‘No sprinklers in 10 Dundee multis’

MORE than 300 multis in Scotland, including 10 in Dundee, do not have sprinkler systems, according to a report.

Blocks built after 2005 must have sprinklers fitted by law, but figures have shown that hundreds of people are living in older high-rises where no system exists.

It comes after a devastating fire at Grenfell Tower, west London, claimed the lives of at least 80 people last month, a building which was not fitted with the devices.

According to BBC Scotland, only one council or housing association — South Ayrshire Council — said it had retrofitted sprinkler systems to a high-rise.

But the figures reveal 67 blocks in Glasgow, 59 in Aberdeen and 48 in Edinburgh and North Lanarkshire are without the devices, with a total of 319 across the country.

A senior firefighter said sprinklers were a “proven” way to prevent the spread of fire in buildings and could “drastically reduce the threat to life”.

Dave Curry, chief officer for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “While we may be unable to speculate on the specifics of the Grenfell Tower incident, history tells us that, sadly, lives have been lost in previous high-rise fires.

“Following the inquest into a fatal high-rise blaze in Southampton, the coroner recommended the retrofitting of sprinklers be considered in all high-rise blocks.

“Yet disasters such as last week’s are still capable of occurring.

“Time and again, sprinklers have been proven to prevent the spread of fire in buildings and drastically reduce the threat to life.”

Meanwhile, the Grenfell Tower public inquiry is on the brink of losing survivors’ support unless the judge leading it is replaced, campaigners have said.

Justice 4 Grenfell, which has been representing survivors, cited concerns about the scope of the probe, adding: “The whole thing needs to start again.”

Calls for Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s resignation, barely three days into the job, come after he expressed doubt that the process would be broad enough to satisfy all survivors.

The former Court of Appeal judge said it would be “pretty well limited” to examining the cause of the fire, how it spread and how to prevent it in future.

Those touched by the tragedy, however, have lobbied for the systemic issues underlying the blaze, in which at least 80 people have died, to be scrutinised.

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Grenfell Tower