Safety first

I Worked for many years on ships and offshore oil installations where, in a disaster, external assistance is unlikely to be available and emergency evacuation is difficult, so built- in fire detection and suppression systems are mandatory.

Before the Grenfell Tower fire, there were other incidents in high-rise buildings that should have been a wake-up call for the regulatory agencies. However, it appears this country does not take action until there has been a major disaster.

The hazard from tightly packed vehicles with tanks full of liquid hydrocarbons in multi-storey car parks might be obvious, but until this week’s fire in Liverpool, I have never thought to check if there are fire detection and sprinkler systems.

Building regulations clearly are in need of revision as a matter of priority.

MARTIN KEATING, Falkirk.