Tower block fire - london

Chris Wilson · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:41

dowie said:
LA fire department with an air cushion (note - not an 'oxygen' cushion)

I am terrible I know, but for some reason I was expecting a Village People sound track to that image. It seems high rise buildings pose unique hazards when they catch well alight and there's no real answer to evacuating hundreds from such an inferno, Hollywood's Towering Inferno and Paul Newman apart. I actually feel a bit sorry for Mrs. May, what the hell more can happen in the course of her short watch? Tragic, just tragic....

Stretch · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:49

All the indicators point to the emergency services pulling out all the stops... again.

Whilst there's lots of injuries (75), I doubt many of those people would be alive without the fire services.

Deaths confirmed at 6. Fingers crossed that doesn't rise too much.

LOAM · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:51

Cern said:
This is no luxury apartment block (most of those are half empty anyway, but that's another issue). This is high-rise, cram them in cheap accommodation (well, cheap for London anyway).

Architects Journal has said 500 so I guess the casualty rate is going to be huge. They also mention recent work to the blocks gas riser.

Kenai · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:53

Stretch said:
Deaths confirmed at 6. Fingers crossed that doesn't rise too much.

I'll be surprised if it's less than 50 all told, once they actually get in and start finding bodies.

cheesyboy · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:54

balky12 said:
Besides being potentially abused by drunks.. why don't high rise apartments have strong attachment points, and emergency rope/ carabiners, so occupants can abseil themselves down, perhaps one in each room or ones at communal areas?

People might say training needs to be involved, which is probably out of the question, however if you are at the point of abseiling out of your high rise apartment you are probably at last chance saloon and out of options. Learning to abseil, or just climb down the rope, on the fly probably has a higher chance of survival than jumping...

Tower block I work in has heavy eyelets running around the inside of the external walls. No idea what their purpose is, to be honest.

Stretch · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:55

MooMoo444 said:
lol, just read that someone caught a baby being dropped from the 9th or 10th floor. I cannot imagine the pressure on the man who was making that catch.

Just read the same. Incredible.

Diddums · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:56

cheesyboy said:
Tower block I work in has heavy eyelets running around the inside of the external walls. No idea what their purpose is, to be honest.

They're anchor points for harnesses.

LOAM · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:56

cheesyboy said:
Tower block I work in has heavy eyelets running around the inside of the external walls. No idea what their purpose is, to be honest.

Man safe eye bolts for repair, cladding inspections window cleaning anything that involves you leaning out the window etc. I've seen people abseil buildings for inspection and hook them on secondary lines though.

adolf hamster · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:58

D.P. said:
Its a complete joke of a device. Just setup a rope and have some descenders available.

Or for fun they should just set up a bi plastic slide

how'd you plan to get a baby, or someone who's unconsious to use that?

cheesyboy · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:58

MooMoo444 said:
lol, just read that someone caught a baby being dropped from the 9th or 10th floor. I cannot imagine the pressure on the man who was making that catch.

I feel as though it would have been a heavy catch - is it even possible?

grudas · 14 Jun 2017 at 15:59

Kenai said:
I'll be surprised if it's less than 50 all told, once they actually get in and start finding bodies.

it'll rise but hopefully not to 50.. :|

StriderX · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:01

adolf hamster said:
how'd you plan to get a baby, or someone who's unconsious to use that?

Uhh, if they're unconscious, then unless they're on the first few floors, they're done for. The only thing saving children and unconscious people is having a council that cares.

dowie · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:03

ColdAsIce said:
Man that safety device is terrible. Did you see the problems the 3 of them had getting down?

seems more like one of them was continually mincing about and the other two had to keep stopping and waiting for him

Above&Beyond said:
I thought it was quite a high figure, some reports are 400-600.

that does seem crazy given the number of apartments... does that include people evacuated from nearby buildings too? I doubt the whole building is full of Polish sports direct workers

C.R.A.Z.Y · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:04

What a great community:

StriderX · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:06

dowie said:
seems more like one of them was continually mincing about and the other two had to keep stopping and waiting for him

that does seem crazy given the number of apartments... does that include people evacuated from nearby buildings too? I doubt the whole building is full of Polish sports direct workers

Are you serious?

Two parents and three kids isnt unusual.

LoadsaMoney · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:07

Bloody terrible

Em3bbs · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:07

dowie said:
that does seem crazy given the number of apartments... does that include people evacuated from nearby buildings too? I doubt the whole building is full of Polish sports direct workers

There are (were) 2, 3 and even 4 bedroom apartments in that block according to Sky News.

Kenai · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:10

grudas said:
it'll rise but hopefully not to 50.. :|

Hopefully not but when you look at the numbers being spoken about;

400-600 potential occupants
70 in hospital
6 confirmed dead
??? confirmed out
Fire crews only reached halfway up

The numbers don't bode well

LOAM · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:10

I know it gets said all the time but make sure your smoke detectors are working and that you have one. I've recently bought a fire extinguisher from Amazon for home for less than £20. It might have made the difference in this case if the person who's apartment the fire had started in could have dealt with it.

dowie · 14 Jun 2017 at 16:11

StriderX said:
Are you serious?

Two parents and three kids isnt unusual.

I never claimed it 'two parents and three kids' was unusual... though it perhaps would be odd if every apartment has two parents and three kids...

Em3bbs said:
There are (were) 2, 3 and even 4 bedroom apartments in that block according to Sky News.

yeah thus the numbers seem a bit odd