#boltonfire is just a wall of fire, the cladding is just melting, people on the streets homeless.
Look at this story from Sept 2018, over a year ago, identifying
That just 8 of the 62 student towers rising over 18m & using material that officials said breached building regs have so far been completely fixed. Remediation plans were unclear for 23 of the towers.
That just 8 of the 62 student towers rising over 18m & using material that officials said breached building regs have so far been completely fixed. Remediation plans were unclear for 23 of the towers.
There’s going to be all hell to pay for this.
I wonder if it was one of the ones identified?
theguardian.com/education/2018…
I wonder if it was one of the ones identified?
theguardian.com/education/2018…
So. We have had the flood, and the fire.
What pestilence next?
What pestilence next?
@Artemitzi has just provided this link to a story about an inspection of some student accommodation in Bolton and from this Gretaer Manchester Fire Service Message it is at the same site.
The story suggests it had been checked and found to be safe.
theboltonnews.co.uk/news/15375081.…
The story suggests it had been checked and found to be safe.
theboltonnews.co.uk/news/15375081.…
A number of possibilities.
Was it just the specification that was checked?
Was a sample of the cladding removed and tested?
If so who was responsible for overseeing it?
Of course maybe this fire will not be attributed to cladding but hard to see how on current info.
Was it just the specification that was checked?
Was a sample of the cladding removed and tested?
If so who was responsible for overseeing it?
Of course maybe this fire will not be attributed to cladding but hard to see how on current info.
This from July 2019 criticising the Government for its slow rate of response and the risk of another devastating tragedy.
architectsjournal.co.uk/news/governmen…
architectsjournal.co.uk/news/governmen…
Remember Grenfell Cladding firm Rydon? A week ago
“The Gov had named (Rydon) on a list of 12 companies recommended to public bodies for works on high-rise residential buildings in the south of England, which some of the bereaved & survivors described as adding “insult to injury”
“The Gov had named (Rydon) on a list of 12 companies recommended to public bodies for works on high-rise residential buildings in the south of England, which some of the bereaved & survivors described as adding “insult to injury”
If this turns out to be the way it rather looks and this Government survives it, there is something is gravely wrong with the electorate.
theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/n…
theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/n…
I wonder if Rydon provided any of the cladding or works in this Bolton Student block building.
Or, given that recent Gov Framework Contract award if any of its Directors or major shareholders are donors to the Tory Party? @petergeoghegan @peterjukes
beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/012926…
Or, given that recent Gov Framework Contract award if any of its Directors or major shareholders are donors to the Tory Party? @petergeoghegan @peterjukes
beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/012926…
It wasn’t as if the Government didn’t have plenty of warning.
And worth remembering that on the morning that Grenfell blazed on the agenda of the Red Tape Committee was an item... yes... to “simplify” regulation on building cladding.
And worth remembering that on the morning that Grenfell blazed on the agenda of the Red Tape Committee was an item... yes... to “simplify” regulation on building cladding.
Students report that the fire alarms were not working and they relied on screams.
In fact it maybe that they were working in places as another student reported hearing one, thinking it was a drill until people started screaming it was a real fire below.
In fact it maybe that they were working in places as another student reported hearing one, thinking it was a drill until people started screaming it was a real fire below.
An article from the FT yesterday, so just before the fire provides the information for which I was looking.
Of the £200m set aside in a Gov fund to assist in the cost of replacement cladding just 1 award has been made.
Grenfell fire was in June 2017, nearly 2.5 years ago.
Of the £200m set aside in a Gov fund to assist in the cost of replacement cladding just 1 award has been made.
Grenfell fire was in June 2017, nearly 2.5 years ago.
Gov tests have since pinpointed more than 400 towers with the aluminium composite cladding systems used in Grenfell, of which 184 are privately owned.
The remedial work remains undone in most as developers freeholders & warranty providers battle over who should bear the cost.
The remedial work remains undone in most as developers freeholders & warranty providers battle over who should bear the cost.
The application process is complicated.
Northpoint in Bromley, which is applying for government funds, have already spent £350,000 on fire patrols + £120,000 for a new alarm system.
Leaseholders of the 57 flats cannot sell or remortgage their homes — which are valued at zero
Northpoint in Bromley, which is applying for government funds, have already spent £350,000 on fire patrols + £120,000 for a new alarm system.
Leaseholders of the 57 flats cannot sell or remortgage their homes — which are valued at zero
Yet ACM cladding is not the only known and identified problem and that £200m fund does not apply to them.
For instance those built with high-pressure laminate cladding AND combustible insulation,
We do not yet know what building materials and methods apply to this student block
For instance those built with high-pressure laminate cladding AND combustible insulation,
We do not yet know what building materials and methods apply to this student block
Here is a link to the FT article from 15/11/2019.
Meanwhile the excellent @ur_friend_papu has been doing some sleuthing about the owner of the student block in Bolton and that makes interesting reading.
ft.com/content/c65fa3…
Meanwhile the excellent @ur_friend_papu has been doing some sleuthing about the owner of the student block in Bolton and that makes interesting reading.
ft.com/content/c65fa3…
The owner of the block of flats is a company called. Valeo USL Ltd. t/ Urban Student Life. Which is owned by Valeo USL Holdco Ltd, which in turn is owned by Mr Theodore Rollins - a wealthy US national and resident.
The company docs suggests it manages “assets” of 3000 student beds.
It was suspended due to malpractice from the National Code for providers - a very rare event - in 2016 for, amongst other things, failing to provide fire safety information re a new block of accom in Leeds
It was suspended due to malpractice from the National Code for providers - a very rare event - in 2016 for, amongst other things, failing to provide fire safety information re a new block of accom in Leeds
The residents of other accommodation blocks that are Urban Life “assets” in Canterbury, Chester, Leicester, Liverpool and Nottingham, and maybe more, I think will be very worried today.
nus.org.uk/en/news/press-…
nus.org.uk/en/news/press-…
Thanks, again to @ur_friend_papu who has done a great job coordinating information about the building and certifications from “experts”.
Some remedial work done on the block in 2018 and “signed off” by a firm called “Assent Building Control”
Some remedial work done on the block in 2018 and “signed off” by a firm called “Assent Building Control”
Whilst it looks as if the remedial work did provide SOME protection in that it managed to contain the fire largely to the top 5 floors, it also seems likely that other foreseeable risks were not addressed due to regulatory and approval systems failures.
More about that shortly
More about that shortly
A reference to failing sin the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
This will, no doubt, form part of the next phase of the Grenfell Inquiry.
Truly independent expertise, regulation, approval processes in building and design and effective enforcement
This will, no doubt, form part of the next phase of the Grenfell Inquiry.
Truly independent expertise, regulation, approval processes in building and design and effective enforcement
This is an absolutely superb article by @xtophercook in @tortoise
His loss to @BBCNewsnight is a great shame.
He reviews building and Fire regulation, however crude but effective from 1100 on.
Then concentrates on the Grenfell revelations and gaps and failing in testing.
His loss to @BBCNewsnight is a great shame.
He reviews building and Fire regulation, however crude but effective from 1100 on.
Then concentrates on the Grenfell revelations and gaps and failing in testing.
Those desktop approval systems (It’s been done before) that seems may well have Ben used in the certification of the Bolton Student Bloc remedial work.
Then the secrecy built into the system.
Where is the test certification for Grenfell let or even proof of a desktop study?
Then the secrecy built into the system.
Where is the test certification for Grenfell let or even proof of a desktop study?
More about the growth of AI (Approved Inspectors) and the pressure on building Inspectors when the regulation is insufficiently robust and prescriptive.
Also there was clearly a failure to grasp how extensively desktop studies were being applied.
(Surely not for THAT?!)
Also there was clearly a failure to grasp how extensively desktop studies were being applied.
(Surely not for THAT?!)
Further, whilst some fire risks have been diminished (Eg through smoking cessation, fire drills and fire service expertise) others have increased. Eg more open plan design, lighter materials and content materials.
Modern room 3min 30 sec to flashover.
Previous era 29min 30 sec
Modern room 3min 30 sec to flashover.
Previous era 29min 30 sec
“We have a state that, denuded of expertise, lives in too much fear of upsetting vested interests. The Stuart building laws were blunt and crude. Give me that over pliability.”
When expertise is needed the Gov has to call on those who’ve been paid by one side of an argument or another.
Sir Ken Knight, a genuinely esteemed expert who chaired the group, literally signed the testing certificate for Reynobond 55 PE.- the cladding used in Grenfell.
Sir Ken Knight, a genuinely esteemed expert who chaired the group, literally signed the testing certificate for Reynobond 55 PE.- the cladding used in Grenfell.
The world called upon is too small and insufficiently Independent.
Do read this terrific article by @xtophercook
members.tortoisemedia.com/2019/11/16/gre…
Do read this terrific article by @xtophercook
members.tortoisemedia.com/2019/11/16/gre…
Worth adding this clip provided by @ur_friend_papu of Johnson’s irresponsible schoolboy dismissal of Fire Service cuts whilst he was a mayor of London.
We are being reminded about different sorts of cladding
ACM (Grenfell)
High Pressure Laminate (HPL) as used in Lakinal where 6 people died, 3 women, 3 children.
And the risks re that are also known
What cladding was used in Bolton?
And what was known
ACM (Grenfell)
High Pressure Laminate (HPL) as used in Lakinal where 6 people died, 3 women, 3 children.
And the risks re that are also known
What cladding was used in Bolton?
And what was known
Just seen this that suggests Bolton MIGHT be HPL cladding plus combustible insulation.
But let’s keep reminding ourselves the investigation might reveal multiple causes. Why did those top floors burn so fiercely yet the lower floors did not?
But let’s keep reminding ourselves the investigation might reveal multiple causes. Why did those top floors burn so fiercely yet the lower floors did not?
