Block dwellers ‘must leave’

Residents remaining in four tower blocks evacuated over fire safety concerns in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster will be told they “must leave”, Camden Council has said.

The ongoing effort to clear the Chalcots Estate in north London comes after the government revealed that all of the 34 high-rises which have so far submitted cladding samples have failed combustibility tests.

The buildings are located in 17 local authorities across the country, including Manchester, Plymouth and Portsmouth, and Camden, Barnet, Brent, and Hounslow in London.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid urged local authorities and housing associations to continue to submit samples “as a matter of urgency” amid a nationwide safety operation launched after at least 79 people died when fire

“We are clear that these four blocks of flats are not safe”

ripped through Grenfell Tower, in north Kensington, on June 14.

Some 3,000 Chalcots residents face weeks in temporary accommodation after Camden Council leader Georgia Gould said the authority took the “extraordinary action” to clear 600 flats because “we are really clear that those four blocks are not safe”.

London Fire Brigade inspecting officers identified concerns over the combination of external cladding, fire doors, gas pipes and insulation, she added.

But despite being urged to leave by officials, around 20 households had refused to vacate their homes by Saturday evening.

Yesterday Ms Gould said: “This morning council staff will conduct further door knocking to ask those who remain to leave, and issue another letter repeating that they must leave.”