Investigations ongoing into housing safety following fire disaster
THE FIRE service is carrying out a full audit of a block of student accommodation at Edinburgh Napier University after it was revealed that it was part covered in the same cladding blamed for the fire at Grenfell Tower in London.
The cladding covers around a quarter of Bainfield Halls in Edinburgh.
Ninety five tower blocks across 32 local authorities in England have been found to have cladding that does not meet fire safet standards, since the fire that killed at least 79 on 14 June.
The cladding, which is thought to have spread the fire rapidly across the Grefell Tower, is one factor drawing renewed scrutiny on the UK’s health and safety and fire safety standards. Grenfell residents complained rpeatedly about failed fire security measures over four years before tragedy struck.
Edinburgh Green councillor Gavin Corbett said: “Almost as soon as the Grenfell tragedy happened I had local queries about the cladding used on the buildings at Bainfield. But this news will come as a great shock to the students in Bainfield and the wider community.
“It’s obviously vital that the cladding is replaced urgently and that all fire safety and prevention steps are taken in the meantime. While the fire service advice appears to be that there is no need to evacuate, if there is even a sliver of doubt I believe the university must offer alternative accommodation for those students directly affected.
Read more – Academic: UK Brexit plans increase risk of Grenfell style safety disasters
“One mercy is that that the flats are relatively unoccupied at the moment because of the end of term which means that work can be done as quickly as possible.”
Edinburgh Napier University has launched a review off all its buildings in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We have been in close contact with the university’s fire safety adviser and our own fire safety enforcement officers will today carry out a full and thorough audit of the building.”
Scottish local authorities, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Government are all conducting reviews of fire safety and investigations into Scottish housing stock following the disaster.
The Conservative government have come under pressure from portestors and opposition politicians for their response to the tragedy, which critics said was chaotic and lacked empathy for victims.
Picture courtesy of ChiralJon
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