Recently we had a serious fire in New Providence Wharf that had flames spreading up three floors of the building on the outside.

East London Advertiser: Damage to the 19-storey tower block in New Providence Wharf in Tower Hamlets which is covered in Grenfell Tower type claddingDamage to the 19-storey tower block in New Providence Wharf in Tower Hamlets which is covered in Grenfell Tower type cladding (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Reports in trade publications have suggested that the smoke detector system failed, so there was no alarm, fire doors did not close and stairwells filled with smoke. We were lucky, the fire started at 9am and not 3am so was quickly spotted and was low enough (eighth floor) for the London Fire Brigade to be able to apply water from a tall ladder that had to be brought in from elsewhere.

I fear that had it happened at 3am and out of reach of the ladder, that we might have had another Grenfell.

But it is why I have asked Tower Hamlets Council to copy Barking & Dagenham Council after the Samuel Garside fire in 2019 and commission a report to pick up all of the issues.