This recent fire in a 18 storey high rise block of flats in East London started at the top of the block and was able to be extinguished without anybody suffering any injuries.
The fire damaged several windows at the top of the block and was extinguished by London Fire Brigade (LFB) before the fire could cause any more damage.
There were also two other fires nearby in fields at the same time as LFB faced a really busy few days. The hot weather and dry conditions can increase the chances of fires starting and spreading and extra vigilance should be put in place in these conditions.
Following basic fire safety advise can help such as:
Being careful when discarding off cigarettes (as these can smoulder for hours if not properly extinguished)
Not overloading electrical sockets and making sure these are switched off after use
Never leaving your cooking unattended
Being extra careful with BBQ’s when outside
Not using BBQs or smoking on external flat balconies
Making sure you use all electrical applications safely such as fans and switching off mobile phone chargers after use
Not leaving unnecessarily combustible materials lying around and making sure the external perimeter of your building is clear
Keeping your building or property secure to prevent unauthorised access
The above list is not exhaustive but every little helps at times like these
Stay safe
For London Fire Risk Assessments please visit out Fire Risk Assessment London page here:
https://www.whalefire.co.uk/london/fire-risk-assessments-london.aspx
London Fire Brigade (LFB) have been seriously busy the last few weeks as soaring temperatures and super dry conditions have led to a series of grass and other rural fires.
There have also been many house and other building fires which has led to a shortage of resources and cover for Fire Services throughout the country.
These wildfires can spread so quickly as the dry combustible materials can ignite and burn so readily, especially if accompanied by a moderate to strong wind flow. The main aim for the fire service is to limit the spread of these fires and to protect any nearby residential properties etc. These wildfires can easily catch firefighters out depending on the location of the fire, whatever is burning and the weather conditions.
Evacuation of nearby properties is often required and the need to protect the egress route away from the incident, should conditions change rapidly.
https://lnkd.in/eR7MKmgV
For Fire Risk Assessments in London please visit:
https://lnkd.in/e8NhtV-r
Another huge fire broke out in London recently in a residential property in Belgravia.
Up to 80 firefighters had to extinguish the blaze which took out an upper floor and roof of an exclusive block of flats.
It’s the latest in the series of a large number of fires in London and will be interesting to establish what the cause of the fire is. I understand that nobody was injured and everybody was able to safely make their escape.
One resident was reportedly awoken by the sound of cracking noises as the fire took hold. These are very expensive buildings and I would be interested to know whether the fire started and was contained in a single flat and roof space or whether the fire spread to the communal areas and potentially other buildings via the roof space.
As fire risk assessors, we can all learn from every incident and the most
Important thing is that everybody is safe.
https://lnkd.in/eWdyuMDJ
For all London Fire Risk Assessments please visit Whale Fire’s Fire Risk Assessment London page here:
https://lnkd.in/e8NhtV-r
Over 100 firefighters attended this pub fire in Trafalgar Square recently. The public house is located on the corner of two busy streets and would therefore would have caused LFB (London Fire Brigade) numerous problems in terms of access, traffic and pedestrian control.
Lots of people were safely evacuated from the pub which is believed to have started in the basement. Again, this would have caused a range of complications for firefighting teams in terms of access, crew safety and welfare, arduous heat, smoke dispersal to name just a few.
Pubs often have basement areas which are often used as cellars for drink storage and the location of the utilities. They often come with difficult access and can have unusual layouts.
It was good to see LFB safely evacuate the pub so quickly and deal with the basement fire so efficiently before it took control of the rest of the building.
Whale Fire provide fire risk assessments right across London including to all public houses. Please visit our Fire Risk Assessment London page here:
https://www.whalefire.co.uk/london/fire-risk-assessments-london.aspx
London Fire Brigade (LFB) have provided a link for all responsible persons with fire safety advice. They offer assistance for a whole range of issues and can provide guidance and support on the following items:
With regards to fire risk assessments they are unable to complete these as it is a conflict of interest. They suggest using a qualified and accredited company. This is where Whale Fire can help where all fire risk assessments are accredited by Warrington through the FRACs scheme.
https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-workplace/advice-for-responsible-persons/
For all London Fire Risk Assessments please visit:
https://www.whalefire.co.uk/london/fire-risk-assessments-london.aspx
This recent fire in Watford could have been a lot worse and fortunately was contained without anyone being seriously injured. This fire actually started as a bin fire which spread to the building from the ground floor level.
I think it raises a good point for fire risk assessors as often the sole focus is on the inside of a building. We are all too aware of the need to consider the external facade of a building with the Building Safety Bill and Fire Safety Act 2021. This primarily deals with cladding issues but we should also consider the location of bin stores and how these are being managed.
Whether the fire was deliberate or accidental, it had the potential to spread to the building and therefore the location and security of bins stores (in terms of access) is important.
How many times have fire risk assessors spent only assessing the insides of building only to later discover a fire has been started externally at ground floor level by a bin or discarded cigarette. Food for thought as always.
Watford fire: Residents feared ‘another Grenfell’ after fire at tower block (msn.com)
For all London Fire Risk Assessments please visit Whale Fire's Fire Risk Assessment London page here:
https://lnkd.in/e8NhtV-r
This recent industrial unit fire in London was attended to by up to 60 firefighters. These type of fires can cause all sorts of problems for firefighting crews and some of the risks and considerations include:
· The processes that take place in the unit (hazardous materials, cylinders, machinery etc)
· The type of toxic smoke these processes and materials give off
· The dangers of explosions and fire spread across buildings
· Possible mezzanine floor levels and staff working remotely
· The potential need for mass evacuation for nearly units and homes
· Environmental considerations and water run off from these types of fires
The above list is not exhaustive but shows some of the potential risks that can be faced at these types of incidents. Firefighters will need to know where the utility isolation points are so these can be switched off as soon as possible.
This is also why its important that a fire risk assessment is in place and any risks mitigated as much as possible beforehand.
https://lnkd.in/ekKzzXR3
For London Fire Risk Assessments, please visit Whale Fire’s Fire Risk Assessment London page here:
https://lnkd.in/e8NhtV-r
Firefighters are fighting a huge fire at a block of 20 flats in Bedford which has been caused by a huge gas explosion. There are reports of two injuries, one potentially very serious.
The fire appears to have burnt through a large section of the roof and is a very serious incident which has obviously affected several flats within this three floor apartment block.
The fire service are advising any nearby residents to keep their doors and windows shut due to the volume of smoke in the area. I hope this is under control now and the injuries are not as bad as first feared.
I will watch the developments of this fire and update with any potential information about what caused the gas explosion and how the fire was able to spread to so many flats and the roof space so quickly.
Firefighters tackling 'inferno' after major gas explosion at block of flats (msn.com)