Fire chief to chair group looking at safety inWelsh tower blocks
AN expert group is being set up to ensure safety at tower blocks in Wales in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
The Welsh Government’s minister for communities, Carl Sargeant, said that the group include representatives from the social housing and fire sectors and will be chaired by Wales’ chief fire adviser.
Cabinet Secretary Mr Sargeant made the announcement in a statement to AMs after the fire in which 79 people are confirmed to have died or be missing presumed dead in central London.
He said none of the 36 blocks of flats of seven or more stories owned by councils or housing associations in Wales had been fitting with the type of cladding used at Grenfell Tower.
The aluminium composite material cladding has become controversial as it failed to stop the spread of the fire.
There has been speculation that cladding applied to the outside of the building during an £8.6 million renovation project finished in May 2016 may have played a role in the spread of the fire.
Mr Sargeant said: “Everyone is, of course, horrified by the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in west London last week. My deepest sympathies are with those who have been affected by it
Between all residential social landlords in Wales, they own 36 blocks of flats of seven or more storeys.
Social landlords have told us none of those appear to have been fitted with the type of cladding used in the Grenfell Tower.
“Seven blocks in Wales have been retro-fitted with sprinklers – and of course where any new or converted blocks are developed here, under the changes introduced as part of the Domestic Fire Safety Measure (Wales) 2011, they would be required to include sprinklers. The requirements were introduced for flats and houses on 1 January 2016.
“Installing sprinklers in new housing and as part of refurbishment programmes, which some Welsh councils and housing associations have already done, will go a long way towards minimising the risk of death and injury from fire.
“I hope this gives some immediate reassurance to the residents of those premises.”
The Cabinet Secretary added that the expert group will also consider how prepared Wales would be to deal with such an incident as Grenfell if it were to occur.
He said: “We need to make certain of our capability to do that and learn any lessons that emerge from events in London.
“My officials and I are in regular contact with counterparts in England and Scotland, to ensure that we pool intelligence and share learning.
“This process is at an early stage and it will be some time before the full truth about what happened at Grenfell Tower is known. However, the Welsh Government is completely committed to acting on those findings, while doing all that we can in the meantime to keep the people of Wales safe from fire.”
Labour has demanded answers from the UK Government after leaked letters appeared to show ministers were repeatedly warned that fire regulations were not keeping people safe in high rise blocks like Grenfell Tower.