FirstPort, the property services company for Forum House at Wembley Park have issued the following advice to leaseholders and residents:
Fire
Safety and ACM Cladding on part of Forum House
The following information has been issued to keep you fully abreast of
the current position in respect of the building in the unlikely event of a fire
at the property.
Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower we have carried out some reviews
of the building that we manage, in line with Government (DCLG) advice.
Through this review it has been established that some of the trim on the
roof section and parts of the facia of The North Core (above the reception) are
partially clad in a silver aluminium cladding material which is referred to as
ACM. This relates to a small proportion of the building façade and at this
juncture should not give rise to undue concern albeit that we are considering
the options and actions open to us.
On receiving this information we contacted the Fire and Rescue Services
and also notified the building’s insurers to establish if any immediate action
was required. Initial findings are that no immediate action is necessary.
You may have heard it reported that the Government has produced an
updated document, setting out fresh guidelines for testing procedure/s. This
includes testing the entire cladding system and not just the exterior cladding
material.
This is important as the systems behind this cladded facia can be key
to the structure’s performance in the event of a fire, and the nature of this
system can differ significantly from building to building.
As a result we need to consider the further guidance provided from these
results before we can definitively conclude if any action or replacement is to
be required on Forum House.
In the interim we pro-actively invited the Fire Brigade to carry out an
inspection of the building in order to ascertain if there was anything further
we can do to enhance fire safety at Forum House. Thankfully they were happy
with the processes and strategy we have in place and were satisfied that we
operate the development correctly and efficiently in terms of fire safety.
Nevertheless, taking into account the guidance issued by the Fire
Brigade at other affected comparable buildings, we have instructed additional
patrols of the building by the onsite staff during the night time and I can
confirm that these have begun. These will stay in place until further notice.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind you all that a “stay
put” policy is in operation at Forum House in the unlikely event of a fire.
Homes and developments such as Forum House are built with fire compartmentation,
which is designed to resist the passage of fire between the walls and doors
giving ample time for the fire services to arrive.
In this way, the fire service are given plenty of time to assess risks
and ensure that, if needed, any evacuation is managed in a safe and orderly
fashion.
In addition, the communal corridors and escape passages at Forum House
are equipped with smoke ventilation systems to improve conditions for means of
escape and fire-fighting by limiting obscuration and toxicity in the common
escape routes. These systems are tested regularly and in line with
manufacturers recommendations.
We understand that there may be concerns around the “stay put” policy at
this time. The following remains the guidance from the London Fire Brigade:
“If
there is a fire inside your apartment leave, closing the door behind you and
call 999. If there is a fire elsewhere in the building, and not inside your own
apartment their advice is to stay put. The Fire Service will carry out an
evacuation of the other apartments if necessary.”
Further information can be found on http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/staying-in-or-going- out.asp.
We also ask that residents ensure they remove anything that is
combustible on their balconies. This is of course a stipulation in your lease
but as is apparent from walking around the building there are a number of
residents that continue to breach this lease requirement. Barbeques and storing
items other than small garden furniture are examples of such breaches. In light
of the above, we would ask that you comply with this instruction as a matter of
urgency.
Fire safety should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and to that
end please ensure you are comfortable with the fire procedures, know where the
nearest fire exit is and make sure the smoke alarms in your apartment are
tested regularly and replaced every 10 years. It is also good practice to close
all your apartment’s internal doors when you go to bed at night.
We will advise if any specific action or change is needed and we will
continue to keep you updated in relation to this matter. Meanwhile, we will
also continue to track any findings or new guidelines and take the appropriate
actions.
Finally, should you have any further general questions or queries we
would in the first instance refer you to the enclosed statement and guidance
relating to fire safety. However, should you have any questions that are not
answered by this document then please do not hesitate to contact us.
