Towering inferno in London

[Glennis]

From what I've read in this case: primarily for insulation and rain proofing, but also for appearance as the estate is surrounded by conservation areas.

 

Yes, we can't have the well to do, living in conservation areas, looking out their windows onto dreary 1970s tower blocks.

[top4718]

But what exactly is the point of cladding? I've seen this on many tower blocks, and of various colours. Is it just to make the blocks look colourful and modern?

 

I note they are not on any of the empty luxury investment flats for overseas investors.

 

Cladding is fine as long as the correct fire rated product is used, these are usually more expensive than conventional materials hence the reason why corners are cut, whoever allowed or sanctioned the use of anything else (if that proves to be contributory) should be held accountable.

[Obelix]

Or, even better, the building shouldn't have been wrapped in a flammable material.

 

Is it flammable though? The pictures seem to show that the cladding is charred and cracked but still mostly there - it's not burnt away. I'm wondering if what was used to fix it on was burning - or did the cladding act as a chimney and let the fire in one flat be ducted up to the windows of the flat above, and then that caught, and the cladding above that ducted it to the flat above... etc etc.

 

But then you can get cladding which ahs a plastic core rather thana mineral core. Maybe that was used which does burn after a fashion and the inside of it went up and possibly contributed.

 

Either way I think that the inevitable inquiry is going to have a good chance of finding out exactly what the cause was and then there is going to be a lot of remedial work on other tower blocks I expect..

[I1L2T3]

Nearly 40 people reported missing.

[Obelix]

Bad as that is it could be at lost worse But if that's right 50 people in what is a supposedly fire code building is horrific. Imagine if some little sod had started a fire in the stairwell itself - no one would be getting out.

[Puggie]

An architect being interviewed on Sky News today questioned how effective a sprinkler system would have been in this scenario.

 

He was basically saying the burning inferno was on the outside of the building so the usual methods of preventing a fire from spreading internally are rendered ineffective.

[Guest sibon]

Bad as that is it could be at lost worse But if that's right 50 people in what is a supposedly fire code building is horrific. Imagine if some little sod had started a fire in the stairwell itself - no one would be getting out.

 

I think that the stairwells are designed to be highly fire resistant, so that shouldn't be an issue.

 

It is truly an horrific event. It will s going to take ages to even search the building, let alone recover everyone. Just shocking.

[Puggie]

Found this [diagram] which shows what can happen when the external cladding system contributes to the spread of fire.

[Obelix]

Heres the planning application and alterations drawing.

 

https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/planning/searches/details.aspx?adv=0&simple=Grenfell+Tower&simpleBatch=20&simSubmit=Search&id=PP/12/04097&cn=145691+IBI+Taylor+Young+Chadsworth+House+Wilmslow+Road+01625+542200&type=decision&tab=tabs-planning-2#tabs-planning-1

 

If I read it right the coloured cladding panels are behind glazing.

[Pinkman]

The Tories have some questions to answer, and most likely councils of all types the length and breadth of the land.

 

But later for that. There are still probably many people trapped inside that building.

 

I believe building regulations including fire safety are the remit of BRE; a former Government body that was privatised in 1997 and now operates as a charity. They frequently test building materials and carry out experiments at their facility in Rushbrook and advise on legislation.

 

We don't know yet why the fire spread so fast and certainly not that it's due to insufficient regulation. All the legislation in the world is useless if it is ignored. But I would suggest that whoever signed off that particular building wasn't a member of the Government.

 

---------- Post added 15-06-2017 at 12:17 ----------

 

Yes, we can't have the well to do, living in conservation areas, looking out their windows onto dreary 1970s tower blocks.

 

The building was pig ugly before renovation. Nothing wrong with trying to make it look nicer so long as it's done properly.

Edited June 15, 2017 by Pinkman