Cladding fire tests failed by 34 blocks in 17 areas
Cladding fire tests failed by 34 blocks in 17 areas
(about 5 hours later)
Cladding on 34 tower blocks in 17 council areas in England has failed fire safety tests, the government says.
Cladding on 34 tower blocks in 17 council areas in England has failed fire safety tests, the government says.
The results mean every sample has failed the tests so far. The government plans to test up to 600 blocks.
So far, every sample has failed the tests. The government plans to examine cladding from up to 600 blocks.
The updated figures came as Camden became the first authority to evacuate residents over concerns, asking those living in four buildings to leave.
The updated figures came as people from the Chalcots estate in Camden, north London, spent a second night away from their homes.
The council said it had no option but to move residents of 650 flats on the Chalcots estate while work takes place.
But - across the country - not every block that fails safety tests will be evacuated.
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said the residents had shown "calm and stoicism".
Four of the five blocks on the Chalcots estate were evacuated on Friday because of fears over cladding, gas pipes, and fire doors.
But he said cladding itself is not dangerous and a test failure does not necessarily mean a building will have to be evacuated.
Camden council said it had no option but to move residents from 650 flats while work takes place.
Camden's decision to evacuate was because the failed testing of external cladding was "compounded by multiple other fire safety failures", said Mr Javid.
But Communities Secretary Sajid Javid - while agreeing with the decision in Camden - said: "A failure in testing of the cladding does not necessarily mean that a building will have to be evacuated.
The testing of potentially combustible cladding "is running around the clock" and interim safety measures are being put in place for all affected buildings, he added.
"The decision by Camden council was because the failed testing of the external cladding was compounded by multiple other fire safety failures."
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) pointed out that local authorities have been asked to prioritise buildings they had most concern over.
Plymouth is one of the affected areas. The elected leader of the city council, Ian Bowyer, said: "We are not proposing to evacuate...
The DCLG's testing programme, which began on Wednesday, is able to test 100 samples a day. If needed, further lab capability could be provided.
"The failures that have been attributed to the blocks in Camden are not present here in the three tower blocks in Plymouth."
Prime Minister Theresa May said "necessary" steps will be taken to find people evacuated from the Chalcots Estate.
The Local Government Association said some councils have introduced 24-hour warden patrols to mitigate the risk before cladding is removed.
Mrs May said: "We are making sure that the authority has the ability to do what is necessary to ensure people have somewhere to stay and that the work is done so that those tower blocks will become safe for them to return to in future."
The Department for Communities and Local Government's testing programme, which began on Wednesday, is able to test 100 samples a day.
The Local Government Association said some councils have introduced 24-hour a day warden patrols, to mitigate the risk before cladding is removed.
If needed, further lab capability could be provided. Mr Javid said testing was taking place "around the clock".
"Anyone living in a high-rise building can be reassured that their council will act on any advice from the fire service to ensure their safety," a spokesman said.
Although every sample has failed the test so far, he pointed out that local authorities have been asked to prioritise buildings they had most concern over.
Other high-rise buildings, such as some used by the NHS, are also being tested.
Seven of the 17 local authorities where high-rise buildings have failed fire safety tests have been named. They are:
The DCLG have named seven of the 17 local authorities where high-rise buildings have failed fire safety tests. They are:
Earlier, Camden council's Labour leader, Georgia Gould, said the authority had acted "as swiftly as we possibly can" to ensure people's safety.
Ms Gould said the fire service "told us they could not guarantee our residents' safety in those blocks".
"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.
"I offered to pay for fire stations to be stationed outside all of those blocks so we could have a couple of days to get the work done but the message was there was absolutely nothing I could do to make those blocks safe that night."
She said that if people still choose to not leave their homes then it would "become a matter for the fire services".
The Chalcots estate's cladding is similar to Grenfell Tower in west London, where a fire is feared to have killed 79 people.
The Chalcots estate's cladding is similar to Grenfell Tower in west London, where a fire is feared to have killed 79 people.
Chalcots was refurbished between 2006 and 2009 by the same firm, Rydon, that oversaw work at Grenfell Tower in 2015-16.
Chalcots was refurbished between 2006 and 2009 by the same firm, Rydon, that oversaw work at Grenfell Tower in 2015-16.
Camden Council says it will remove external thermal cladding from five tower blocks on the Chalcots estate.
After the evacuation, emergency accommodation was set up at Swiss Cottage leisure centre and at the Camden Centre in King's Cross.
It also said there were concerns about the insulation of gas pipes going into flats, and fire doors.
Camden Council - which said it already spent £500,000 on hotel rooms - said it would reimburse residents who have paid for their own temporary accommodation.
At the scene
It has also set aside £100,000 for food and essential items for displaced residents.
By Cherry Wilson, BBC News
The work at Chalcots is expected to take three to four weeks.
Children jump on the climbing frames and kick around a ball in the playground outside Swiss Cottage leisure centre.
Despite being urged to leave, around 20 households had refused to vacate their homes by Saturday evening.
It would seem like a typical Saturday for families - except many are laden with bags or suitcases after leaving their homes.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said councils across the country needed to deal "swiftly and effectively with the scale of the fire safety challenge" posed by the Grenfell Tower fire.
Locals say they are weary, after a chaotic night of mixed messages about whether or not they can stay in their homes.
Pamela Woodward, 72, and her husband are walking away from the centre with two black suitcases, after being told they will be put up in a hotel.
They stayed in their tower block last night after being told at 02:00 that someone would be back to collect them - but no-one returned.
Pamela said: "I think there has been a big cock-up. I feel terrible. I just want to be at home. I've been up all night waiting for them."
Emergency accommodation was set up at Swiss Cottage leisure centre and at the Camden Centre in King's Cross.
But Camden Council, which said it already spent £500,000 on hotel rooms, said it would reimburse residents who have paid for their own temporary accommodation.
Ms Gould urged them to stay with family and friends if possible and encouraged remaining residents to vacate their blocks.
The decision to evacuate the buildings was made at 18:30 BST on Friday.
The work is expected to take three to four weeks. Residents will be allowed in at the weekend to collect more possessions under escort from the fire brigade.
Bob O'Toole, chairman of Chalcots Estate residents' association, told BBC Breakfast that contractors had been working overnight in several of the tower blocks.
"A lot of people are annoyed because of the way [the evacuation] was done. They're saying it was left too late in the evening.
"But Camden Council didn't get the information till late, and they acted on that as quickly as possible."
One resident, Belinda, says she is among a number of tenants who are refusing to leave their flats "because we think it's unnecessary and some don't know what they will do with their pets."
She said council lawyers accompanied by police have advised her to vacate the building, but added: "They know they can't force us to leave without legal documents which will take them time to put together."
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said councils across the country needed to deal "swiftly and effectively with the scale of the fire safety challenge" posed by the Grenfell Tower fire and the government's emergency Cobra committee should meet to plan a stronger response.
"This is now a nationwide threat and the prime minister needs to get a grip," he added.
"This is now a nationwide threat and the prime minister needs to get a grip," he added.
Liberal Democrat President Sal Brinton, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group, said: "This is a civil emergency.
"The government must guarantee funding for local councils to do everything necessary to keep people safe and compensate those who have had their lives disrupted."
Local MP Tulip Siddiq backed Camden Council's decision to evacuate the estate saying it was "not an ideal situation" but the safety of residents "needs to come first".
What happens to pets?
Camden is working with the RSPCA and animal welfare officers in the neighbouring borough of Islington to help residents with pets.
Twelve dogs, six cats, two budgies, a cockatiel, a parrot, two hamsters, a guinea pig, three tanks of fish, and a hedgehog have been registered with officials.
"The borough is working really hard to let people take their pets with them to hotels," says Zenon Brown from the RSPCA. "A lot of people do not want to be separated from their pets, understandably."
But there are temporary holding facilities for animals within Islington, and local animal welfare groups have offered volunteer and fostering support for pets.
"As much as possible we are trying to keep pets and owners together," says Joe Clarke from Islington Council. "But we are also offering help and support... where that can't be facilitated."
Camden Council agreed a contract with Rydon Construction to refurbish the Chalcots estate in May 2006 at a cost of £66m.
The work took more than three-and-a-half years. Five towers received new cladding and 711 flats were modernised with new wiring, heating, kitchens and bathrooms.
David Clixby, who lives in a nine-storey council tower block in Billingham, Cleveland, has contacted the BBC to say residents have been notified that the building has been "partially clad" in combustible cladding.
"We are being allowed to stay in our flats until the work starts on Monday, as the fire services have said they are safe enough for us to stay.
"The council have put 24-hour security in each block until work starts."
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.
Do you live in one of the 27 tower blocks that have failed fire cladding safety tests? Are you a resident in one of the affected tower blocks on the Chalcots estate? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
Do you live in one of the 27 tower blocks that have failed fire cladding safety tests? Are you a resident in one of the affected tower blocks on the Chalcots estate? 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
