High Rise Fire

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So if you don't take what he says seriously, why go on about it so much. Let's keep a little perspective here.

Definetly not Tuesday.
 
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why go on about it so much

Because he's an important national figure. Just one step down from PM this week, and may move up in a matter of days.

He needs to be serious, not throwing out unsubstantiated rumours.
 
And this extract from the Guardian article, showed what I've suspected over the last few days; whilst K&C council may well have been negligent in the cladding used, a fire doesn't always kill people, it's often how the fire is then handled that'll determine the outcome.

“They [Southwark] failed and pleaded guilty, and they’ll be sentenced next week. But the fire brigade too have responsibility, because the people who escaped with their lives were those who ignored the fire brigade’s instructions and ran out of their flats and down the stairs, and those who died were those who accepted the fire brigade’s instructions and stayed in their flats. And of course, that would have been the right advice had the fire safety measures not failed.

“What the fire brigade failed to do is to change their instructions and to recognise things were not happening as they were meant to happen.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...fety-failings-tower-block-lakanal-house-blaze

At the end of it, it'll very likely be shown that the victims in the upper floors will have died from poisenous fumes, and not the fire itself, so there will a lot more questions to be answered than those posed so far.
The original fire was out. It was when the firemen were leaving that it was noticed that the fire had set alight to the cladding.
Then the inferno.
 
The original fire was out. It was when the firemen were leaving that it was noticed that the fire had set alight to the cladding.
Then the inferno.

So that might mean that when the Fire crew that first arrived at the scene of fire, or attended to the fridge fire in the kitchen, after putting it out, they may have started to lax a little as they probably thought all was well, and not thinking flames had escaped through the windows and ignited the cladding and fire was raging outside, so with no rush to leave by the time they came out then they might have realised that it was not over yet!



 
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TM has admitted in HofP that the tragedy was a result of failures at local and national government level.
The Chief Exec. of the local government has resigned (under pressure from central government figures).
Will there be any resignations at central government level?
I suspect that some need to go.
 
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I'm curious, would anyone think twice about buying a property constructed from SIPS? Its becoming quite popular on new builds.
sip-panel-details.jpg
 
Personally, No, I wouldn't think twice. What is going to happen is going to happen no matter how much you try to avoid, certain events cannot be avoided, have people stopped boarding ships and ferries since zeebrugge ferry incident? No, or stopped travelling in trains because of terrorism? No , stopped flying because of number of plane crashes? No, stopped smoking because of some people die of smoke related diseases? No, No, No , No, no , no no non nononononononono!

Living in towers is altogether another thing though, I wouldn't live in tower blocks because I don't like heights! not because I might get trapped and fire might kill me, If that was the case I would have my own emergency fire escape arrangement. Like some kind of inflatable jacket you wear and based on car air bag system, then you jump and jacket inflates automatically and you land softly.

People can die from fire even in bunglows, its all about managing fire safety, have earliest warning system fitted so as to awake you up for making exit to safety.

More emphasis should have been and should now be given to Fire Alarm systems, these should be not just fitting smoke detectors in every kitchen and not linked to a central control system. All smoke detectors should be linked to a central control panel, which further automatically dials for Fire attendants, alerts any responsible persons, such as the care taker, also sends evacuate signals throughout for residents to make way out, there should be two stage alarm system, if the original trigger point is not attended to within 5 minutes, then stage 2 alert, and another 5 minutes stage 3 evacuation alarm warning is given for all residents to leave for safety, each tower needs to have a custom made systems to suit its particular need, depending on its set up, number of stairs, lifts.

All lifts should never stop working unless fire had actually broken out in lift itself, or lift room, lifts provide essential escape route for those who have mobility problem.It would be horrible and very selfish to shut down lifts and resign older and disabled and people with mobility problems to burn to death in a fire when everyone else flees for their life. Lifts should be provided with uninterruptable Power supply.....much more can be done for more precautions against fires.... at a cost of course.
 
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I'm curious, would anyone think twice about buying a property constructed from SIPS?

IF the construction is to standard then both the inner and outer skins have a 30 minute resistance to fire { or a "modified half hour (15 minute )" } which prevent the ignition of the foam core. It may be that toward the end of the resistance period the foam is hot enough to melt but not hot enough to ignite. Also the panel should have it's edges sealed so that the foam has no access to air and thus cannot burn.

Occupants of the building will have been evacuated before the panels fail and the foam can ignite.
 
Fire protection is all about life safety. Buildings will burn, but what is important is that people can escape, or be protected for long enough until help arrives.

It's a nightmare at the moment with all the panic and flapping going on about panels and fire spread, and stairs, and sprinklers, and inspections, and certificates .....
 
Fire protection is all about life safety. Buildings will burn, but what is important is that people can escape, or be protected for long enough until help arrives.

It's a nightmare at the moment with all the panic and flapping going on about panels and fire spread, and stairs, and sprinklers, and inspections, and certificates .....
flapping about and panic going on is a real concern, 79 people didn't lose their lives for nothing, they are probably heroes for saving future lives! They were the guinea pigs! Let us hope we learn important lessons from their sacrifices.
 
We must have vastly different definitions of "heroic".

so how do you define that? according to me, a true heroic person is one who without a mask, full body protection, and fire resistant suit goes into a burning building and fetches out helpless children alive.

Personally the people who were asked to stay put, they must have been heroic, because they knew that they should have evacuated, but they listened and believed authorities to stay put, they gave their life, they are true heros, shame they didn't ignore those commands and fled, those who ignored they survived. By the time they realised the situation was getting worst, it was too late!

One must trust his own instincts than to trust someone from an authority, This is the most important lesson learnt from this disaster, people in tower blocks should trust own instincts rather than depend on others, its a matter of survival, not trust.
 
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I'm curious, would anyone think twice about buying a property constructed from SIPS? Its becoming quite popular on new builds.
sip-panel-details.jpg
there is an entire estate down this way built with a similar product , the out side wall is polystirene with a thin render coat on the out side

all built on a timber frame . You could kick your way through the out side wall the only thing stopping u getting into the house is the ply wood on the other side of the polysteirene :)

worked in them :)
 
there is an entire estate down this way built with a similar product , the out side wall is polystirene with a thin render coat on the out side

all built on a timber frame . You could kick your way through the out side wall the only thing stopping u getting into the house is the ply wood on the other side of the polysteirene :)

worked in them :)
It is called revolutionary advances in Building Construction, I am a fan of it, we got to stop using bricks but use them in certain areas where you can't use anything else, FOR NOT ONLY THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF IN PRICE, (sorry for caps) at nearly pound a brick! now a days you have to think how much a brick costs before you pick one up to throw it at someone! :oops:but bricks also use a lot of energy in baking and transportation as they are heavier, and also require mortar which adds more to the cost per m2, then you need skilled bricklayers, they cost a bomb!

So alternative materials are a way forward, brings the cost of owning houses down, in the event of fire, of course the timber buildings get burned completely, but they can be rebuild cheaper than bricks.

As for security, of people kicking their way in, Nope, I am afraid a compacted board is much stronger for a kick, you will need a drill and a jig saw to make a hole big enough for you to get in, it would be much quicker if you wanted to get in to a building you smash the glass window.

on the other hand, it may seem that any brick build house is extremely safe against forced entry, even if you strengthen the doors , windows, and secure them in decorative steel cage, weakest point of entry is the roof! just get a tall ladder, remove a few roof tiles and punch your fist through the ceiling and you are in! sadly where I live one does not even need a tall ladder, one could climb on my rear extension and then on a a window ledge and up on side roof and you are on top in no time! I am looking into this vulnerability of my house to intruders.

Once I locked myself out, that is how i got in! Didn't need to punch a hole in the ceiling, because of a hatch, and a stairway!
 
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I think the laminated boards (and fire) are less of a problem used in houses - but not for 20+ storey buildings.
 
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