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| Camden flats: Hundreds of homes evacuated over fire risk fears | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 800 homes in tower blocks on a council estate in Camden, north London, are being evacuated because of fire safety concerns. | |
| Camden Council says people in five towers on the Chalcots estate will be moved for "urgent fire safety works" - and it is "block-booking hotels". | |
| The estate's cladding is similar to Grenfell Tower in west London, where there was a deadly fire this month. | |
| A total of 79 people are feared dead after that disaster. | 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. | 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. |
| Residents of the estate attended a public meeting with council officials on Thursday evening. | |
| The council leader, Labour's Georgia Gould, said the decision to evacuate the buildings was made at about 18:30 BST on Friday after the fire service "told us they could not guarantee our residents' safety in those blocks". | |
| On Friday night some residents said the first they heard of the evacuation was on the news. | |
| Although the council says it is booking hotels, some residents say they're spending the night on air beds in a gym. | |
| "I know it's difficult, but Grenfell changes everything and I just don't believe we can take any risk with our residents' safety and I have to put them first," Ms Gould said. | |
| Camden Council said officials had been knocking on the doors of the towers one at a time for safety reasons - starting at Taplow and followed by Burnham, Bray, Blashford and Dorney. | |
| Residents will be allowed in at the weekend to collect more possessions under escort from the fire brigade. | |
| The Prime Minister, Theresa May, tweeted: "My thoughts are with residents being evacuated in Camden while their homes are made safe tonight." | 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. | She said the government was "offering every support we can" to residents and officials working at the estate. |
| At the scene | |
| Alex Regan, BBC News | |
| As the sun sets in Swiss Cottage, there is frustration among residents of the Chalcots estate. | |
| The streets are teeming with neighbours, cameramen, and children. | |
| Camden Council employees are standing outside the Taplow tower, speaking to residents. | |
| There is a steady trickle of families walking out of the main entrance with an array of suitcases, satchels and bags for life. | |
| Most are not in the mood to talk; others seem to not know what is going on. | |
| One woman shouted angrily at a TV cameraman: "Can you tell me what's going on?" | |
| 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. |
| "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. | "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. | 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. | "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." | "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." |
| Edward Strange, who lives in an 11th floor flat with his wife and young daughter, said the evacuation was a "complete overreaction". | Edward Strange, who lives in an 11th floor flat with his wife and young daughter, said the evacuation was a "complete overreaction". |
| He told the BBC there had been two previous fires in the block and they had been easily contained. | He told the BBC there had been two previous fires in the block and they had been easily contained. |
| "I've got a young daughter, a wife and a cat, I've also got a job. They said it'd take four to six weeks. If the council says four to six weeks it'll take four to six months." | |
| Another resident, Roger Evans, also said he thought the council action was "excessive". | Another resident, Roger Evans, also said he thought the council action was "excessive". |
| Speaking before a meeting arranged by the council at a nearby sports centre, Mr Evans said officials had so far "not being clear as to where to go or for how long". | Speaking before a meeting arranged by the council at a nearby sports centre, Mr Evans said 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." | 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." |
| 'Temporarily decanted' | |
| Camden's leader, Georgia Gould, said London Fire Brigade had completed a joint inspection of the blocks with Camden Council technical experts. | |
| It was decided the flats needed to be "temporarily decanted...so that residents can be fully assured of their safety". | |
| 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. |
| A rest centre had been set up and residents were being found hotels and other accommodation, she said. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Friday night's 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 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 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 |