High-rises evacuated amid fears of fire
Five tower blocks evacuated with similar type of cladding
More than 800 homes in five towers on a London council estate were evacuated last night because of safety concerns over cladding. Camden Council said residents in the Chalcots estate would be moved so fire safety works can be carried out.
The development came after police revealed that the Grenfell Tower fire started in a faulty fridgefreezer manufactured by Hotpoint.
Thousands of people have been urged to contact Hotpoint after police revealed the Grenfell Tower fire started in a faulty fridge-freezer manufactured by the company.
Hotpoint said 64,000 units of the same model were made between 2006 and 2009, when they were discontinued, adding that the number in circulation would be lower given the time period involved.
Scotland Yard has raised concerns with the government over the fridge-freezer, but said the FF175BP model had never been subject to a product recall. The development came on the day that more than 800 homes in five tower blocks on the Chalcots estate in Camden, north London, were evacuated because of fears over cladding.
The cladding is similar to that on the Grenfell Tower, where 79 people died in a fire on 14 June. Camden Council said urgent safety work would be carried out, with residents accommodated in hotels.
Responding to concerns over the Hotpoint fridge-freezer, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has ordered an immediate examination of the unit by technical experts to establish the cause of fault.
It added that there was “no specific reason” for people with one of these fridge-freezers to switch them off pending further investigation.
But Alex Neill, from consumer group Which?, said: “If it turns out that faults in this fridge-freezer caused the fire to start at Grenfell Tower, this raises serious questions about the safety of these products. If this model is found to be faulty, a full product recall must be implemented swiftly by the manufacturer so that any atrisk products are removed from people’s homes.”
Consumers who believe they may have a Hotpoint fridgefreezer with model number FF175BP or FF175BG have been encouraged to call a freephone hotline on 0800 316 3826 or visit hotpointservice.co.uk/ fridgefreezer to register their details.
Greg Clark, the business secretary, said the potentially atrisk devices would be subjected to “rigorous testing”, adding: “I have made clear to the company that I will expect them to replace any item withthe out delay if it is established that there is a risk in using them.”
The department advised consumers not overload plugs, ensure that sockets are not damaged and to check cables and leads are in good condition.
A Hotpoint spokesman said: “Words cannot express our sorrow at this terrible tragedy. We offer our most profound condolences to the victims, those who have lost loved-ones, homes, and possessions, and to their friends and families. We are working with the authorities to obtain access to the appliance so that we can assist with the ongoing investigations.”