World: Thousands evacuated from tower blocks

Fire safety fears cited in wake of Grenfell Tower tragedy

Thousands of residents from 650 London flats were evacuated Saturday due to fire safety fears in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, but dozens refused to leave their homes, according to local officials.

Four of the five Chalcots Estate towers in Camden, north London, were deemed unsafe after they were found to use cladding similar to that on Grenfell, widely blamed for the rapid spread of the massive blaze last week that is presumed to have killed 79 people.

Some 34 high- rise buildings in 17 local authorities in England have already failed urgent fire tests conducted after Grenfell, the government announced Saturday, raising fears that thousands more may need to leave their homes.

Around 4,000 residents from all five Chalcots towers were initially evacuated, but one of the five was deemed safe and residents allowed to return.

Evacuated residents faced chaos, with temporary accommodation offered in a local leisure center and hotels, but some refused to move.

Camden Council leader Georgia Gould told BBC News that 83 residents had refused to leave, adding the situation “will become a matter for the fire service”.

Outside one of the leisure centers, evacuees accused the authorities of sowing “panic”.

“At 8: 30pm yesterday they told us that ‘ you have to leave,’ I don’t understand why,” Murtaza Taha, 27, told AFP.

“They made people panic. Inside ( the center), they are all afraid, they are all crying.

“They say they are going to find us a place to stay, they say for two to four weeks, but you never believe the council. If they say weeks, they mean months.”

Rosie Turner, 27, said she had initially refused to come because of concerns over her nine- week- old baby.

“There is nothing for him here, everyone is on top of each other,” she explained.

“They should have done it in a proper and organized way, we could have arranged to stay with our family,” she added.

Gould acknowledged it was “a scary time” but vowed “to make the residents stay safe.”

However, she explained that “there are various legal routes that Camden Council could explore” if people refuse to leave their homes.