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Five London tower blocks evacuated over cladding safety fears Hundreds evacuated from London tower blocks over fears of Grenfell repeat
(about 4 hours later)
An entire housing estate in north London was being evacuated over Friday night after a fire inspection ordered in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster found its tower blocks to be unsafe. Hundreds of residents of a housing estate in north London have been evacuated overnight after fire inspectors warned that five tower blocks were at risk following the Grenfell Tower blaze.
Emergency accommodation was being sought for about 800 households from the five high-rise blocks on the Chalcots estate in Swiss Cottage in the borough of Camden. People living on the Chalcots estate in Swiss Cottage were woken throughout the night and told to immediately leave their homes after Camden council became the first in the country to order an evacuation of blocks at risk of a similar fire.
The buildings were in the process of being emptied on Friday evening after firefighters said they “could not guarantee our residents’ safety”, the leader of Camden council, Labour’s Georgia Gould, said. Those affected described scenes of confusion as they were told the council “could not guarantee our resident’s safety” and asked to find alternative accommodation or report to a local leisure centre, where hundreds of mattresses had been laid out. Others were offered hotel rooms for the night.
Those affected were being placed in temporary accommodation, including in hotels. Georgia Gould, the leader of Camden council, announced the evacuation after a review of the blocks found cladding similar to that on Grenfell Tower, as well as fire risks on insulation surrounding gas piping.
“At the moment all we care about is getting people to safety. The cost we can deal with later,” said Gould. The work to make the blocks safe is expected to take three to four weeks. Gould said: “At the moment, all we care about is getting people to safety. The cost we can deal with later.
“An operation of this scale, at such pace, is not without issues and problems along the way, but we had to do this, we have to act on fire service advice.” “The work to make the blocks safe is expected to take three to four weeks. An operation of this scale, at such pace, is not without issues and problems along the way, but we had to do this, we have to act on fire service advice.”
The council initially announced on Friday that only one tower, Taplow, which contains 161 households, was to be “temporarily decanted”. As the scattered families and individuals came to terms with the upheaval on Saturday morning, with some claiming to have only learned of the evacuation after seeing it on the news:
But within the hour, Gould said the decision had been taken to evacuate the whole estate. She said: “We think at the moment it’s about 800 [households], but it’s an emerging picture.” Two relief centres in Swiss Cottage and the Camden centre in King’s Cross were said to be near capacity.
A rest centre for residents was set up at Swiss Cottage library, she said, adding that efforts by council staff to process residents’ cases there were getting under way immediately. Camden council said it had secured hundreds of hotel beds for evacuated residents.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, a spokesman for Camden council said hundreds of hotel beds had been secured for Chalcots residents. People were being encouraged to stay with friends and family if possible while remedial work takes place.
“We’re encouraging all residents to stay with friends and family if they can, otherwise we’ll provide accommodation. Swiss Cottage rest centre is nearing capacity so we’ve secured more space at the Camden Centre King’s Cross. The prime minister, Theresa May, said her “thoughts are with residents being evacuated in Camden” and offered “every support”.
One of the five towers evacuated was deemed safe and residents were told they could return.
Gould confirmed 83 people refused to leave their homes and 650 properties were successfully evacuated.
Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, told Sky News early on Saturday morning that the evacuation was forced not by the cladding alone, but “multiple other fire safety failures”, including problems with insulation on gas pipes and missing fire doors.
The council initially announced on Friday that only one tower, Taplow, which contains 161 households, was to be “temporarily decanted”. But within the hour, Gould said the decision had been taken to evacuate the whole estate. “We think at the moment it’s about 800 [households], but it’s an emerging picture,” she said.
Gould said a rest centre for residents had been set up at Swiss Cottage library and efforts by council staff to process residents’ cases there were beginning immediately. In the early hours of Saturday morning, a spokesman for Camden council said hundreds of hotel beds had been secured for Chalcots residents.
“We’re encouraging all residents to stay with friends and family if they can, otherwise we’ll provide accommodation. Swiss Cottage rest centre is nearing capacity, so we’ve secured more space at the Camden centre [in] King’s Cross,” the spokesman said.
“Specialist staff are on the ground to assist residents with care needs. Pets are also welcome at both rest centres and hotel accommodation.”“Specialist staff are on the ground to assist residents with care needs. Pets are also welcome at both rest centres and hotel accommodation.”
The council had already announced that it would immediately begin preparing to remove cladding from five towers on the estate that was discovered in an inspection ordered after the Grenfell disaster in north Kensington, which killed at least 79 people. The council earlier said it would immediately start preparing to remove cladding from five towers on the estate after an inspection ordered following the Grenfell disaster, which killed at least 79 people, found it could be a fire risk.
But Gould said residents had since shared fire safety concerns that she had not previously been aware of, and that fire safety experts who inspected the estate on Friday had informed her that they could not guarantee the tenants’ safety. But Gould said residents had since shared fire safety concerns that she had not previously been aware of and experts who inspected the estate on Friday informed her that they could not guarantee the tenants’ safety.
She said: “We realise that this is hugely distressing for everyone affected and we will be doing all we can, alongside London fire brigade and other authorities, to support our residents at this difficult time. “We realise that this is hugely distressing for everyone affected and we will be doing all we can, alongside London fire brigade and other authorities, to support our residents at this difficult time. The Grenfell fire changes everything, we need to do everything we can to keep residents safe,” she said.
“The Grenfell fire changes everything – we need to do everything we can to keep residents safe.” On Thursday, the council said its safety inspection found that while the cladding and insulation were different from that used on Grenfell Tower, the former “did not satisfy our independent laboratory testing or the high standards we set for contractors”. In a letter sent to residents, the council said it was “taking legal advice”.
On Thursday the council said its safety inspection found that while the cladding and insulation were different from that used on Grenfell Tower, the former “did not satisfy our independent laboratory testing or the high standards we set for contractors”. Gould said people affected by the evacuation should go to Swiss Cottage library for more information and asked anyone who was able to stay with friends or relatives to do so. She was unable to say exactly how many people were being removed from their homes.
In a letter sent to residents the council said it was “taking legal advice”. Camden council said officials were knocking on doors one block at a time for safety reasons, starting at Taplow, then working through Burnham, Bray, Blashford and Dorney from about on 8pm Friday.
Gould said that those people affected by the evacuation should go to Swiss Cottage library in Avenue Road for more information, and asked anyone who was able to stay with friends or relatives to do so. She was unable to say exactly how many people were being removed from their homes. A spokesman said residents would be allowed back at the weekend to collect possessions under escort from the fire brigade. It is believed that some may not be allowed to return permanently for up to four weeks.
Michelle Urquhart, a resident of the Chalcots estate’s Bray Tower, told the Press Association on Friday: “It’s a bit frightening. They are talking about evacuating all five blocks. The evacuation came as four more Grenfell Tower victims were formally identified, bringing the total to nine. Scotland Yard said detectives were keeping open the option of bringing manslaughter charges relating to the blaze.
“At the moment, they haven’t done it and they are saying they will knock on everyone’s doors when they are ready. Refurbishment on the Chalcots estate was overseen by Rydon, the company involved in the refit of Grenfell Tower, according to its website.
“I don’t know where we are going to go. One man in a suit said to me: ‘You can’t stay here tonight.’ A statement released by Downing Street on behalf of Theresa May said: “My thoughts are with residents being evacuated in Camden while their homes are made safe tonight. We will work with and support the emergency services and relevant authorities to safeguard the public.”
“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.” The prime minister added that she would be briefed by Javid and ensure the government is “offering every support we can to residents and those working onsite”.
Kim Price, a teacher who lives in Blashford Tower with her 14-year-old son, said: “I really don’t know what to do. I’m so scared right now. The news has said: ‘Get out now.’ But the authorities have said: ‘Stay put.’
“But why now? At 4pm today, they said it would be OK and that all the checks were fine. And now, all of a sudden, the news is saying we should get out.
“I have family in Wales who are saying: ‘Come here, we’ll come and get you.’
“I’ve tried calling the council and all you’re getting is nothing. All they’re saying is: ‘You’re safe inside.’
“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. I don’t really trust them, to be honest. But it’s not their fault either – it’s a very big thing to take on. They couldn’t have foreseen this. I just want to be safe.”
Camden council said officials were knocking on doors – one block at a time for safety reasons, starting at Taplow, then working through Burnham, Bray, Blashford and Dorney.
A spokesman added that residents would be allowed back at the weekend to collect possessions under escort from the fire brigade.
The evacuation came as four more victims of Grenfell Tower were formally identified, taking the known victims of the fire to nine. Scotland Yard also revealed that detectives were keeping open the option of bringing manslaughter charges relating to the blaze.
Refurbishment on the Chalcots estate was overseen by Rydon, the company involved in the refit of Grenfell Tower, according to the firm’s website.
Theresa May’s official account tweeted:
PM: My thoughts are with residents being evacuated in Camden while their homes are made safe tonight.
PM: We will work with and support the emergency services and relevant authorities to safeguard the public.
PM: Have asked @sajidjavid to keep me regularly updated & ensure we are offering every support we can to residents & those working onsite.
Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, the constituency where Chalcots is situated, backed the council’s decision as “the right thing” to do.Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, the constituency where Chalcots is situated, backed the council’s decision as “the right thing” to do.
She said: “If you think someone’s in danger, especially in light of Grenfell, you take the first decision even if it’s not ideal. “If you think someone’s in danger, especially in light of Grenfell, you take the first decision, even if it’s not ideal. Off the back of the meeting we had last night, in which lots of residents raised concerns, Camden council and London fire brigade did the right thing, which was to carry out the safety checks,” she said.
“Off the back of the meeting we had last night, in which lots of residents raised concerns, Camden council and London fire brigade did the right thing which was to carry out the safety checks. “Once they’d checked out the internal machinery, they decided that the buildings are not fit for purpose. So they’ve made a decision that couldn’t have been easy for the council to rehouse the 800 households that we have. It may seem dramatic to some people, but if you are in a position of responsibility then I think it’s the right decision to make.”
“Once they’d checked out the internal machinery, they decided that the buildings are not fit for purpose. So they’ve made a decision that couldn’t have been easy for the council to rehouse the 800 households that we have.
“It may seem dramatic to some people but if you are in a position of responsibility then I think it’s the right decision to make.”
Siddiq said that all the hotels booked for residents so far were within the borough.
The Teesside Gazette reported on Friday night that a block of flats in the area had been found to be clad with combustible materials.
The housing company Thirteen Group had initially said all of its 20 buildings were safe. But further checks revealed that one – the Kennedy Gardens high-rise in Billingham – had been partially clad with “grade three cladding”.
The council did not plan an evacuation, the paper reported, and would instead begin removing the cladding on Monday morning.