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Blaze risk of older high-rises
Peter Dominiczak7 Aug 2009
A government investigation into the fatal Camberwell blaze has warned that other high-rise blocks could pose a greater risk.
The fire on 3 July ravaged parts of the 12-storey Sixties tower block Lakanal House, killing six people, including a newborn baby and her mother.
The fire started because of a
fault in a 10-year-old portable television on the ninth floor.
The Government's chief fire safety adviser Sir Ken Knight said in his report that investigators still do not know why the fire spread so quickly.
The report to the Department for Communities and Local Government made a number of recommendations, including the provision of smoke alarms on every floor of high-rise social housing.
Sir Ken said Lakanal House did not reach modern standards of fire protection and other high-rise buildings could present an ever greater risk: “Although major works had recently been completed in Lakanal House, including the fitting of fire detection and alarm systems in individual dwellings, evidence suggests that other high-rise residential buildings may not be afforded the same level of protection.”
Sir Ken said that all new buildings more than 30 metres tall were required to have sprinklers fitted: “If Lakanal House were built against today's standards a fire suppression system would be required.”
He added that if the fire had occurred at night, residents would not have had enough light to escape.
Southwark councillor Paul Noble said: “Sir Ken raises important questions on the management of social housing. We have started a borough-wide fire safety drive to ensure tenants are safe.”
Local MP Harriet Harman is pushing for a “super inquest” to be held for all the victims of the fire.
