Research & Statistics
STATISTICS
There is a domestic fire every 8 minutes in the UK
15% of house fires occurred in vacant properties
3 out of 4 fire deaths occur in the home
25% of all people killed in home fires were asleep
The devastating 2009 fire in the Lakanal tower in Camberwell was reportedly caused through a portable television being left on and overheating.
The fire in Harrow court, Stevenage (2005) was caused through tea lights being left unattended on the top of a television. 2 fire-fighters and one civilian were killed.
RESEARCH
Council properties due to their age and construction are at significant to fire damage as proved by the 2009 fire in the Lakanal Tower in Southwark, London.Below are some articles that appeared in local press highligting this threat;
“Councils face massive bill to protect blocks from fire;
The safety of tower blocks has been questioned after last month’s blaze in Camberwell
Monday, 17, Aug 2009 12:00
By Gabriel Huntley
Councils may have to fund a wide-ranging programme of improvements to housing blocks following the fatal fire in Camberwell last month.
There is concern that extensive work will be needed across the country following the serving of a legal order to Southwark council, which owned the tower where the blaze broke out.
The enforcement notice was served to the council by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA).
The body fears that other council tower blocks are unsafe, particularly a building identical to the Lakanal tower in which six people died last month.
The order requires Southwark council to ensure that other tower blocks comply with fire safety regulations.
Last month’s fire spread rapidly both upwards and downwards through a number of floors in Lakanal tower, although the building’s design should have allowed the fire to be contained.
It subsequently emerged that ‘botched’ renovations undertaken by Southwark council may have been to blame for the fire’s spread, including a wooden false ceiling in the building’s corridors.
Experts fear that inadequate fire protection exists in thousands of tower blocks and that improvements must be made to prevent another tragedy.
High-rise flats face complex fire safety issues, often having a single staircase. Existing legislation meaning that authorities have responsibility only for the communal areas of blocks but not flats themselves has been criticised, as well as inspections being undertaken by councils rather than fire services.
All new high-rise blocks must be built with specified fire safety features including smoke detectors, but these are often lacking in older buildings.
The Lakanal tower fire is currently being investigated jointly by the fire service and the police. It is likely that the inquiry will be followed by an extensive inquest into the fire’s deaths.
The investigations are expected to highlight a range of deficiencies in fire safety features for housing blocks and recommend necessary precautions for local authorities”
“Government tells landlords to reassure tenants as investigation into Southwark fire begins
Fatal blaze prompts plea to councils
10/07/2009 | By Emily Twinch
The government has asked landlords to contact tenants living in tower blocks to provide reassurance and remind them of fire safety measures, following a blaze in London which killed six people.
The fire, which broke out on the ninth floor of 14-storey Lakanal House, in Southwark, last Friday evening, has called into question the safety of tower blocks. Three of the victims were children. They died on the 11th floor of the flats after becoming trapped. The only exit from the block was via a single central stairwell.
In a letter sent to the chief executive of every English council this week, housing minister John Healey said he would ‘appreciate your authority offering some reassurance to tenants’. Landlords could remind tenants about steps they could take to protect themselves from fire, he said.
He also reminded councils about their responsibility to keep housing conditions across all tenures under review, ‘with a view to identifying any action that may need to be taken’.
Brighton and Hove Council has already said it will review all tower block fire safety procedures.
The letter came after leader of the House of Commons and local MP Harriet Harman said she would back a public inquiry into the causes of blaze.
‘We need answers,’ she said. ‘How did the fire start, how did the fire spread so quickly and why did people get trapped? We need some form of public enquiry.’
A mood of fear and shock hung over the estate in the aftermath of the blaze when Inside Housing visited. Residents claimed there had been previous fires in both tower blocks and many said they wanted to be rehoused.
Isaac Amankwaah, of Lakanal House, escaped from the burning flats with his partner Felicia Owusu and their two children. He said he hadn’t been told how to escape in the event of fire. ‘You can’t live there and feel safe,’ he added.
Leaflets on fire safety have now been distributed to residents in the nearby Marie Curie block.
But resident Steve Savale said: ‘They never told us [about fire safety] until yesterday. The sad thing is people have to die before that happens.’
Residents from Marie Curie House said they wanted to be rehoused following the fire.
Peter John, a Labour councillor for South Camberwell, said the council should look at introducing fire drills for all council tower blocks.
‘One of the questions which troubles me is whether we should be housing young families and older people above a certain level in tower blocks,’ he added. ‘The fact that three of the Lakanal victims were children raises a question over how easy it is to organise a family’s escape from a fire.’
Architect Sam Webb, who investigated the collapse of the Ronan Point tower block following an explosion in 1968, said questions would also be asked about why the facades around windows on lower floors appeared to have caught fire.
A spokesperson for Southwark Council said it did not want to pre-empt the investigation into the blaze.
But he added: ‘There has already been a joint meeting with fire, police and council officials with residents of Marie Curie to deal with any understandable concerns they may have about fire safety.’
What happens next?
The government’s chief fire and rescue advisor, Sir Ken Knight, will investigate the fire. He will report back to communities secretary John Denham.
The London Fire Brigade and Metropolitan Police are also investigating the cause of the blaze.”