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| Hundreds of Camden flats evacuated amid cladding fears | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 800 homes in tower blocks on a council estate in Camden, north London, are being evacuated because of safety concerns over cladding. | |
| Camden Council says people in flats in five towers on the Chalcots estate will be moved for "urgent fire safety works" - and it is "block-booking hotels". | Camden Council says people in flats in five towers on the Chalcots estate will be moved for "urgent fire safety works" - and it is "block-booking hotels". |
| The cladding is similar to that of the Grenfell Tower in west London, where there was a deadly fire this month. | |
| A total of 79 people are feared dead after that disaster. | |
| Camden Council said it will remove external thermal cladding from five tower blocks on the Chalcots estate. | |
| It had initially announced the evacuation of one tower block, Taplow, but later extended the move to all five tower blocks it had checked. | It had initially announced the evacuation of one tower block, Taplow, but later extended the move to all five tower blocks it had checked. |
| Council leader, Labour's Georgia Gould, said residents of the estate attended a public meeting with council officials on Thursday evening. | |
| But on Friday night some residents said the first they heard of the evacuation was on the news. | |
| The Prime Minister, Theresa May, tweeted: "My thoughts are with residents being evacuated in Camden while their homes are made safe tonight." | |
| She said the government was "offering every support we can" to residents and officials working at the estate. | |
| Ms Gould said: "Camden Council is absolutely determined to ensure that our residents are safe and we have promised them that we will work with them, continue to act swiftly and be open and transparent." | |
| She said London Fire Brigade had completed a joint inspection of the blocks with Camden Council technical experts. | She said London Fire Brigade had completed a joint inspection of the blocks with Camden Council technical experts. |
| 'Grenfell changes everything' | |
| It was decided the flats needed to be "temporarily decanted" to allow the work "so that residents can be fully assured of their safety. This means that we need to move residents from their homes and into temporary accommodation". | It was decided the flats needed to be "temporarily decanted" to allow the work "so that residents can be fully assured of their safety. This means that we need to move residents from their homes and into temporary accommodation". |
| Ms Gould said the work is expected to take three to four weeks. | Ms Gould said the work is expected to take three to four weeks. |
| She added: "Grenfell changes everything and I don't believe we can take any risks." | She added: "Grenfell changes everything and I don't believe we can take any risks." |
| A rest centre had been set up and residents were being found hotels and other accommodation, Ms Gould said. | A rest centre had been set up and residents were being found hotels and other accommodation, Ms Gould said. |
| Speaking to the Press Association, resident Michelle Urquhart said: "It's a bit frightening. | Speaking to the Press Association, resident Michelle Urquhart said: "It's a bit frightening. |
| "At the moment they haven't done it and they are saying they will knock on everyone's doors when they are ready." | "At the moment they haven't done it and they are saying they will knock on everyone's doors when they are ready." |
| Ms Urquhart , who lives in the estate's Bray tower, added: "I don't know where we are going to go. | |
| "I'm so angry because we had the meeting with the council last night and they tried to reassure us. | |
| "We have been living in these flats for the last 10 years with this cladding." | "We have been living in these flats for the last 10 years with this cladding." |
| Teacher Kim Price, who lives in Blashford tower with her 14-year-old son, said: "At 4pm today they said it would be okay and that all the checks were fine. | |
| "And now all of a sudden the news is saying we should get out. | |
| "We've had two letters in two days saying 'you're not safe' then 'you're safe'. I don't really know what to do." | |
| Another resident on the estate, Roger Evans, said he thought the council action was "excessive". | |
| Speaking before a meeting arranged by the council at a nearby sports centre, Mr Evans told the BBC officials had so far "not being clear as to where to go or for how long". | |
| He said: "They're saying essentially that the flats are safe in the communal areas but they're concerned about issues, not exactly sure what - it's all a bit chaotic and no one knows anything at the moment." | |
| Police investigation | Police investigation |
| Camden Council agreed a contract with Rydon Construction - the same firm that oversaw the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower - to refurbish the Chalcots Estate in May 2006 at a cost of £66m. | |
| The announcement came as the Metropolitan Police said the Grenfell Tower fire started in a fridge-freezer, and outside cladding and insulation failed safety tests. | The announcement came as the Metropolitan Police said the Grenfell Tower fire started in a fridge-freezer, and outside cladding and insulation failed safety tests. |
| Detectives say manslaughter, health and safety, and fire safety charges will be considered as part of their investigation. | Detectives say manslaughter, health and safety, and fire safety charges will be considered as part of their investigation. |
| A national operation to identify buildings with cladding similar to that used in Grenfell Tower has seen local authorities send samples for independent tests. | A national operation to identify buildings with cladding similar to that used in Grenfell Tower has seen local authorities send samples for independent tests. |
| The Department for Communities and Local Government said 14 residential high-rise buildings in nine local authority areas have now been found with cladding that raises safety concerns. | The Department for Communities and Local Government said 14 residential high-rise buildings in nine local authority areas have now been found with cladding that raises safety concerns. |
| A DCLG spokesman said: "The safety of residents is paramount. Camden Council and the Fire and Rescue Service are rightly working together to implement their responsibilities under the Emergency Fire Safety Review that we sent them... | A DCLG spokesman said: "The safety of residents is paramount. Camden Council and the Fire and Rescue Service are rightly working together to implement their responsibilities under the Emergency Fire Safety Review that we sent them... |
| "This is clearly distressing for those involved and the every effort will be made to reduce the disruption as they make temporary arrangements in line with their emergency plans. | "This is clearly distressing for those involved and the every effort will be made to reduce the disruption as they make temporary arrangements in line with their emergency plans. |
| "The government, through London Resilience, is offering every assistance in getting this done as swiftly and safely as possible." | "The government, through London Resilience, is offering every assistance in getting this done as swiftly and safely as possible." |
| Do you live in one of the affected tower blocks on the Chalcots estate in Camden Council? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Do you live in one of the affected tower blocks on the Chalcots estate in Camden Council? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| You can send your pictures and video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk | You can send your pictures and video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk |
| You can also contact us in the following ways: | You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |