Massive fire engulfs Grenfell Tower

A huge fire consumed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in Kensington, West London, resulting in the deaths of at least six and leaving more than twenty in critical condition. It took more than 200 firefighters to tackle the blaze.

The residential high-rise was built in 1974 and contains 120 homes. The fire broke out shortly before 1am and the blaze started on one side of the tower block, before sweeping around the building and engulfing it in flames from the second to the top floor.Witnesses have spoken of hearing screams and seeing some people escaping using bedsheets as rope ladders.

Other tower block fires in London

In July 2009, six people were killed and more than 20 injured, when in a blaze at Lakanal House, a tower block in Camberwell, South East London.  At the time, the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the fire, which was initially treated as "suspicious" but was later dismissed as an electrical fault with a television set.

In May 1968, four people were killed and 17 injured when Ronan Point, a tower block in Newham, East London, partially collapsed after a gas explosion, which blew out several load-bearing walls.

Analysis

The cause of the fire is so far unknown. The residents of the tower had previously raised a concern that a 'catastrophic' event could happen. But no action was taken to address the concerns.

Possible theories speculated on this massacre:

Gas detonation - Residents said refurbishment work had recently been carried out.

Defective wiring - One of the safety issues they highlighted was faulty wiring and said a disaster caused by the problem had been narrowly averted four years ago.

Cladding on outskirts - Grenfell Tower was fitted with zinc rain screen cladding and glazed curtain walling after a £10 million refurbishment. Experts have claimed this could have exacerbated the spread of the fire.

Negligence - The Government didn’t install sprinkler systems in high-rise blocks in the wake of the Lakanal House tragedy. The local Action Group also warned that there were not enough entries and exits to cope with a catastrophic event.

Assessment

Such tragic incidents only indicate that there needs to be a greater introspection into safety measures implemented in residential areas even in the cities as developed as London. Governments across the world should also work towards making private players more accountable.