Friday, 15 Nov 2024

Grenfell survivors’ fury as 40 people treated after Canary Wharf fire

Grenfell Tower survivors and bereaved relatives said ‘enough is enough’ after more than 40 people including four children were treated when a tower block with the same cladding went up in flames.

The blaze broke out at the 19-storey New Providence Wharf development in Fairmont Avenue near Canary Wharf, East London, on Friday morning.

More than a fifth (22%) of the building’s facade features aluminium composite material polyethylene (ACM PE) panels. These panels were found to be a key factor in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people.

Survivors and relatives’ group Grenfell United told the government it had to act faster to remove dangerous cladding from tower blocks.

They said in a statement: ‘We are horrified by the news of the fire at the New Providence Wharf today. When will the Government take this scandal seriously? Enough is enough.

‘The Government promised to remove dangerous cladding by June 2020 – it has completely failed its own target and every day that goes by lives are at risk. Today more people have lost their homes in another terrifying fire.

‘The Government needs to treat this as an emergency and stop stonewalling residents who are raising concerns. No more games, no more excuses.’

More than 125 firefighters and 20 engines were deployed shortly before 9am to the fire which engulfed three floors.

The London Fire Brigade said two adults were taken to hospital after suffering smoke inhalation and a further 38 adults and four children were treated at the scene.

The fire affected the 8th, 9th and 10th floors and was brought under control by 11.30am.  The cause is under investigation.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: ‘The spectre of the tragedy at Grenfell still hangs over our city. Today we have seen again why residents in buildings with flammable cladding are living in fear.

‘It is vital that Government, developers, building owners and regional authorities work together to urgently remove the cladding from every affected building.’

Work to replace the cladding was ‘under way’ and the main contractor had been due to take possession of the site on Monday, according to building developer Ballymore.

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Pictures and videos on social media show part of the building engulfed in flames, with thick grey smoke pouring out of the block, several stories high.

One resident posted on Instagram: ‘When your building has the same cladding as Grenfell Tower. Oh my god.’

The fire comes just days after the introduction of the Government’s post-Grenfell fire safety regulations, which campaigners argue could leave leaseholders paying tens of thousands of pounds to remove cladding on their buildings.

Apsana Begum, the Poplar & Limehouse Labour MP, said: ‘For years now, constituents at New Providence Wharf, where there are 1,500 apartments, have been left vulnerable and unsafe due to numerous fire safety and building safety defects and the fact that ACM cladding remains on these buildings.

‘The fire this morning shows just how serious this issue is and why constituents have been right to continue to raise alarm bells for so many months.

‘The developer Ballymore have promised action, but to date, constituents have not received information on fire engineer reports and details of any remediation works.’

She added: ‘It is simply not good enough for developers to say that they cannot act or that they are and then do nothing.

‘They must act now and the government must act now and hold them accountable in order to protect residents.’

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, tweeted: ‘My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this awful fire – and with all those for whom it stirs memories and fears.

‘It is simply a national scandal that more has not been done by Government to remove this dangerous cladding.’

Ballymore said in a statement: ‘Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this morning’s fire at New Providence Wharf.

‘The safety of our residents is paramount and we are working closely with the London Fire Brigade.

‘We can confirm that the fire was quickly brought under control by the Fire Brigade and is now extinguished. Our response team are on-site to support residents and assist with alternative accommodation where necessary.

‘We will update once we have more information.’

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said: ‘It is extremely alarming to see another high-rise building in the heart of London light up in flames.

‘It should shame this Government that four years on from Grenfell, there are people across the country living in buildings wrapped in flammable cladding.

‘The pace of removing flammable cladding has been glacial and it’s putting people’s lives at risk. The Government must intervene and take quick and decisive action to end our building safety crisis once and for all.’

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: ‘The building has received £8million in government funding to remove unsafe ACM cladding. This work was set to take place on Monday and we have been in regular contact with Ballymore over the last two years to make progress, including publicly naming Landor, their subsidiary, as one of the companies that has consistently failed to take action.

‘Ministers have met Ballymore repeatedly to urge action. We are spending £5billion to fully fund the replacement of all unsafe cladding in the highest risk buildings and are making the biggest improvements to building safety in a generation.

‘It is essential that building owners take swift action to remediate defective cladding and the government will fund every eligible application. Workers are on-site in 95% of buildings identified as having ACM cladding at the beginning of 2020 and we expect that work to be completed at pace in the coming months.’

The fire service said: ‘Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus have carried out multiple rescues. Two men have been taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation.

‘A further 38 adults and four children have been treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service crews for shock and smoke inhalation.’

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