Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Fire officers visit multis following Grenfell blaze
SPECIALIST fire safety officers have been visiting multis in Dundee in a bid to allay residents’ fears following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Fire prevention officers from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are in Lochee all week to speak to people living in high-rise blocks.
It is part of an initiative to reduce any concerns people may have over the safety of multis and comes after a raging inferno engulfed Grenfell Tower — a west London residential tower block — on June 14, claiming the lives of at least 80 people.
The incident at the 24-storey block in North Kensington led to 40 fire Colin Grieve and the Grenfell Tower. engines and more than 200 firefighters tackling the blaze over a period of 24 hours.
The cladding installed in Grenfell has come under scrutiny, with many experts claiming a more fire-resistant type could have been used.
Both the cladding and insulation on the outside of the building failed all preliminary tests by the police.
Colin Grieve, local senior officer for Dundee, said the plan after Lochee is to roll out the drop-in visits to other areas of the city.
He added: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service works closely with local authorities and housing associations to ensure the safety of occupants in high-rise buildings.
“Over the course of this week we, alongside our partners at Dundee City Council, are holding a series of drop-in sessions in the Lochee area where residents from high-rise buildings can discuss any concerns they may have.
“This will then be rolled out in due course to other areas of the city that contain high-rises.
“We are here to help support local communities, most notably through our free home fire safety visits, where firefighters provide advice and guidance on what to do in the event of an emergency.”
This week’s safety meetings is a joint initiative organised by Scotland Fire and Rescue and Dundee City Council.
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, the city council has been communicating directly with tenants to advise them of measures in place to ensure fire safety in multistorey blocks.
“This has included a fire safety leaflet from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
“Drop-in sessions have been arranged this week for tenants of each multi-storey block where city council and fire and rescue service officers will be on hand to discuss any concerns they may have and to offer advice.”