Task force to check fire safety in towers

FIRE safety will be reviewed at residential tower blocks across Greater Manchester in the wake of the deadly Grenfell Tower fire.

Mayor Andy Burnham said that staff will work from ‘building to building’ to provide reassurance.

He also urged landlords to urgently review fire safety advice they give to residents.

The mayor has set up a task force to lead the project, headed by Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett, and comprising of the fire service, councils and landlords.

It comes after a meeting between Mr Burnham, the fire service and landlords from across the region, who pledged their support to the scheme.

The death toll following last week’s terrible disaster in London now stands at 79. ●●Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham (inset) has set up a task force to review fire safety at tower blocks across the region in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London

Concerns have been raised about the quality of building work at Grenfell Tower, with some claiming it could have caused the fire to spread more quickly.

In Greater Manchester, Mr Burnham also said he will look at the resources available to the fire service ‘following the cuts of recent years’.

Mr Burnham said: “Today I have met with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, social landlords and local authorities from across Greater Manchester. We began by sending our profound sympathies to all those affected by the tragic Grenfell Tower fire and praising the outstanding work of the London emergency services.

“To reassure residents here in Greater Manchester, we agreed three key actions: First, landlords of high rise residential buildings should review and urgently reissue fire safety advice to residents, and those at the meeting agreed to do so.

“Each block is different and blanket advice will not work. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service will work with landlords across Greater Manchester to ensure the right advice is in place.

“Second, I have established a task force that will work across the whole of Greater Manchester, building by building, to provide fire safety reassurance.

“This task force will be led by Salford City mayor, Paul Dennett, and will work with the fire and rescue service, local authorities and landlords to get us to a point where we can assure all residents their homes are safe, as quickly as possible.

“Finally, we will draw on the task force process to inform a Greater Manchester response to the national public enquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower.

“This will look at a wide range of issues but importantly will assess the level of resource that the Fire and Rescue Service has following the cuts of recent years.”