempt to set fire to part of Marie Curie House where the rubbish chute is located. The block is, however, generally well cared-for, set in landscaped gardens and with little sign of the graffiti and vandalism which plagues many inner-city tower blocks.
The building's design is known as a "scissor" style, where "up-going" flats interlock with "down-going" neighbours. This is said to reduce the num- ber of corridors needed and gives a more compact construction without compromising on apartment size.
Nick Stanton, leader of Southwark Council which runs the estate, said last night: "The investigation into the cause of the fire continues and we are as anxious as anyone to know what caused it and why it spread like it did.
"But we must let investigators to do their job without unhelpful speculation." London Mayor Boris Johnson said yesterday: "Clearly, what we have got to do now is look at the building."
Reader views (35)
- Stg, Peckham, London
Thanks for your comments however it is interesting that the Brazilian family managed to get a council house but my mate and his girlfriend (both of West Indian descent and both born in Southwark) have been on the waiting list for nearly five years and in the meantime have been hopping between relatives spare rooms!
You and I both know that large swathes of council accommodation in and around Peckham and Walworth is occupied by foreigners who have flooded into the area over the last ten years or so. You only have to walk down Peckham Rye to know the whole make-up of Peckham has changed. Still you've overlooked my basic point that if you've come from another country, why under any circumstances (other than being a legitimate refugee or asylum seeker) should you get social housing? If cannot afford your own accommodation then do not come!
Being a taxpayer doesn't entitle you to social housing as there's plenty of people in such accommodation who are living on benefits and getting their rent paid for them.
- Mark, South-East London, 10/07/2009 11:46
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Mark
I helped a Somali-Dutch neighbour who had been renting privately to move to a hostel after they could no longer afford the extortionate private rent.
The mum worked a lot of hours but because she had not worked in this country for long enough to date she was not eligible for housing. Everyone I saw at the Council hostel was non-white.
The only requirement of Councils is that they provide temporary accomodation for the homeless. This may take funds away from housing costs of "locals". However, in terms of Councils giving preference to 'immigrants' over 'indigenous' families, it's rubbish. The recent immigrants aren't allowed to access permanent housing.
If the Dayanas got a place it was probably because they have been here for several years and have been paying their taxes for several years and thus gain entitlement to social housing just like every other long-term tax-payer.
But if you want to continue on the fantasy that white people like you and me are discriminated against in housing then feel free. The lack of social housing is fundamentally due to every party not caring about social housing as those in social housing in inner cities are generally not living in marginal constituencies. That's the problem - don't blame "immigrants" for our succession of gutless governments.
- Stg, Peckham, London, 08/07/2009 14:02
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STG Peckham;
I do not have a problem with immigrants coming to the UK; I have foreign and non-white relations. My point is and your post gives an example of it, is that if somebody has made themselves intentionally homesless in their country of origin to come here why should they get social housing in the UK? My point is as straightforward as that, colour or ethnic background doesn't come into it. It is a general point concerning who the country should look after first!
Think about it. What would Southwark council do for you if you made yourself intentionally homeless or if you immigrated to another country anywhere in the World? The chances of you getting subsidised social accommodation would be virtually nil. Fact!
Another point I made was about the young (white)girl who died. Now I am not sure of all the facts in the case but it seemed strange that a single girl from Hampshire with her own businesses manages to get a council flat!
- Mark, South-East London, 08/07/2009 11:26
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Sonia M., St Albans, Herts
As a former Walworth resident I know the Aylesbury well from when it was built to the present day, and if there is any estate in Southwark which makes my point for me it is that. I'm not sure when you were last there but it is referred to locally Little Lagos. You cannot deny the evidence of your own eyes!
The situation is caused by Government and Southwark like other councils have to get on and do what they do and certainly in London at the expense of the indigenous population. As I said this tragedy has highlighted a point that concerns me and many other people around the country. This fire has just brought it to a few more peoples attention and as Alice Falkirk alludes to destroys the myth the Govt. is pushing on us.
As far as I am aware Catherine Hickman was on her way to the Twin Towers and had arrived in the area after the planes had hit, no different from when I just missed the IRA City Bomb! I did manage to get out of Kings Cross though!
- Mark, South-East London, 08/07/2009 09:11
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Dear Nobby Clark, I don't wish to return to the facts of this particular incident as they are distressing but the facts here really speak for themselves.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 08/07/2009 08:08
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Dear Lewisham Council and the London Fire Brigade,
My Mother lives in an identical block on the Eltham Road, built roughly the same time, one of 3 identical blocks, which has only the one staircase. One point of exit, communal ducts for air to flow freely through the 10 stories. Rubbish piled at ground level, including dumped rubbish. 2 lifts which will be useless in an emergency. Both relatives are disabled.
These and all other blocks should be demolished right away and should have been years ago, when they were built they moved in and were told they didn't expect them to be standing in 1980.
People move in and out and they are illegally sub-let the whole time, damage done especially to the roof hatch with people trying to set up pirate radio stations endangering everyone. Nobody knows anyone.
- Jack, Surrey, England, 07/07/2009 23:20
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So, contrary to initial "PVC windows are to blame" we find out this place was a wreck, poorly designed, built, and maintained.
Where were the government building inspectors, annual inspections by fire marshals? Government safety inspectors? Who was the government employee who approved the building of this OBVIOUS death trap?
Come on people, we are not in the third world here, this is supposed to be a modern society spending billions upon billions on GOVERNMENT agencies that are supposed to prevent these disasters through creation and enforcement of building codes, and so forth.
Just what are you getting for those taxes and fees???
- Trunk, US, 07/07/2009 22:39
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Alice and Mark
Truly sick to use this disaster as a means to make inaccurate and small minded comments. These people were all entitled to live in Britain, here legally and in the case of the MOTHERS WITH SMALL CHILDREN who died, whose kids were born here. Apparently having an accent or a foreign name makes you less deserving of social housing? I live in Peckham and my kids went to school with the Brazilian kids who died - my youngest played in the playground with Felipe, the boy in Reception class who died. I would far, far, far rather have that lovely family being housed and educated with my family than have small minded half-wits who think that if you have a "foreign" name you can't be British. The family's dad worked all hours God sent providing for his family doing the sort of job white British people don't do anymore because we are too lazy. The two kids spoke English better than most of the kids at the school whose parents had been born here.
If anyone else feels "forced" out of the area because white British citizens don't get preference over non-causacian British citizens then feel free to stay out.
- S T G, Peckham, London, 07/07/2009 22:19
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Jack Pratt,as a retired Fireman said to to you yesterday you DO NOT play hoses onto a building on fire from outside if people, including Firefighters are inside,by doing so all you do is push smoke and hot gases back in,and as in this case, cause the fire to spread,the ONLY way ( if they were allowed to,like we did years ago when I was a London Fireman) is to fight fire from inside, thereby pushing out heat,smoke,and toxic gases.
- Nobby Clark ( Ex Red Watch ) Bethnal Green ), Hertfordshire, 07/07/2009 17:55
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There is a lot of conflict from what the firefighters and LFB spokespeople are putting out as opposed to other firefighters who were there who have made their views annonymously - mainly because an investigations means it has to remain tight lipped. No-one is blaming firefighters as they can only work to orders and policy but admittedly SOME ARE SAYING this has gone wrong at a very early stage.
- Lucy, Southend, 07/07/2009 17:18
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People rave about diversity and shared passion being trademarks of modern London. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the part of town affected by this awful incident, hence your impression that "the whole world lived in this depressing block of flats".
You'd witness a more genuine shared grief in what has happened if you were ever to know the "even more depressing part of London". You're missing out, and long may that continue.
Love and condolences to those affected by what has happened. Everyone should muck in to help them recover from the tragedy and hope that something positive comes from it.
- James, London, 07/07/2009 17:17
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Mark, actually I lived for years on the Aylesbury Estate, Walworth. The farmer's daughter who died in the fire had escaped the 9/11 carnage, which makes your comments doubly offensive. Perhaps you should address your grievances to Southwark Council, who presumably still allocate housing stock, instead of at the victims of this tragedy.
- Sonia M., St Albans, Herts, 07/07/2009 17:05
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A lack of equipment - 'height access vehicles' and 'extended duration breathing apparatus', coupled with inadequate training, led to this tragedy and a 90 minute wait for rescue of 30 other trapped occupants.
35+ years ago, London firefighters would most certainly have reached and searched the upper floors of this building far more quickly. That's progress for you!
But don't attack the brave individuals who fought this fire. They will be tearing themselves up for not being in a position to reach those who died.
- Paul, London UK, 07/07/2009 16:49
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Note to Serving Fire Fighter.Nobody is asking you to put your life at risk but please don't ask people to go back up staircases because you can't come through and wait in their flats for an hour whilst nothing happens. The LFB policy that fires are fought from within in high blocks cost lives here. It seems no attempt was made to pour water on this fire from outside and to think they had machines in the street that could have reached these burning flats. The dry riser policy failed and LFB should be big enough to confirm they went wrong.This is so tragic.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 07/07/2009 16:39
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As soon as I read about this fire I thought it would be interesting to hear from the families affected.Seems to me the whole world lived in this depressing block of flats in an even more depressing part of London.
- Steve, London, 07/07/2009 16:26
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Sonia M., St Albans, Herts
No of course I wouldn't want to trade places. However this tragedy has highlighted something that is constantly being swept under the carpet and as a resident of Southwark it is something that is important to me and likely my children.
You and others may find my comments disgusting but it easy to pass comment when you are living in leafy St. Albans and not half a mile away Sceaux Garden Estate!
- Mark, South-East London, 07/07/2009 16:20
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Mark and Alice: Your views are shocking and I am surprised that the moderator saw fit to publish them. I just hope that nobody who has been bereaved or has had family or friends injured in this fire reads your comments.
- Mc, London, 07/07/2009 16:06
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I agree that the comments below regarding where the residents came from made my stomach turn. Furthermore, how do people know everyone there is a council tenant? it may be that some of the people living on that estate were privately renting from leaseholders who had purchased the property under right to buy. And were therefore probably paying extortionate private rents to live in a dangerous pit. Such is the state of housing in London.
- Tam, Peckham, 07/07/2009 16:05
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Gareth, from Southwark. You seem outraged at being charged maintenance costs by the council, but the prices you quote are actually very cheap for the London market. Those of us who are paying for our own housing accept that there is a market rate for the capital. Or do you want everything free, paid by the rest of us?
- Sj, London, 07/07/2009 15:44
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Presumably Health & Safety regulations prevented the fire services from entering the building before a risk assessment took place, much the ssme as police are prevented from rescuing when someone is drowing. This seems to be standard practice. By the way knowing how zealous the H&S is in trivial cases, what restraints do they impose in much more serious matters such as tower blocks? An answer is required.
- Edward, London, 07/07/2009 15:36
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I lived for more than a decade on a large inner city council estate. My block was not as high as Lakanal Flats but I always feared for fire, especially when I witnessed how irresponsible some of my neighbours were in their general lives. We used to have ALOT of false alarms with the fire alarm system, but one night there was a small fire and even though it was many years ago now I remember how shocked I was that not all the tenants left their flats. Many were hanging out windows and balconies - including with their children - shouting down to those of us on the ground who were yelling at them just to come down. Alot of them weren't from this country originally and it made me wonder even then if it were because they came from countries where they didn't have fire drills as a matter of course at school?
You have to understand that councils have an obligation to house people IN NEED and there are numerous ways people get IN NEED including mental health problems. Knee jerk reactive statements like "Evict the tenants!" are foolish. Of course they will not ALL be blocking the fire exits, etc. It may only be one or two, or more likely their halfwitted kids, or - even more likely - people who don't even live in the block but get into make mischief. These places are often not the most secure. Before you start making your damning remarks about the people who live in these estates I would advise you to just be grateful you do not have to live somewhere like it.
- D Woodstock, London, 07/07/2009 15:36
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Alice , Mark, your an embarrassment to decent londoners
- David, London, 07/07/2009 15:30
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i cannot belive some of the things i have read and heard on the radio about the integrity of our fire fighters. we do the best we can do with the situation and yes we put our own lives on the line when we go into these incidents. yes it also breaks our hearts that not everytime we can save everybody i feel so badly for the familys of the people that so unfortunatly died in this fire but to suddenly turn around and blame the people that everyday go to work not knowing if they will come home to loved ones the ones that dont say goodbye to partners and kids because they are not sure if it is goodbye and instead say "see ya later" i have served with the fire brigade for 15 years and only now do i feel that why do i do it? so then i will be blamed for not saving every person when i and my brothers and sisters in the job do everything we possibly can. I have seen, met and have the priviledge of working with some of the bravest people on this planet and lost friends while they do a job most couldnt or wouldnt do, how dare the media use this to make money selling papers and radio shows.
- A Serving Fire Fighter, london, 07/07/2009 15:16
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Alice and Mark. Your comments are disgusting. Would you wish to exchange places with those who died? Words fail me.
- Sonia M., St Albans, Herts, 07/07/2009 15:01
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I am the partner of a recently retired firefighter and this fire has been part of discussions to and fro with London firefighters who were at the scene and since it happened. There appears to be significant disillousionment in the brigade because today's firefighter cannot do its job. He/she cannot go into unsafe buildings/ cannot risk their own life/ and if they do and something happens the individual miscalucated their own risk - the orders not to enter certain areas of the building by firefighters should be examined - many of them were left ordered on the ground by executive decision in line with current policy but in telephone communication knowing those tenants were likely going to perish - and are now traumatised. This is where our great PC world has brought us to. Our makers of legislation in the UK are the ones with blood on their hands.
- Lucy, Leigh, 07/07/2009 14:08
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The reason why flats get vandalised is because of the tennants who behave like wild animals. To blame the council for rubbish in the stairwells is unbelivable, as who put it there, that's right the residents. All these flats built in the 60's & 70's are death traps, as they built them cheap. It didn't solve the housing crisis as it made it worse.
- Triifidqueen, Desk in London, 07/07/2009 14:07
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Building regulations are hopelessly out of sink with reasonable standards of safety. There is no requirement for a secondary escpape stairwell in a residential tower, and the fire strategy is often for the resident to stay put until rescue arrives.
- Peter., London, 07/07/2009 13:45
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Gareth of London and Mark Lee of Vauxhall hit the nail on the head: it is the residents who are hugely influential in making or maring the building and that takes time and effort on their part. I would suggest that those whose completely deliberate actions blocked the fire escapes, speeded up the spread of the fire and so on, are culpable to a good degree for this sad episode. Meanwhile, let the investigation continue.
- Helen, norwich, 07/07/2009 12:58
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Joe also said that the terms and conditions of firefighters had been changed, so that their dependents would get nothing in the event of their serious injury or death. That's a big disincentive.
- Sue R, London, 07/07/2009 12:55
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How is it the councils fault that the residents continually block the fire exits with rubbish?
- Matthew, Grays, UK, 07/07/2009 12:30
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Alice Falkirk,
My thoughts exactly!
As a Southwark resident it has something that I have commented on elsewhere. I continue to find it unbelievable that Southwark Council and others seem to offer places to foreigners and, in this case, a farmer's daughter from Hampshire, Council accommodation whilst there are people whose whole families were born and bred in Southwark who do not get a look in and are forced out of the area.
- Mark, South-East London, 07/07/2009 11:33
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I live on an estate in Lambeth that is relatively well run. The residents in my 20 story tower block are friendly and there is no graffiti and little litter on the estate.
However this is much more to do with the residents than with the council.
Lambeth council are a shocking rip off, with an uncaring attitude and are quite happy to charge leaseholders for the cost of maintenance and repairs to the tune of thousands of pounds a year.
In the summer of 2007 there was a serious fire in my block. Kelvedon House, around six fire appliances responded within minutes. It was just as well the fire Brigade are so good. We have one exit stairwell and this was blocked by the thick smoke from the melted building cladding so that residents from floors 11 to 20 were trapped until the blaze was put out.
Lambeth council have yet to repair the damage after nearly two years. In their only correspondence on the matter they implied that they reserve the right to charge leaseholders for fire upgrades through increases to our £2000+ as year service charge.
It seems that the council have yet to recover the money to repair our block from the building insurance company whose policy the council charge leaseholders over £100 a year for.
The tragic fire in Camberwell is the tip of council laziness and incompetence. We seem no-where near seeing any repairs to our fire damaged block from the council, while fearing that
- Gareth, London UK, 07/07/2009 11:26
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The residents of Lakanal House seem to have been ethnically cleansed and replaced by recent arrivals with non-existent or heavily accented English. A report by a quango today tells us this sort of thing doesn't happen. But clearly it does.
- Alice Falkirk, London, UK, 07/07/2009 10:38
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If residents of these blocks are found to be persistently vandalising the buildings or otherwise putting the fire safety of the blocks at risk, they should be evicted.
You can't blame the council for the thoughtless actions of residents in the block. We are all adults.
- Mark Lee, Vauxhall, 07/07/2009 09:58
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Yesterday,Joe a retired London Fireman made mention that in his view the Fire Service should be exempt from Health and Safety legislation,whilst I agree with much of what Joe said,I would suggest that the legislation should be the norm,not every call for assistance is a matter of life or death,BUT, in those cases where it is H&S rules should be ignored,I find it very difficult to understand how a Firefighter fully trained,who's first duty is to save life,surrounded by machines loaded with life saving equipment,talking to trapped people by telephone,and because of rules (in the main) put in place for people doing everyday jobs,are not allowed to even attempt a rescue,it is like telling me not to launch because the sea is too rough.
- Henry (Lifeboat Crew ), Cornwall, 07/07/2009 09:52
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