Fire Brigade statement on Dagenham flats fire

 Fire Brigade Union Video

 

I am publishing the statement below as many buildings with fire safety issues are still awaiting remediation.

From London Fire Brigade

40 fire engines and around 225 firefighters tackled a fire at a block of flats on Freshwater Road in Dagenham. 

The whole of the building was affected by the fire, including scaffolding surrounding the property and the roof.  

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: “We were called to the incident at 0244 this morning.  

“The first crew arrived within five minutes and the second crew arrived within six minutes. An aerial appliance also arrived in under six minutes. To allow us to focus our resources on the incident, we declared a major incident, which has now been stood down. I am immensely grateful to the crews and officers who have operated in the most dangerous conditions to both rescue people and bring the incident under control despite being faced with a significant building failure. 

"The building has a number of fire safety issues known to London Fire Brigade. A full simultaneous evacuation of the building was immediately carried out and a significant search and rescue operation took place.  

“I am pleased to confirm that everyone has been accounted for. More than 80 people were evacuated with firefighters leading residents out to safety and carrying out 20 rescues. This included using fire escape hoods, which can provide 15 minutes of clean, filtered air in smoke-filled environments, helping individuals stay safe until they can be rescued or reach safety.  Four people were treated on scene by London Ambulance Service crews, with two taken to hospital.  

“The Brigade’s Control Officers took 16 calls to the fire, including successfully giving vital fire survival guidance to a number of people using our Fire Survival Guidance App, which allows information to be exchanged between Control and the incident ground in a timely, accurate and consistent manner. They are also to be commended for their calm professionalism as the building began to fail. 

“We also used new equipment such as drones and our 64-metre and 32-metre turntable ladders to provide incident commanders with a vantage point for assessing the scene. They were also used as water towers to deliver water on to the fire from above. 

“The Brigade stood up full strategic arrangements to deal with the incident and a rest centre has been set up at Beacontree Health and Leisure Centre. London Fire Brigade officers and members of our dedicated community support team are stationed at the rest centre to support residents alongside partners. Crews will also remain on scene into tomorrow carrying out further operations. 

"We will now begin a full investigation into the fire and its cause. This was a very dynamic and challenging incident, and we know there will undoubtedly be concerns around the fire safety issues present within the building and this will form part of our report.  

“Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected and we will remain present in the local community throughout the coming days to provide support where needed.  

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank our crews, Control Officers, fire safety officers and support staff who worked incredibly hard to resolve the incident and to ensure everyone was safe. I would also like to thank our partners for their support.” 

7th Anniversary statement on Grenfell from London Fire Commissioner: There's more important work to do and we will do everything in our power to make improvements

 

From London Fire Brigade

London Fire Commissioner, Andy Roe, said: 

Today marks seven years since the devastating Grenfell Fire, an event that profoundly affected London and forever changed the lives of so many.

Our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of the 72 people who lost their lives, as well as the survivors, their families and the Grenfell community.

Attending each day of Testimony Week in January this year was yet another moment where we had the opportunity to listen and reflect on the experience of the bereaved, survivors and relatives. Their tireless efforts in pursuit of justice and reform have been inspirational, and their voices continue to be instrumental in driving change and holding us accountable.

Listening to the Grenfell community has been fundamental to our ability to learn from this tragedy, and we will continue to do so. This year, London Fire Brigade completed every recommendation directed specifically to us in the Phase 1 report. We have now introduced important new policies, new equipment, implemented improved training and better ways of working, particularly in how we respond to fires in high-rise buildings. But it is clear there is a lot more important work still to do and we will do everything in our power to make changes to improve our service.

UPDATE: 20 Fire Engines called to blaze in block of flats in Elm Road, Wembley (parallel with Wembley High Road). Shelter at St John the Evangelist Crawford Avenue

 

 Credit BBC, EmmaL

From BBC and London Fire Brigade,

About 125 firefighters are tackling a blaze at a block of flats in north-west London.

Twenty fire engines were called out to Elm Road, Wembley, on Monday evening.

Video from the scene showed fire spreading between flats, while a firefighter on an aerial ladder sprayed water over the building.

Firefighters from Wembley, Park Royal, Northolt and surrounding fire stations were called to the scene, London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.

It said there were no reports of any injuries but part of the building's roof was alight, and urged people to avoid the area.

The block and surrounding buildings were evacuated as a precautionary measure, and a 105ft (32m) turntable ladder is being used as a water tower to help extinguish the fire.

LFB initially sent 10 engines and 70 firefighters just after 16:40 GMT. 

The fire was under control by 10pm.

It said the cause of the blaze was not yet known.

 

Brent Council this evening said via X:

 

The building and surrounding buildings have been evacuated as a precautionary measure. Shelter is being provided at St John the Evangelist Church, 3 Crawford Avenue, Wembley HA0 2HX.

 

The building and surrounding buildings have been evacuated as a precautionary measure. Shelter is being provided at St John the Evangelist Church, 3 Crawford Avenue, Wembley HA0 2HX.

 

On Next Door a local resident said re the church, 'Yeh, Yeh not good, Been there. Done that. Not great.' 

She went on, 'Most of us are at Weatherspoons having food and drink paid for by Octavia, and the block affected have gone to Travel Lodge to stay over for the night.'

Nevertheless, all credit to the church for acting quickly to give a safe space to those caught up in the event.

 

Meanwhile Chandresh Varsani tweeted this to Wembley Matters and others:

 

 

 

London Fire Brigade urges Londoners to sign petition for regulation of e-bikes, batteries and chargers

 From London Fire Brigade

 

The London Fire Brigade is backing a petition from the friends and family of 21-year-old Londoner Sofia Duarte who died just over one year ago. Sofia lost her life in a fatal fire on Old Kent Road in Southwark, caused by the catastrophic failure of a lithium battery used to charge an e-bike on New Year’s Day 2023. The petition calls for urgent action from the Government to implement regulations on e-bikes, e-scooters, and the batteries and chargers sold with them.  

The petition, created in tribute to Sofia by family friend Alda Simoes and Sofia’s mother, Maria Frasquilho Macarro, calls on all Londoners to sign it.  Alda and Maria say they aim to channel their grief into preventing more people losing their lives. Since creating the petition last month, over 32,000 signatures have been collected in support of tighter rules. Electrical Safety First also welcomes the petition. The charity is also pushing for regulatory change with a Ten Minute Rule Bill expected to be tabled by Yvonne Fovargue MP in the first part of this year. 

 

 Sophia Duarte

 

Alda is demanding action urgently, she said: “We don’t want Sofia to die in vain, sadly deaths are continuing to happen. Sign this petition and tell everyone you know to sign it. Sofia was the first death in London due to an e-bike fire. Tragically others have lost their lives up and down the UK, and there are many who have suffered serious injuries too. We must stop this happening today, not tomorrow. Sign the petition – it will save lives and make a difference! Together we can make change.”    

As Sofia’s mother Maria marks her only daughter’s birthday on January 11th, she too urgesd people to support the petition. Maria said: “This matters so much to me because the most important thing in my whole world has been taken away – all because of some stupid bike. In honour of Sofia’s memory and the others who have sadly lost their lives too, sign the petition today!”   

The petition can be signed here:  https://www.change.org/Sofia-Duarte   

London fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters went up almost 60% in 2023

 

London Fire Brigade data shows that fires involving e-bike and e-scooter batteries are London's fastest growing fire trend and on average there was a fire every two days in 2023. Last year the total number of fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters went up almost 60% compared to 2022*. Public polling by the Brigade shows the proportion of Londoners aware of e-bike and e-scooter fires increased by a third since the launch of its #ChargeSafe campaign in March 2023 to almost six in ten people (58%) in September.     

 

The Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, Charlie Pugsley, said: “We’re warning people that cheaper parts bought online are more likely to be unsafe, increasing the risk of a fire. We always recommend purchasing items from a reputable high-street seller. If there’s an offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is. It’s also essential to use the correct charger for the battery, otherwise the risk of fire is much greater. 

 

“The Office for Product Safety and Standards are undertaking research into e-bike fires, but the outcomes from this research need to be released as soon as possible.  Conversion kits for e-bikes are a real area of concern for us and there is a need to understand the safety of the product, and whether any specific standards need to be introduced. Along with conversion kits, batteries and chargers also require much-needed legislation to ensure these products are more strictly regulated.”    

 

Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience, Fiona Twycross, said: “Sofia’s death was a tragedy that should never have happened. I’m proud to support the tireless campaigning of her family and friends to ensure this tragedy is not repeated.  

 

“With the growing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters, I continue to call on the Government to urgently introduce a long overdue regulatory framework to improve safety. I also urge Londoners to follow the vital safety advice provided by London Fire Brigade’s #Chargesafe campaign which is helping to keep Londoners safe.” 

 

Wembley Fire - 50 people evacuated before Fire Brigade arrived

 From London Fire Brigade

 

Twelve fire engines and around 80 firefighters tackled a fire on The Broadway in Wembley.

Half of the ground floor of a shop with flats above was alight. Part of the ground floor of a neighbouring shop was also alight, along with outbuildings at the rear of the properties. Around 50 people were evacuated before the Brigade arrived.

Seventeen gas cylinders were cooled and removed as a precaution as some can explode when exposed to heat.

The Brigade's 999 Control Officers took more than 40 calls to the blaze.

The Brigade was called at 1409 and the fire was under control by 1823. Fire crews from Ealing, Wandsworth, Poplar, Mill Hill, Tooting and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

 

Cllr Tatler responds to challenge over Brent Council's support for tall residential blocks across the borough

 

Brent's Local Plan incudes designated areas for tall buildings as well as intensification corridors  based on the assumption that given the shortage of  land in the borough the only way to address the housing crisis is by building up and maximising high density housing on a small footprint. 

Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planningm recently short-listed to be Labour's parliamentary candidate for the Watford constituency, has been a strong advocate of such a response, even though Labour in Watford has campaigned against the Liberal Democrat Mayor's support for tall buildings.

Covid lockdown revealed problems over contagion of the virus in lifts, staircases and shared landings, as well as the lack of amenity space in which to get socially-distanced exercise in fresh air.

Problems were even worse for families with small children socially isolating in small flats, particularly on upper floors.

Alongside this has been the post-Grenfell cladding crisis which has plunged many into debt as well as anxiety, paying not only for repairs but also for fire-watches. People with disabilities have found themselves in the middle of conflicting advice over 'stay put' policies as well as the difference of opinion over the efficacy of PEEPs (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans) supported by the London Fire Brigade but opposed by the government. Readers may recall the long-running saga of South Kilburn resident John Healy's attempts to get a PEEP from Brent Council.

Then there is of course the problem of the amount of truly affordable housing in new developments with Brent Council's insistence on terming Shared Ownership affordable. 

Finally academic reports question the energy efficiency of tall buildings when many local authorities, including Brent, have declared a Climate Emergency.

Not limited to tall buildings is the emerging issue of uncapped energy prices for residents whose homes are connected to a District Heating Network. Some relief was promised while all eyes were on Boris Johnson wriggling on a hook of hs own devising, when the government announced. 'We will ensure families living on Heat Networks are better protected. By appointing Ofgem as the new regulator for Heat Network in Great Britain, we will ensure customers get a fair price and a releaible source of heat.' 

Hear Martin Lewis' alarming Channel 4 piece on likely fuel bills in October HERE .

Whether this will be progressed amidst current political turmoil remains to be seen. The government has published a Fact Sheet HERE

It is against this background the the Liberal Democrat councillor for Alperton, Anton Georgiou, ask Shama Tatler a written question ahead of Monday's Council Meeting.

Readers can judge for themselves the adequacy of Cllr Tatler's written response and hear any further discussion on the Council's livestream starting at 6pm on Monday LINK:

 

Question from Councillor Georgiou to Councillor Tatler, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Planning.

Five years on from the Grenfell Tower disaster, which highlighted to many the safety issues associated with tall buildings, developers with issues in their existing stock (including in Brent) continue to be let off the hook. With building regulations still nowhere near clear enough, what assurances can the Cabinet Members for Regeneration & Planning, give to residents that:

· Tall buildings are safe for local people?
· Tall buildings are suitable as family homes, particularly for young children?
· About the number of families (including how many) Brent currently place in
flats above the 5th floor?
· In view of the 2019 UCL (University College London) study into the energy efficiency of such buildings that allowing so many buildings, higher than 6 storeys, is not making the Climate Emergency in Brent much worse?

Response:

Safety of Tall buildings

The Building Safety Act 2022 contains a series of reforms to building safety and is the most substantial legislative response to the Grenfell Tower fire of 2017.

A Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has been established within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Their role relates to buildings with 7 or more storeys or that are 18 metres high and have at least two residential units, or are hospitals or care homes. These are known as higher risk buildings (HRB).

The BSR is likely to rely relies (sic) on council building control services (and fire and rescue services) to deliver the building control regulations for HRBs, which is expected to involve multi-disciplinary teams.

The BSR has three main functions:

(1) To implement a new regulatory regime for higher-risk buildings, and
to be the building control authority for these buildings. This includes
building work on existing HRBs and enforcing the regime in terms of their occupation, as well as new HRBs. The BSR looks at all aspects of the Building Regulations not just fire related provisions. The BSR uses a multi- disciplinary team, which is likely to include local authority building control teams. There are three gateway points where details must be approved before progressing to the next stage:

· planning gateway (in place since August 2021); the planning application must demonstrate that fire safety requirements have been considered and incorporated into the construction proposals;

· construction – pre construction, the regulator must approve the design as compliant with the building regulations;

· completion – at pre-occupation stage, a completion certificate will only be issued by the BSR once they are satisfied that the work is complaint with the building regulations.

Only once Gateway three has been passed (either for partial or full completion) can the new building be registered with the Building Safety Regulator for occupation. The BSR will then be responsible for carrying out checks to ensure that the people responsible for managing HRB’s are managing Building Safety risks, complying with their duties and keeping residents safe through the Building Assessment Certificate process.

(2) To oversee the safety and performance of all buildings. This involves collecting data on the performance of local authority building control services, and external approved inspectors.
(3) To support the competence of those working in the built environment industry, and to manage the register of accredited building inspectors. This involves establishing an industry led competence committee and establishing competence requirements for building control professionals (who need to be in place when the system becomes operational). Brent Building Control will ensure it complies with the requirements.

The BSR will be responsible for holding local authorities and building inspectors to account, with the power to suspend or remove inspectors from the register where necessary.

The Fire Safety Act 2021 became law in April 2021. It introduced changes to fire safety law for buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises in England and Wales. The aim of the Fire Safety Act is to clarify who is responsible for managing and reducing fire risks in different parts of multi occupied residential buildings. It has introduced new fire safety obligations to some leaseholders, building owners and managers for the building structure, external wall, common parts and doors between domestic premises and common parts.

Suitability of Tall buildings as family homes

Fire safety requirements are for all people and types of household not just families with young children. The above sets out details on the changes that are being implemented.

Number of families Brent currently place in flats above the 5th floor

According to our household records there are 179 children across 108 households living on the fifth floor or above. These 108 households sit across 31 blocks.

Energy efficiency of buildings and impact on Climate Emergency in Brent

 

Both the London Plan and Brent Local Plan have been the subject of Sustainability Appraisals and in themselves include a range of policies to ensure that development including tall buildings respond to climate change and environmental efficiency requirements. Brent Policies for example include minimising greenhouse gas emissions, energy infrastructure, urban greening and sustainable drainage. Tall
buildings allow for an effective use of land in highly accessible locations and have advantages of minimising car travel and support infrastructure being delivered in a sustainable way such as waste management and energy.

 

Flood and Fire at Brent Scrutiny - are the actions adequate?

 

 

There were two main issues at Brent Scrutiny yesterday evening, both vital to the safety of Brent residents. The meeting was chaired by vice chair Cllr Kasangra as Cllr Roxanne Mashari, the chair, is unwell with long covid. 

 

The first item came under 'Topical Issue' and was a follow up to a previous Scrutiny discussion about the impact of flooding, particularly in the Kilburn area. Thames Water appeared to answer questions but unfortunately the Environment Agency, despite requests to attend, did not.

 

This is important because Thames Water are responsible for sewer flooding, Brent Council for surface water flooding, and the Environment Agency for river flooding. Clearly the 3 factors interact with each other, so a joint approach is necessary along with services such as the London Fire Brigade.

 

Mike Benke, (Thames Water Local Government Liaison Officer) and Alex Nickson (Lead Responder on July 12th Flooding) addressed the meeting and answered questions.

 

The July 12th rainfall was much more intense that had been planned for. Thames Water said that they had not responded as well as customers had a right to expect - they had just not been quick enough. They had been overwhelmed on the day and their response had not been good enough.

 

Thames had already implemented changes such as an increase in resources at call centres and were looking for other sustainable solutions and property protection measures.

 

Cllr Johnson asked how, with a housing target of 3,200 dwelling, Thames would work with the borough to ensure drainage was adequate. The Committee were clearly shocked to hear the Thames Water were not a statutory consultee on planning applications - they didn't have to be consulted on large developments, but councils do consult them. Thames are pro-active in looking at where developments are proposed. Thames was not anti-development by any stretch but tried to get developers to engage with them. They offer a free pre-application advice service on how to make developments sustainable. However, developers are under no obligation to consult with Thames. 

 

Cllr Kasangra  felt Thames should be a statutory consultee. Nickson said that in a perfect world they would be. He remarked that it was not just large development: the cumulative impact of small changes, such as paving over of gardens could be more significant than some large developments.

 

Thames has appointed an Independent Review into the July 12th events. It was arm’s length to ensure independence despite Thames Water funding it. The three experts will procure evidence from independent professional advisers. It would report in April or May with a particular focus on the Maida Vale areas. 

 

 Of 14 recommendations made by the internal review into July 12th nine had been implemented so far and Thames was 'planning for the worst rather than hoping for the best' and working with agencies including the London Fire Brigade. Some actions had been tested during August and October storms without any serious flooding. They would provide the council with an update on the outstanding 5 actions.  They were working to improve their communication of events via social media.

 

A Brent officer said that the council were currently updating their flood planning and looking at attenuation of flood risk via green spaces. They were scoping the whole borough looking at major areas in danger of flooding and nearby green spaces. The surface flood risk plan for the whole borough would be updated and they were also working with neighbouring boroughs on a surface water management plan.

 

Cllr Mashari had sent in a question asking why Brent was not included in sewer infrastructure upgrade plans. Nickson said he was not aware that Brent was not being covered and would go back to colleagues for a response.  There was a rolling programme of works on sewers with a low capacity for growth.

 

Cllr Hylton asked about the release of sewage into the River Brent. Thames Water said that was currently legal when capacity reached a certain point, but they no longer felt that this was acceptable. They were working with the government, Ofwat and the Environment Agency to change the system. 

 

 Thames Water had updated system whereby residents could provide details of instances of flooding. Prior to July complainants were asked to send in a questionaire response, now a website has been set up and they could complete it on-line but to avoid digital exclusion a written response could still be made. A record of the responses would be submitted to the Independent Review.

 

Cllr Janice Long raised the issue of burst water mains and the resulting flooding of roads. In some cases, traffic continued to use the road and the resulting back wash was the course of the flooding of homes lining the road. She asked that in such circumstances roads should be closed. Nickson said this was an excellent point and could be done as a result of liaison between the borough, Thames Water, the Police and the Fire Brigade.

 

The Committee made three information request:

1. To receive the Independent Review into the events of and response to the floods of July when that is made available

2. To also receive Thames Water's response to that review

3. To receive an update report to the Council's multi-agency flood plan and to make a committee date for this

4. Receive a report on the level of funding in Brent for drainage repairs compated to other London boroughs.

In addition they made a recommendation that the Planning Department of Brent Counciul work more closely with Thames Water on drainage issues arising from planning applications.

The review of Fire Safety is the second item on the above video (beginning at 1.01:15) and was not as comprehensive as the Flood item.

 

A Brent council tenant who listened carefully to the discussion said:

 

The scrutiny committee did not seem to know much about the subject they were discussing with the biggest fault being they made no mention as to how residents will be involved, which was the main focus of the Building Safety bill and they failed to even mention Dame Judith Hackitt's three reports on Building Safety and the Fire Safety Act which updated the Fire Safety Order (2005.

 

Their 'experts' seemed to believe that it is only new buildings that the Building Safety bill applies to but that is not the case, as it also applies to current buildings.

 

Although they mentioned cladding, no one mentioned fire doors but to be generous the absentee technical officer might have brought them into the discussion and Cllr. Conneely tried to raise issues like fire doors but was told it was a 'housing issue'.

 

They were also vague about the training competences required but if they had read the Health & Safety reports on Building Safety led by Mr. Baker, the Regulator, they would understand that any new Inspectors would need to start from level 7 (Honours Degree) and have post grad qualifications in Fire Safety and related areas.  That is why it is so hard to find suitable candidates, as most surveyors only have an honours degree but nothing higher.

 

I could go on, but I suppose it was a start, but I would give it a 3 rating (out of 10) as the council needs to start reading all the material that has already been published, although they seem to be waiting for someone to guide them to it.

 

As Dame Hackitt said only 10% of councils are 'on the ball' e.g. Camden but unfortunately Brent is within the remaining 90%.

 Details of the proposed legislation  HERE

Lorber challenges council on potential grassland fires in Brent as Fire Brigade issues urgent warning

Former councillor Paul Lorber has called on Brent Council to make a risk assessment of potential grassland fires in Brent as a result of the Council's 'no mowing' policy in areas of the borough's parks.

His call follows fires near Heathrow Airport and on Wanstead flats LINK and a warning from the London Fire Brigade:

 Lorber said:

I really hope that the Council is ready to prevent this kind of situation arising in Brent. If not the grass cutting and removal of tall grass from Parks and Open Spaces Policy needs to be urgently reviewed and changed.

Councillors and the public needs to be advised on the risks being created and how the Council will respond and take action to protect local people.

The London Fire Brigade's statement issued this morning said:

The London Fire Brigade has today issued an urgent safety warning following the largest grass fire in its history and a series of other grass fires across the capital. Firefighters are concerned that there will be further incidents if the public doesn’t take greater care during the heatwave.

London Fire Commissioner, Dany Cotton, said:

This weekend we dealt with the largest grass fire in our history, as well as a range of other serious fires on grassland. The ground is extremely dry at the moment and grassland and parks will act like a tinderbox when exposed to even the smallest of sparks.

I never thought I’d say this but we are praying for rain.

We are calling on the public to take steps to prevent grass fires: don’t drop cigarettes or matches on dry ground or out of car windows; don’t have barbecues on dry grass or parks and don’t leave glass bottles out as they can concentrate the sun’s rays and start a blaze.

Grass fires spread like lightening so if you see dry grass smouldering, please call 999 and report it immediately so that firefighters can deal with it and stop it from spreading.

The Wanstead blaze, which was so extensive it can be defined as a wildfire, broke out on grassland at 16:05 on Sunday (15 July) at Wanstead Flats, close to Epping Forest in east London. At the height of the fire, over 100 hectares of grass was alight, which is roughly the same size as 100 football pitches.

Over 220 firefighters from fire stations across London attended, with over 40 fire engines at the scene at the height of the incident. Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters remain at the scene today (Monday 16 July) to saturate the area and ensure the fire is under control. Fires on peatland can present a challenge as the fire can travel below ground. Crews are expected to be on scene for a number of hours.

Grass fires this weekend

• Fifteen fire engines and 100 firefighters attended a large grass fire in Feltham on Saturday afternoon
• Fifteen fire engines attended a grass fire in Ockendon in Essex on Sunday, London Fire Brigade sent three engines to assist Essex crews
• Four fire engines attended a grass fire in Woodford Green on Sunday afternoon
• Five engines attended a grass fire in Richmond last night

Eight fire engines called to fire in North Wembley close to railway line

Photo @Sonia_Shah3 via LFB

From London Fire Brigade
 

Around 60 firefighters and officers tackled a fire in an industrial estate on East Lane, Wembley yesterday evening.

The first three floors of a commercial building were alight and firefighters worked hard to stop the fire spreading. The building also contained cylinders which can explode when exposed to heat and so crews cooled them down with water.

Brigade control officers received over 35 calls to the fire which was very visible and close to a train track and local train services were disrupted for some time.

8 fire engines from stations including Wembley, Northolt, Stanmore and Park Royal fire stations were at the scene.

The cause of the fire is not known at this time.

The Brigade as called at 1849 and the fire was under control at 2248 although crews expect to  be damping down for a number of hours.

South Kilburn Fire Safety Meeting July 4th

From Brent Council website:

George House, Albert Road, South Kilburn, London, NW6 5BR

L&Q has been informed that the cladding used on its block at George House in South Kilburn, built in 2012, has failed the Government’s testing of their cladding samples. The London Fire Brigade has since carried out a site visit and have advised that they do not believe that George House is at high risk, as all fire safety systems required in the building are in place. They have also advised that no risks were identified that would warrant decanting the premises.

Update on Perivale Warehouse Fire

From the London Fire Brigade late yesterday:

Around 120 firefighters and officers tackled a fire at a warehouse, containing a number of commercial and factory units, on Wadsworth Rd, Perivale this evening.

Around 30 people left the building before the Brigade arrived and there were no reports of any injuries. The blaze gutted the large 75 metre by 75 metre building and at the height of the fire smoke could be seen across the whole of London.

Station Manager Jeff Lisle who was at the scene said: 

"Crews worked very hard in extremely difficult conditions to bring this fire under control. Firefighters used aerial ladder platforms to tackle it from numerous vantage points and to prevent the blaze from spreading to neighbouring warehouses. 

“Although not in a residential area the smoke from the fire was travelling quite a distance so we advised locals to keep windows and doors shut as a precaution." 

Twenty fire engines from stations including Heston, Northolt, Chiswick, Wembley, Park Royal, Ruislip, Ealing, Hammersmith, Willesden and North Kensington were at the scene.

The Brigade was called at 1852 and the fire was under control at 2344. Crews are expected to be at the scene throughout Sunday damping down the fire. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Butt and Shah condemn Brent fire station cuts

Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, has strongly condemned Government plans leaked from the London Fire Brigade that reveal that two of Brent’s three fire stations could be forced to close to meet drastic savings targets.

The leaked document shows that only Wembley fire station is included on the ‘safe’ list of stations that will not be considered for closure. The borough’s other two fire stations in Harlesden and Willesden are not listed and are now in jeopardy. Butt has expressed anger that he was not consulted about the future and it took a leaked document for him to find out  the closure plans.

Cllr Butt said, “These plans are absolutely disgusting.  If two of our three fire stations are closed, this will seriously endanger thousands of our residents. Everyone understands that times are tough, but you cannot put a price on a person’s life, which is exactly what the Government is doing.

“This is yet another disgraceful example of the Coalition’s clear disregard for people’s basic needs and rights. I am appalled that Brent MP Sarah Teather would allow her own residents to be subjected to such a high level of risk by endorsing the closure of frontline services that are vital to keeping a huge number of people safe.”

Navin Shah, London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow and Labour's lead member on the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority said, “We understand that savings have to be made, but the level of cuts forced on the London Fire Brigade by the Mayor and government are truly reckless. 

“They are cutting too far, too fast. They are hitting front-line services and putting public safety at risk. The Mayor needs to come clean on fire brigade cuts and tell Londoners what he is planning to close.”

London Fire Brigade services should be under public ownership - Darren Johnson

Responding to the FBU, UNISON, GMB joint report ‘Privatisation of London’s fire service training and control centre report published on October 24th, London Assembly Member Darren Johnson said:

“I don’t believe that Londoners agree with privatisation of the fire service, and the uncertainties that come with it. I don't want to see pivotal London Fire Brigade services privatised as we have seen far too many privatisations that have been costly and ineffective. That is why I welcome these proposals by the unions for the Fire Brigade to work with staff and unions in designing improved in-house provision for training and fire control."

On the privatisation of fire engines, Darren said:

“The financial fiasco of the privatisation of London Fire Brigade fire engines has raised fundamental questions about the financial viability and safety of handing key frontline emergency services assets such as Fire engines over to the private sector. I have urged the Mayor of London to bring it back under public ownership”

London Fire Brigade launch schools safety campaign after Neasden fire

The London Fire Brigade have issued the following statement:


Fire investigators from the London Fire Brigade have today released information about what they believe to be the most likely cause of the worst house fire in the capital in over a decade. 

Six people died and two people were seriously injured in a blaze that started in the early hours of Saturday morning in a two-story semi-detached house on Sonia Gardens in Neasden. Fire investigators believe that a chest freezer, which was in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs, may have caused the fire. The make of the chest freezer is not known at this stage.  

Earlier this week, the London Fire Brigade confirmed that a BEKO fridge freezer was in the house. However, this is not the same type of appliance as the one which fire investigators believe may have caused the fire and it has not formed part of the fire investigation.

Following the incident, the London Fire Brigade will be launching a fire safety blitz across the capital. The Brigade’s schools team will begin a pilot programme to visit secondary schools in Brent, the borough in which the fire happened. It already visits primary schools across the capital.

The Brigade will also be writing to every headteacher in London with fire safety advice they can give to children in assemblies. It will offer every primary school in London the opportunity of a visit, with a focus on children aged 6-7 and 9-10. Interested teachers should check the schools section of the Brigade’s website. 
Tomorrow, fire chiefs will also be launching a fire safety campaign on Facebook, which it hopes will reach one million people. The ‘Share it to Save a Life’ campaign will encourage people to share one fire safety tip with their Facebook friends every day for a week. People should visit the London Fire Brigade’s Facebook page for more details.

Today, fire chiefs are urging people to take four simple steps to protect themselves from fire:
1)          Check your appliances – if you notice any strange noises or smells coming from electrical appliances call a repair person and never overload plug sockets.
2)          Get a smoke alarm – fit it and check it regularly. One in ten homes still doesn’t have a smoke alarm. (Department for Communities and Local Government)
3)          Plan your escape  – know how you would get out of your home in the event of a fire
4)          Get out, stay out – in the event of a fire, get out, stay out. Call the fire brigade and do not attempt to tackle the fire yourself.
Assistant Commissioner for the London Fire Brigade, Steve Turek, said:

“Fire investigators will continue to piece together the tragic events of Saturday morning but early indications are that the fire was caused by a chest freezer in the hallway of the house. Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of those who died. This tragic event should focus people’s minds on how they can make their home safer. Our fire safety blitz will help people to do that. We will continue to work tirelessly to make the homes of all Londoner’s safer.

“There are four simple pieces of advice we are giving people to help keep them safe. Check your electrical appliances and sockets - if you notice anything strange, call a repair person. Everyone should make sure they have a smoke alarm and check regularly that it works. People should think about how they would get out in the event of a fire starting in their home and if it does, they should get out and stay out. Call the fire brigade and do not attempt to tackle the fire your self.”