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London Fire Death Toll Rises to 17; Government Is Criticized London Fire Death Toll Rises to 17; Government Is Criticized
(35 minutes later)
LONDON — Rescue workers were continuing to search for the missing on Thursday after a lethal fire in a West London apartment tower, as Prime Minister Theresa May came under pressure over whether the tragedy could have been prevented. LONDON — The death toll rose to 17 and rescue workers continued to search for the missing on Thursday after a lethal fire in a West London apartment tower, as Prime Minister Theresa May came under pressure over whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
The fire at the 24-story Grenfell Tower killed at least 17 people and injured dozens more, and fire officials warned that the number of dead was likely to grow: Many residents of the building were still unaccounted for. As of Thursday morning, 37 people were in hospitals, including 17 in critical care. The fire at the 24-story Grenfell Tower injured dozens of people, and fire officials warned that the number of dead was likely to grow: Many residents of the building were still unaccounted for. As of Thursday morning, 37 people were in hospitals, including 17 in critical care.
Firefighters said on Wednesday afternoon that there was no hope of finding additional survivors, but a number of people remained unaccounted for, among them a young Italian couple who had moved to the building several months ago, the Italian media reported. The building housed people from many countries including from Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and the Philippines. The government has appealed for survivors to call a hotline as they try to account for everyone who might have been in the building when the fire broke out. Firefighters said Wednesday afternoon that there was no hope of finding additional survivors, but the government has appealed for residents to call a hotline as they try to account for everyone who might have been in the building when the fire broke out. Among those who are still missing are a young Italian couple who moved to the building several months ago, Italian news outlets reported. The building housed people from many countries, including Eritrea, the Philippines, Somalia and Sudan.
Investigators continued to comb through the wreckage with help from search dogs. The fire commissioner, Dany Cotton, said firefighters had searched all 24 floors of the tower, but that the search in some areas had been circumscribed by safety concerns, including on the top floors, where, she sad, “very small pockets of fire” remained. Investigators continued to comb through the wreckage with help from search dogs. The fire commissioner, Dany Cotton, said firefighters had searched all 24 floors of the tower, but that safety concerns had circumscribed the search in some areas, including the top floors, where, she said, “very small pockets of fire” remained.
Mrs. May, already battered after a series of terrorist attacks and an election in which her Conservative Party lost its majority, visited the area of the fire on Thursday, in the North Kensington neighborhood of West London. But the political fallout from the tragedy intensified as members of parliament demanded to know why fire safety standards at the tower had not been more rigorous. Mrs. May, already battered after a series of terrorist attacks and an election in which her Conservative Party lost its majority, visited the area of the fire on Thursday, in the North Kensington neighborhood of West London. But the political fallout from the tragedy intensified as members of Parliament demanded to know why fire safety standards at the tower had not been more rigorous.
Among those being scrutinized was Gavin Barwell, who was housing minister in Mrs. May’s government until last week, when he lost his seat in the general election. He was then appointed Mrs. May’s chief of staff. Critics say that a much-needed review of fire safety regulations had been dragging on for months, under his watch.Among those being scrutinized was Gavin Barwell, who was housing minister in Mrs. May’s government until last week, when he lost his seat in the general election. He was then appointed Mrs. May’s chief of staff. Critics say that a much-needed review of fire safety regulations had been dragging on for months, under his watch.
After six people died and more than 20 were injured in a 2009 fire in Lakanal House, a tower block in Camberwell, in Southeast London, a parliamentary group had called for a review of fire safety rules, while an inquest advised the government to urge that sprinklers be installed in high-rise buildings.After six people died and more than 20 were injured in a 2009 fire in Lakanal House, a tower block in Camberwell, in Southeast London, a parliamentary group had called for a review of fire safety rules, while an inquest advised the government to urge that sprinklers be installed in high-rise buildings.
The Grenfell Action Group, an association of residents of Grenfell Tower, had complained for years that the local council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which owns the building, and the company managing the property had repeatedly ignored their concerns that the building posed a fire hazard. The Grenfell Action Group, an association of residents of Grenfell Tower, had complained for years that the local council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which owns the building, and the company that managed the property had repeatedly ignored their concerns that the building posed a fire hazard.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan Police said on Thursday that there was nothing to suggest it was a terrorist incident. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan Police said Thursday that there was nothing to suggest ties to terrorism.
Among the many questions being asked is whether a “stay put” fire protocol calling for residents to remain in their apartments if a fire is elsewhere in the building might have turned a lethal fire even more deadly, and what role aluminum exterior cladding, installed as part of a renovation completed last year, might have played in the fire’s rapid spread.Among the many questions being asked is whether a “stay put” fire protocol calling for residents to remain in their apartments if a fire is elsewhere in the building might have turned a lethal fire even more deadly, and what role aluminum exterior cladding, installed as part of a renovation completed last year, might have played in the fire’s rapid spread.
Matthew Needham-Laing, an architect and engineering lawyer who specializes in building defects, said the dark smoke that engulfed the building was a telltale sign of cladding material catching fire. Matthew Needham-Laing, an architect and engineering lawyer who specializes in building defects, said the dark smoke that engulfed the building was a telltale sign of burning cladding material.
“It looks to me like a cladding fire,” he said, adding of the material in the cladding: “It’s flame retardant, so it doesn’t catch fire as easily, but the temperatures you’re talking about are often 900, 1,000 degrees centigrade, and in those conditions, any material will generally burn.” “It looks to me like a cladding fire,” he said. The material in the cladding, he added, is “flame retardant, so it doesn’t catch fire as easily, but the temperatures you’re talking about are often 900, 1,000 degrees centigrade, and in those conditions, any material will generally burn.”
Sian Berry, chairwoman of the Housing Committee of the London Assembly, told the BBC’s Today Program that she was concerned that fire risk assessments in high-rise buildings were less strenuous than they should be since the onus was on the owners of buildings rather than the fire service.Sian Berry, chairwoman of the Housing Committee of the London Assembly, told the BBC’s Today Program that she was concerned that fire risk assessments in high-rise buildings were less strenuous than they should be since the onus was on the owners of buildings rather than the fire service.
“It used to be the case that the fire brigade would go in, inspect, make very prescriptive requirements on the building owners, before they would get a safety certificate,” she said. “Now it’s not like that — it is less rigorous.”“It used to be the case that the fire brigade would go in, inspect, make very prescriptive requirements on the building owners, before they would get a safety certificate,” she said. “Now it’s not like that — it is less rigorous.”
She added in a statement that she was dismayed that no central fire alarms and fire drills were required for residential buildings, unlike in office buildings, and she expressed alarm that concerns about fire safety voiced by residents of Grenfell Tower before the tragedy had been ignored. Ms. Berry added in a statement that she was dismayed that no central fire alarms and fire drills were required for residential buildings, unlike in office buildings, and she expressed alarm that concerns about fire safety voiced by residents of Grenfell Tower before the tragedy had been ignored.
“It is clear that an inquiry will be needed to look at risk assessments, what was done during the recent refurbishment and whether people had the right advice for what to do.” “It is clear that an inquiry will be needed to look at risk assessments, what was done during the recent refurbishment and whether people had the right advice for what to do,” she said.
David Lammy, a Labour lawmaker representing Tottenham, in Northeast London, told the BBC that he considered the fire to be “corporate manslaughter.” “This is the richest borough in our country treating its citizens in this way and we should call it what it is,” he said. “It is corporate manslaughter. That’s what it is. And there should be arrests made, frankly. It is an outrage.”David Lammy, a Labour lawmaker representing Tottenham, in Northeast London, told the BBC that he considered the fire to be “corporate manslaughter.” “This is the richest borough in our country treating its citizens in this way and we should call it what it is,” he said. “It is corporate manslaughter. That’s what it is. And there should be arrests made, frankly. It is an outrage.”
He said that after knocking on housing estate doors across the country during recent elections, he had seen at first hand that many buildings had antiquated fire standards and poor conditions. He said that after knocking on housing estate doors across the country during recent elections, he had seen firsthand that many buildings had antiquated fire standards and poor conditions.
“Those 70s buildings, many of them should be demolished,” he told the BBC. “They have not got easy fire escapes. They have got no sprinklers. It is totally, totally unacceptable in Britain that this is allowed to happen and that people lose their lives in this way. People should be held to account.”“Those 70s buildings, many of them should be demolished,” he told the BBC. “They have not got easy fire escapes. They have got no sprinklers. It is totally, totally unacceptable in Britain that this is allowed to happen and that people lose their lives in this way. People should be held to account.”