Massive fire in a London building

[Bolkins 4,156]

I can't get over this, as time goes on the more tragic this situation is becoming. Ive not really been able to focus on anything since it happened. There are other elements to this situation I find extremely troubling:

- Its obvious cladding on the outside of the building was the main reason the fire spread so quickly. The cladding that was used was the cheaper of 2 options, the first was fireproof where as the 2nd wasn't and the cost of the fireproof cladding would of been an extra £2 per square meter. The purpose of the cladding was to add insulation to the building but it was mainly for looks and to make the building more visually appealing. 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/16/manufacturer-of-cladding-on-grenfell-tower-identified-as-omnis-exteriors

- Residents were told to stay in their apartments by the emergency services, this was also the protocol within the building's fire safety regulations. Before the building were renovated this would of been sound advice as a fire would of been contained to one apartment, but as the building was burning from the outside-in due to the cladding and that advice shouldn't of applied. This misjudgement cost the lives of many many people, not only that, but some of these people were trapped in their apartments for hours. There are some truly heartbreaking videos that residents posted online, phone calls with relatives that have been recounted. I can't imagine a more horrifying or awful way to die. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/15/not-going-make-harrowing-final-messages-sent-residents-trapped/

- There was no sprinkler system OR fire alarm system installed in the building.

- Its taken Theresa May 3 days to visit the effected residents, Corbyn was down there way before her as was the Queen, even ****ing Adele and Rita Ora were down there with residents before May. 

This situation has woken me up to what sort of state the county I am from is in. It's exposed a side to our Government and the powers that be that I wilfully ignored before, but after this I don't think I can. I'm concerned that the Tory government will use the Public Inquiry that May has launched to whitewash the many many problems that have occurred in this tragedy. There needs to be an inquest so a jury can decide who is at fault and hold them responsible, not the Tory's narrative of who/what caused it, in which they would undoubtedly remove themselves from the firing line. Please sign the below petition, I'm not sure how effective it would be but the idea of an inquest needs to be the collective conversation and signing it might help - 

https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-this-government-must-carry-out-an-inquest-into-the-grenfell-tragedy-not-a-public-inquiry?recruiter=28490964&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

 

 

 

 

[Whispering 18,865]

I can't believe more people aren't talking about this here. They are saying now that the death toll will be over 100. The fire regulations are horrible! They were rolled back sometime in the late 80s and now over half of the high rise apartments don't meet fire safety standards that you would find in the US. The material used on the outside of this housing complex is illegal to use in the US on residential housing and on any buildings over three stories. 

This is a tragedy that could have been prevented if the correct fire regulations were in place. WTF is the government doing? 

[RAMROD 118,124]

Please jail whoever run this building cos it is isn't properly built and they have been ignoring tenants complain about it being prone to fire!!

[Laceface 2,964]

It's so horrible & disgusting in this day and age that something so fundamental is ignored over safety. So many errors in the development and council complaints. The death toll will be 100-200+. The media are under reporting it.

[Bolkins 4,156]

19 minutes ago, Whispering said:

I can't believe more people aren't talking about this here. They are saying now that the death toll will be over 100. The fire regulations are horrible! They were rolled back sometime in the late 80s and now over half of the high rise apartments don't meet fire safety standards that you would find in the US. The material used on the outside of this housing complex is illegal to use in the US on residential housing and on any buildings over three stories. 

This is a tragedy that could have been prevented if the correct fire regulations were in place. WTF is the government doing? 

Its completely insane, the company that fitted the panels are relinquishing responsibility as they were working within regulation. The local council who commissioned the 2015 renovation are not commenting on the panels and keep hiding behind a "we're unable to comment before an investigation" statement, but at this point its clear the cladding was a key factor. These sorts of buildings have been here since the 70's and never has one burnt down like that. It's the responsibility of the borough of Kensington and Chelsea council that those particular panels were chosen and they did so to save insignificant amounts of money, in one of the richest boroughs in the world which is outrageous. Ultimately many of these issues point back to choices made by the Tories and if this isn't dealt with with the upmost tact and senserity by Theresa May I feel like there will be unrest and perhaps its rightfully so. 

 

[Slayer 9,227]

This is just an atrocious event, one of the worst tragedies I have ever seen in the UK in my lifetime. I work literally one block away from Grenfell Tower and could see it from where I was sitting in my office. It's just heartbreaking and I'm LIVID because this whole thing was preventable. The cladding that presumably caused the fire to spread at such a degree was flammable and cost £2 less than fireproof cladding. Those £2 could have saved people's lives. And don't get me started on the lack of any kind of fire safety equipment provided when this cladding was just installed to be aesthetically pleasing. It is just an OUTRAGE. I am not surprised people stormed the town hall today and I wouldn't be surprised if riots happen in the coming days. Theresa May, her shoddy government and inept councils are responsible for this manslaughter and they will get their comeuppance, I can assure you. I am literally at the centre of this situation and people are really, REALLY f*cking angry.

On a slightly more positive note, the donations for the survivors are overflowing and the number of volunteers helping out is staggering. The community centres have a really positive atmosphere despite the horror that is so close to our hearts.

[Qualle1 1,385]

London fire: 58 missing, presumed dead - police

At least 58 people are now missing and presumed dead in the Grenfell Tower disaster, police have said.

This latest figure included the 30 already confirmed to have died in the devastating fire in a west London tower block on Wednesday.

Commander Stuart Cundy said that number "may increase" and that the "significant" recovery operation is likely to take weeks.

"As soon as we can, we will locate and recover loved ones," he added.

Commander Cundy appealed for anyone who managed to escape from the building, to let authorities know they were safe.

The BBC understands there could be around 70 people missing.

The search was paused on Friday due to safety concerns, but has now resumed, Commander Cundy said.

The latest update comes following the Queen's birthday message in which she reflected on the "sombre national mood" following tragedies in London and Manchester in recent weeks.

Source:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40315194

[Morphine Prince 110,020]

Many people deserve to be jailed after this. 

[Melech 9,900]

1 hour ago, Morphine Prince said:

Many people deserve to be jailed after this. 

Yep, probably won't happen though.