Number of deadly tower blocks with combustible cladding rises to 11 as it’s revealed 600 are coated in material ‘similar’ to Grenfell Tower
THE number of deadly tower blocks with combustible cladding rises to 11 as at least 600 are covered in material similar to that which clad Grenfell Tower.
Work is already underway to remove the material on some of the confirmed blocks as Theresa May admitted today hundreds of samples are being tested.
Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, told MPs in a letter this evening the number of flats found to have combustible cladding rose to 11.
Camden Council has revealed that tests showed similarities between cladding used in some of its blocks and those used at Grenfell Tower.
As a result, the towers will be stripped of the cladding, with preparations already underway as residents told the Sun Online of their fears as they remain in the dangerous towers.
Workers have already been seen removing one piece of cladding to be taken away for testing, and they will return to remove the rest shortly.
Meanwhile three high-rise tower blocks in Plymouth, Devon have been found to be clad in the same combustible material to Grenfell Tower.
Nine tower blocks in Salford were found to use similar cladding but results have not yet been received back by the council confirming if they are combustible
Today the Scottish government said no publicly-owned high rise blocks in Scotland use the same cladding as that on Grenfell Tower, after checks were carried out by all of the country's 32 councils.
Councillor Georgia Gould, leader of Camden Council, said: "Following last week’s tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, Camden Council immediately reviewed fire safety at all our high rise blocks.
"We knew we had set the highest standards but we weren’t prepared to take anything for granted and we were first in the queue to test the cladding on our blocks."
She added: "The new results from the laboratory show that the outer cladding panels themselves are made up of aluminium panels with a polyethylene core.
"Therefore the panels that were fitted were not to the standard that we had commissioned. In light of this, we will be informing the contractor that we will be taking urgent legal advice.
"Whilst we are clear that our cladding design and insulation significantly differs to that at Grenfell Tower, the external cladding panels did not satisfy our independent laboratory testing or the high standards we set for contractors.
"Camden Council has decided it will immediately begin preparing to remove these external cladding panels from the five tower blocks on the Chalcots Estate. Camden Council will do whatever it takes to ensure our residents are reassured about the safety of their homes."
Throughout the country residents are set to be informed if buildings are deemed to be unsafe, which could result in thousands of families being evacuated from their homes.
The dangerous cladding thought to have helped spread the fire has been confirmed to be on at least 11 other tower blocks.
Ministers wrote to councils to ask them to identify whether the specific cladding used in the Grenfell Tower was on any of their buildings.
If it is found to be the case, then a sample is then tested.
At a Downing Street briefing with journalists this morning, a spokeswoman said: "So far, three samples have been found to be combustible."
That number was this evening updated to 11.
The tower blocks in London with cladding
- Barnet: Of the council's 24 high-rose blocks, it is reviewing the safety of 10 over fears they have similar cladding to that of Grenfell Tower
- Barking and Dagenham: Four blocks within the borough have cladding - however the cladding is not the same as that which was used at Grenfell Tower
- Camden: Work is already underway to remove cladding from five blocks, found to have combustible cladding
- Greenwich: None of the 105 buildings in the borough which have six storeys or more use similar kinds of cladding to the Grenfell Tower block
- Hammersmith and Fulham: Three tower blocks are owned by the council, but they do not have cladding which is similar to Grenfell
- Havering: Inspections are underway on the cladding of tower blocks owned by the council
- Richmond: The two tower blocks owned by the council have recently been re-clad, but with fireproof material
- Sutton: A "comprehensive review of fire safety" at all the council's eight tower blocks is underway
- Wandsworth: Three tower blocks in the borough have cladding, but there are thought to be no concerns about safety
- Outside of London: Three high-rise tower blocks in Devon have been found to be clad in the same combustible material to the Grenfell Tower in London, and nation-wide security checks are underway. Nine tower blocks in Salford were found to use similar cladding but results have not yet been received back by the council confirming if they are combustible
She added: "In terms of how many buildings and how many homes have this type of cladding, the estimate provided to us by councils is that there are approximately 600 high-rise buildings with similar cladding.
"We are in touch with all the local authorities to encourage them to urgently send us the samples and then we will carry out the checks that we need to see where we are with that."
79 people are dead or are missing and presumed dead after the Grenfell Tower inferno last week.
Further tests will be done to make sure the buildings are safe, but residents could be rehoused if they are found to be at risk.
The spokeswoman added: "Obviously nobody will be living in buildings that are unsafe, they will be rehoused if they need to be and landlords will be asked to provide alternative accommodation where that's possible."
In a statement in the Commons today, Mrs May said that all social landlords have been instructed to carry out fire safety checks on tower blocks, and ensure that there are "appropriate response measures in place".
And she pleaded with private landlords to also come forward and test whether their cladding was safe.
It was also revealed that the cladding used on the block was a more flammable, cheaper version.
"As a precaution, the Government agreed to test cladding in all relevant tower blocks," Mrs May said today. "A number of tests have come back as combustible."
The PM did not say where the blocks were, but that MPs and ministers would be working to inform constituents later today.
She said that authorities were taking "all possible steps to ensure buildings are safe".
Earlier today the Government also confirmed that Grenfell victims will have any utility bills written off.
Energy, water and telecom firms have agreed to a package of support which includes wiping the debts of those affected by the tragedy.
Worried residents in Camden have questioned their safety after it was revealed that construction firm Rydon and their subcontractor Harley Facades were behind their refurbishment AND that of the Grenfell Tower block in West London.
But Ray Bailey, Managing Director at Harley Facades claimed they met the design specification they were given and said they had been signed off by Camden.
He added: “These works were as described in the contractual specification and approved in the usual process for construction and building control by the London Borough of Camden.
“All major construction projects are subject to a local authority on-site inspection process where inspectors will have to review the works and check whether the building is in line with the plans and specifications.”
Safety advice for tower block residents
- Make sure you have a working smoke alarm and test it every week
- Don’t start cooking if you are very tired or have drunk a lot of alcohol
- If you smoke, make sure you put out cigarettes properly, and don’t smoke in bed
- Prepare a plan of action in case of emergency
- Keep escape routes clear
- Read the building’s evacuation procedure
- Use the stairs, never a lift
- Never park so you block access to high-rise flats
- Access roads are designed so that fire engines can get as close as possible to fight fires
He said: “There is no evidence to suggest that this product and cladding system installed in Camden is unsafe. Currently there is no link between the cladding and the spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower.
"It is right that questions are asked and there will be many questions about this whole tragic incident.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called on the Government to consider temporarily rehousing residents in blocks with similar cladding.
He said today that the figures confirm "people's worst fears" and urged ministers to act swiftly to ensure that it is safe for them to remain in their homes.
Barnet Council has also written to residents in three towers which used similar aluminium to that at Grenfell.
Granville Point, Harpenmead Point and Templemead Point all use similar panels - but the council says that they are made from a non-combustible mineral material.
And in Newham, the council has identified three towers as using an aluminium-based material in cladding, and have sent them for testing.
She said that services working with the Government were testing over 100 buildings every day, and the results would come "within hours".
"I urge any landlord who owns a similar building to send samples for testing as soon as possible," she pleaded.
"Any results will be communicated immediately to local authorities and the local fire service.
"Landlords have a legal obligation to provide safe buildings, and where they cannot, we expect alternative accommodation to be provided.
"We cannot and will not ask people to live in unsafe homes."
The PM confirmed that the testing will be paid for by the Government - and is available to blocks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland too.
But she was unable to tell MPs whether the cladding on the building was compliant with building and fire safety regulations or not - she said that this news will come in the next 48 hours.
MOST READ IN POLITICS
The Prime Minister also announced today:
- The chair of the Grenfell tower inquiry will give an interim report "as soon as possible"
- The chair is expected to be named within the next few days
- None of the emergency money given to victims of the fire will have to pay any of it back
- The money given will not affect any of their benefits
- Accepting the money does not waive any of their legal rights
- The Government will not carry out immigration checks on anyone who could have been in the building
- 151 homes were destroyed in the fire
- 164 suitable properties for families to be rehoused have been located so far
- Emergency hotel accommodation is available for anyone who is living in a damaged home
Since the disastrous fire last week, there have been reports of victims sleeping in tents, cars and parks - with claims that they had been unable to get the help they needed.
Mrs May admitted again yesterday that the response to the inferno was not good enough, and apologised for the "local and national" failure of the authorities.
The PM has announced that £5,500 will be given to every family affected by the fire, and that money has already started to be dished out.
But widespread anger remains at the response to the fire - and the time it took for Mrs May to come and meet victims.
And it was revealed that Grenfell Tower was inspected 16 TIMES by council officials but they still failed to stop the deadly cladding on the makeover.
Last night the Chief Executive Officer of Kensington and Chelsea council resigned - after calls from the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid to do so.
Leader of the council, Nick Paget Brown, has offered his resignation, but colleagues rejected it.
Yesterday protesters took part in a 'Day of Rage' with demonstrations through London.
And it was also announced that some of the survivors will get to move into new luxury flats in the area.
The PM said: "For too long residents have been overlooked and ignored. We will ensure that they are involved in every step of this process.
"No stone will be left unturned in this inquiry and for any guilty parties there will be nowhere to hide."
And she praised volunteers, businesses and public servants for "stepping up" to help in the time of crisis, paying tribute to people of Kensington to opening their homes to victims.
She said: "As we move forwards, so we must also recognise that for too long in our country under governments of both colours, we simply haven't given enough attention to social housing.
"And this itself is actually a symptom of an even more fundamental issue. It shouldn't take a disaster of this kind for us to remember that there are people in Britain today living lives that are so far removed from those that many here in Westminster enjoy."
Extracts from Theresa May's speech in Parliament
Mr Speaker, in the past week a lot of remarkable people have gone above and beyond to help deal with the fire and its aftermath.
First and foremost, of course, are the incredible men and women of the emergency services who did so much to save so many lives. I can’t imagine the kind of bravery it takes to run into a burning building and head upstairs when any normal person would be heading for the exits.
But we’ve also seen sterling work from people across the public sector – teachers, nurses, staff from various local authorities, civil servants – who are doing all they can to help.
We’ve seen incredible acts of generosity from private businesses. And we’ve seen the people of this great city and this great country stepping up to help in any way they can – donating money, clothes, toys and food, volunteering their time and so much more.
But above all, I want to pay tribute to the people of Kensington. They have opened their hearts and homes to people affected by the fire, coming together and showing what a real community looks like.
The selfless actions of local people and the courage and resilience of the survivors should give us all pause for thought.
For right now, our focus is on supporting the victims, finding homes for those made homeless and making sure this country’s housing stock is as safe as possible.
But as we move forwards so we must also recognise that for too long in our country, under governments of both colours, we simply haven’t given enough attention to social housing.
And this itself is actually a symptom of an even more fundamental issue.
Mr Speaker, it shouldn’t take a disaster of this kind for us to remember that there are people in Britain today living lives that are so far removed from those that many here in Westminster enjoy.
That in this tower just a few miles from the Houses of Parliament, and in the heart of our great city, people live a fundamentally different life, do not feel the state works for them and are therefore mistrustful of it.
So long after the TV cameras have gone and the world has moved on, let the legacy of this awful tragedy be that we resolve never to forget these people and instead to gear our policies and our thinking towards making their lives better and bringing them into the political process.
It is our job as a government – and I believe as a Parliament – to show we are listening and that we will stand up for them.
And that is what I am determined we should do.
But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for sprinklers to be fitted to all buildings.
He said: "I ask the government to make available emergency funds so that councils can carry out immediate fire safety checks and install sprinklers, and the timetable for that be made known to residents,' he said.
"There is obviously a huge cost involved in removing and recladding blocks which have flammable materials included in them."
He called on the Government to "delay no longer" and "now implement" the recommendations of the 2013 inquiry report into the Lakanal House fire.
Emma Dent Coad, the new MP for Kensington, used the statement to make her maiden speech in the House of Commons.
She said she was "speaking on behalf of a traumatised and frightened community who have little trust in authority."
And she went on to call for the Prime Minister to reverse cuts to the fire services.
"These people have quite literally, their lives in our hands," she said. "In short, where is the funding?"
The PM replied that fire services had assured her they did have the adequate funds to do their jobs.
Harriet Harman said the news that the cladding had been found to be combustible was "chilling" and "frightening" for residents, and urged her to ensure every single tower block is checked.
Tottenham MP David Lammy, who lost a friend in the fire, urged the Prime Minister to give an update about the criminal investigation into the fire that was announced last week.
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He told the Commons: "Most people see that as a crime and they know that rich and powerful organisations get away with crime. Why have we not had any commentary about charges, arrests, or the seizure of documents?"
The PM replied that it was important to leave the police to investigate.
She said: "They will get to the truth, they will leave no stone unturned. If there needs to be prosecutions and arrests then they will be."