Over 1,300 buildings in London found to have fire safety failings

London: So, it turns out that over 1,300 buildings in London have some serious fire safety problems. The London Fire Brigade just dropped this news, and it’s a bit alarming. They’ve been stretched thin since the Building Safety Regulator came into play last October.

During a recent meeting at City Hall, the fire brigade’s commissioner, Andy Roe, shared that as of December 13, 1,329 buildings in the city have a plan for simultaneous evacuation. This is crucial for places with fire safety issues, like dodgy cladding or other safety flaws.

Out of those, 179 buildings have ACM cladding, which is the same stuff that was on Grenfell Tower. Plus, 315 buildings have issues with compartmentation, and 88 have inadequate cavity barriers. It’s a lot to unpack.

Mr. Roe feels that the new Building Safety Regime is a step in the right direction, especially after the Grenfell Tower inquiry. He mentioned that the brigade is pouring a lot of resources into helping the Building Safety Regulator.

Charlie Pugsley, the deputy commissioner, pointed out that sorting through safety documents and taking action after incidents can take over a year. They’re still dealing with the aftermath of the Dagenham tower block fire from last August.

Mr. Roe expressed concern about the thin line between life and death in these situations. He emphasized that every second counts when it comes to rescuing people. He’s pushing for changes in legislation to hold developers more accountable.

Tim Galloway from the Health and Safety Executive added that he wants developers to focus on meeting building regulations rather than just trying to get their plans approved. It’s a bit concerning if the focus shifts away from safety.

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