Positive Action Across UK in Reaction to Grenfell Tower Disaster
Local Authorities from the south coast to northern Scotland are retrofitting sprinkler systems in high rise blocks to make homes safer for residents.
In September of last year, on the eve of the Grenfell Tower enquiry, a Freedom of Information request revealed that an amazing 98 percent of the UK’s social housing blocks are not fitted with sprinkler systems.
Months later and there are promising indications that councils are getting the message. Dany Cotton, the London Fire Brigade Commissioner who led the emergency response on that fateful night in June, said the tragedy should be “a turning point,” and in the months since, we have seen councils improve fire evacuation facilities and fire prevention signs, as well as replacing poor quality cladding of the type used at Grenfell Tower at a number of locations.
Yet it is the issue of sprinkler systems that could make the biggest contribution to saving lives in the event that another fire breaks out. Here are some progress reports from across the UK.
London
Enfield Council has committed to install sprinkler systems in all 54 of the tower blocks it manages, at a total cost of £8 million. Work is already underway, and local councillor Ahmet Oykener says the work will be completed across all locations by mid 2018, describing the project as “sensible and proportionate.”
Meanwhile, up the road in Hackney, the local council ordered in excess of 1,800 fire risk assessments in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire. These resulted in more than 3,000 corrective actions being ordered, including the installation of sprinklers in all 119 flats at the 19-storey tower block on Queensbridge Road, which is home to a high proportion of elderly tenants.
Leicester
The city of Leicester has six council-managed 1970s tower blocks, containing a total of 506 flats. Leicester City Council says that work commenced last month on installing sprinkler systems in Maxfield House as part of a broader refurbishment project, and that a similar project will commence at Goscote House in the coming months.
Andy Connelly is Assistant Mayor for Housing and said: “We have just completed the refurbishment of Framland, Gordon and Clipstone, so sprinklers will have to be retrofitted there – and that could make it a bit more difficult.” However, he added that tenant safety is the top priority and sprinklers would be fitted across all sites as soon as possible.
Perth
In Perth, the council has confirmed that all new council homes will have sprinkler systems installed as standard, and the council is evaluating the cost of retrofitting to existing tower blocks. It currently has six tower blocks without sprinklers across the region, and is planning “a range of fire safety and prevention measures.”
Sheffield
The city of Sheffield was among the first to react to the Grenfell Tower disaster. The city has 24 tower blocks and brought forward existing plans for the widespread installation of sprinklers. Speaking just weeks after the tragic events in London, Councillor Jayne Dunn told local reporters: “We have done a huge amount of work in recent years to make sure our tower blocks are safe. We had always intended to review our position on sprinklers later this year. But as an extra reassurance to residents, this has been brought forward and we will be fitting sprinklers in all 24 blocks.”