In some large office buildings, a Fire Alarm System is a must , and weekly tests are also carried out and every now and again, evacuation drills are also carried out regularly, if at anytime a fire alarm system develops a serious fault, or serious faults are discovered upon testing, the whole building is prohibited from being occupied, workers are then not permitted to occupy that building, and are sent home until the alarm is sorted out. Not only that regular standby tests are also conducted on back power, where it is suppose to be for 72 hours with enough battery reserve to set alarms off for 30 minutes.
The importance of a fire Alarm in larger buildings is that where a fire cannot be contained, or becomes out of control, Fire men cannot knock on everyone's door and ask them to leave and this could take hours, there could also be language barrier, hence why a two stage fire alarm, where first stage is an alert signal (short series of beeps) given for everyone to be on their guard and be ready to leave if they then hear the stage two alarm (yodelling siren ) then everyone must evacuate the building at once.
As for all those people asked or forced to leave, many have not been able to sleep for many hours as no place has been organised for them, some sleeping on chairs, with their pets, and what about their daily needs and food? they have no kitchens and can't even have their tea! Camden council has created total shambles, unorganised, this in itself creates a risk of people losing their lives in this mayhem! in particular older and frail people, and this is going to last for weeks! Complete night mare! Its now been declared as a national emergency!