1960's buildings

A

Andy

At the Start
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Messages
449
Location
Hounslow
Following the fire that took the lifes of 6 people in Camberwell South London, some people are saying they are usafe, however as they have been here all this time is it more to do with who's put in them.

point 1, What hapend to women and children first.

point 2, Turntable ladders only to about the 7th floor so there are Counsil blocks far taller than that.
 
I can't believe the H&S people didn't act sooner. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s thousands of people up here had to spend thousands having emergency escape routes fitted or improved in their buildings, fire doors fitted etc.

What exactly do you mean by 'who's put in them', Andy?
 
Presumably these buildings are inspected for fire precautions on a regular basis?!

I feel fairly sure if it was a nightclub, or a place of entertainment of any sort, if there wasn't more than one exit the place wouldn't get a licence.
 
Women and children first went out the window with equal rights.


Dessie - you'd think that our government might be taking note of the various fires in France in similar multistorey buildings which have resulted in many deaths in recent years.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I can't believe the H&S people didn't act sooner. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s thousands of people up here had to spend thousands having emergency escape routes fitted or improved in their buildings, fire doors fitted etc.

What exactly do you mean by 'who's put in them', Andy?
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Well are they best suited to people with young children why not moove them north to free up places for homeless people I bet a private landlord would not get away with that,
 
I can tell you that a private landlord (or landlady, in my case) certainly wouldn't be allowed to let out housing where there were no safety measures. The gas boiler had to be (then) Corgi-inspected and passed annually, flues were checked for any blockages, there were to be smoke detectors on both floors, and for good measure, I chucked in carbon monoxide detectors, too. When I sold one larger house to a chap who was going to use it to house asylum seekers, the Home Office told him that all internal doors had to be standard fire-retardant, that he had - not an option, as it is with private landlords - to have monoxide as well as fire detectors, and fire extinguishers downstairs and on the upper landing. There would also have to be HO-issued notices put on doors to indicate exits - these would be in a variety of languages, so in the case of any problem, the occupants knew which door to use. There were some other compliances to meet, too, before he'd be given any tenants through the HO.

My leasehold flat is owned by a housing association which also owns rental-only blocks. As some of you know, our block and particularly my flat, has been plagued by rainwater coming in through the walls and ceilings. When the rain eventually fritzed the electrics to my bedroom's ceiling light, the association's answer was to just cut the wires and bind them with a bit of sticky tape. That was two years ago, and the repairs are now re-scheduled for about the 4th time to start this autumn. My only recourse, it seems, is to sue the pants off them if they don't start up this time - and at £150 an hour, my solicitor won't come cheap. There is no interest in the association complying with good practice - I told the Council that I was bitterly unhappy about the situation, and all they did was to 'ask' the association when they'd repair the place, and told me they were 'satisfied' that the renovations - six years after the rain first entered the building - were going ahead. So I'm sure Councils, if they're like Brighton & Hove, don't give a flying fart about the condition of their own stock, any more than they do about that of so-called 'caring' housing associations.
 
krizon said:
I can tell you that a private landlord (or landlady, in my case) certainly wouldn't be allowed to let out housing where there were no safety measures. The gas boiler had to be (then) Corgi-inspected and passed annually, flues were checked for any blockages, there were to be smoke detectors on both floors, and for good measure, I chucked in carbon monoxide detectors, too. When I sold one larger house to a chap who was going to use it to house asylum seekers, the Home Office told him that all internal doors had to be standard fire-retardant, that he had - not an option, as it is with private landlords - to have monoxide as well as fire detectors, and fire extinguishers downstairs and on the upper landing. There would also have to be HO-issued notices put on doors to indicate exits - these would be in a variety of languages, so in the case of any problem, the occupants knew which door to use. There were some other compliances to meet, too, before he'd be given any tenants through the HO.

My leasehold flat is owned by a housing association which also owns rental-only blocks. As some of you know, our block and particularly my flat, has been plagued by rainwater coming in through the walls and ceilings. When the rain eventually fritzed the electrics to my bedroom's ceiling light, the association's answer was to just cut the wires and bind them with a bit of sticky tape. That was two years ago, and the repairs are now re-scheduled for about the 4th time to start this autumn. My only recourse, it seems, is to sue the pants off them if they don't start up this time - and at £150 an hour, my solicitor won't come cheap. There is no interest in the association complying with good practice - I told the Council that I was bitterly unhappy about the situation, and all they did was to 'ask' the association when they'd repair the place, and told me they were 'satisfied' that the renovations - six years after the rain first entered the building - were going ahead. So I'm sure Councils, if they're like Brighton & Hove, don't give a flying fart about the condition of their own stock, any more than they do about that of so-called 'caring' housing associations.
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Just a thought but how about getting your insurer to put presher onthem and just make a small claim yourself for any extras + inconvence and or loss you suffered not covered they must surley be insured themseves.
 
With the ever increasing number of high rise blocks of flats which are being 'thrown up' to try and accomodate 'social housing', council waiting lists, trying to help first time buyers and housing for 'priority' occupations, this kind of event is sadly going to happen more and more. H&S can put in all the legislation it likes and regulate for escape routes etc., but no one can stop people blocking staircases, or being careless, or fires being accidently started and someone is again, as a consequence not going to be able to get out. I heard part of an interview with one of the fireman on the scene and he said how difficult it was to deal with a twelve storey building....that is extremely worrying as that is becoming almost the minimal height.
 
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