Promises after Camberwell death blaze—but we’re still waiting
Dear Ed, TOWER Hamlets Homes responded to the death blaze in the Camberwell tower block on July 4 by carrying out an urgent fire audit of similar blocks in the East End and would take “any action to safeguard families.” I live in Lister House in Whitechapel, which had a serious fire just over a year ago. If the promise is to mean anything, it is going to have to do a lot better than the response last year
Dear Ed,
TOWER Hamlets Homes, according to the East London Advertiser, was responding to the death blaze in the Camberwell tower block on July 4 by carrying out an urgent fire audit of similar blocks in the East End and would take “any action to safeguard families” ( Advertiser Website, July 8).
I live in Lister House in Whitechapel, which had a serious fire just over a year ago in the first floor corridor, reported in the Advertiser. There was a lot of damage, but fortunately no injuries.
If the promise of “any action to safeguard families” by Tower Hamlets Homes, who manage Lister House, is to mean anything, it is going to have to do a lot better than the response to last year’s fire.
Yes, the damage was repaired, and the recycling bins moved out of the corridors.
You may also want to watch:
But we wanted action to minimise the possibility of other fires and maximise our safety.
We asked for smoke detectors in communal areas. We asked that fire doors between corridors and staircase be repaired so they closed properly. We asked for a full fire risk assessment of Lister House.
Most Read
- 1 Ethnic communities not taking up Covid jabs, Tower Hamlets Mayor warns
- 2 'Racist consultation' protest rejected on Tower Hamlets street closures as Labour sticks to its manifesto
- 3 Airbnb house party violence leaves police officer with broken finger
- 4 Council fined for Alexia Walenkaki's playground death in Mile End and says sorry to family
- 5 Streets around proposed Chinese embassy building could be renamed after persecuted Muslims
- 6 Police raid cannabis factory near Liverpool Street station: 2 arrests
- 7 Police hunt after stabbing in Cable Street: One man hurt
- 8 No injuries but 20 rescued as firefighters tackle Limehouse blaze
- 9 The Queen lends her name to Royal London’s emergency Covid wards
One year on, we know a repair order was issued for the fire doors last July, but the work has still not been done 13 months later!
We have heard nothing more about the smoke detectors either, or the fire risk assessment.
Our experience following the 2008 fire is that there’s no real improvement.
We should not have to wait for the death blaze in Camberwell for such an overdue change for basic health and safety.
John Bloxam
Lister House, Lomas Street, Whitechapel
