Sprinklers to be installed at tower
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HALTON Housing has started installing a sprinkler system in Churchill Mansions in Runcorn following the Grenfell tragedy.
The organisation pressed on with the decision to fit the safety feature in the 11-storey tower block despite residents saying they have not wanted it in the past.
A spokeswoman for the trust said its installation has been completed in collaboration with Cheshire Fire And Rescue Service.
Halton Housing – formerly Halton Housing Trust – and CFRS are funding the retrofit, which is due to cost more than £100,000.
The spokeswoman said the trust’s investment team is working with residents and leaseholders to fit the system in each flat and in communal areas.
She said new-build high rise buildings over 30 metres must have fire sprinkler systems installed to comply with building regulations.
Churchill Mansions, built in the 1960s, is the only high-rise property owned and managed by Halton Housing and is continuously subject to inspection by Cheshire fire brigade, she said.
The trust said the system will be fully fitted during February with minimal disruptions to residents and leaseholders. Halton Housing added that it has also invested to ensure building materials comply with regulations and fire safety standards. Seventy-one victims died in the Grenfell Tower tragedy when the inferno ripped through the high-rise block on June 14 last year.
Andrew Prince, Halton Housing health and safety manager, said: “We invest heavily in fire prevention and detection systems and control measures, and we continue to work closely with Cheshire fire service, as the safety of our customers is of paramount importance to us.
“Following the fire at Grenfell we have made the decision to install the system to ensure the safety of our customers.
“We take our responsibilities as a landlord very seriously, especially in the area of fire safety.”