Dagenham Flats Had a 'Number of Fire Safety Issues'

• Content
• News
• Dagenham Flats Had a 'Number of Fire Safety Issues'

28 August 2024

A block of flats in Dagenham that caught on fire on 26 August had “a number of fire safety issues known to London Fire Brigade.”

The entire building was affected by the fire, including scaffolding surrounding the property and the roof.  40 fire engines and around 225 firefighters attended the scene. More than 80 people were evacuated, with four people treated on scene by London Ambulance Service crews, and two taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.  

The Guardian has since reported that the building was already undergoing work to remove and replace its “non-compliant cladding” on the fifth and sixth floors.

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: "The building has a number of fire safety issues known to London Fire Brigade. A full simultaneous evacuation of the building was immediately carried out and a significant search and rescue operation took place.  

“We have commenced a full and detailed investigation into the cause of this fire, and we are working closely with police colleagues. However, due to the extensive damage to the building with parts of it now being declared unsafe, access may be limited. This will be a protracted investigation and our fire investigation and fire safety officers are likely to be on scene for several days. We know there will undoubtedly be concerns around potential fire safety issues, and this investigation will be a priority for our officers over the coming weeks.”

'National Scandal of Flammable Cladding'

The Fire Brigades Union has said that the incident exposes the “national scandal” of flammable cladding and deregulation in the building industry. Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, said: “Once again, a fire has erupted in a residential building wrapped in flammable cladding. There needs to be an urgent and swift investigation of how this has been allowed to happen.

“Hundreds of thousands of people continue to live in buildings like it, with various failings in fire safety. This is a national scandal. For decades, the FBU has warned of the risks of deregulation in the building sector. Politicians have put the interests of big business above human life. As we saw at Grenfell Tower, this can have horrific and tragic consequences.

“We have highlighted significant building safety failings before and since the Grenfell Tower fire. It was already known that the Dagenham tower block was dangerous. Time and time again, these warnings have been ignored by public authorities and by central government. This must change immediately.

Picture: a photograph of a London Fire Brigade fire engine. Image Credit: Adobe Stock

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 28 August 2024

Share

Related Articles