• THERE have been quite a few petitions for fire safety post the Grenfell Tower disaster, but none as specific as this one from Lives Before Profit.

“Petition to the Prime-minister.”

Stop building tower blocks until parliament passes new, effective fire safety regulations.

We cannot wait until there’s another tower block fire and more innocent people die – government action to halt the building of all skyscrapers must be taken now; 455 new tower blocks are planned for London, with more in other cities.

Days after the Grenfell Tower inferno former minister for housing Natalie Elphicke called for “a moratorium on tower block new builds”.

Tulip Siddiq, MP (Hampstead & Kilburn), has also requested the same from the secretary of state.

In reply, Alok Sharma, minister of state (communities and local government), said: “We do not intend to put a moratorium on new development of tower blocks.

“Where new tower blocks are being built, they must meet the requirements of the Building Regulations.” (Holding answer received July 13, 2017).

Yet it is precisely these inadequate fire safety provisions that led to the deaths of more than 80 people in the Grenfell fire.

Is Mr Sharma actually condoning the very real possibility that even more people could die in new tower blocks built under old regulations?

The government must be held to account for not implementing the coroner’s fire safety recommendations following the fatal Southwark Council, Lakanal House, fire in 2009. If they had, the Grenfell tragedy would not have occurred.

New building regulations must reappraise all aspects of fire safety for all tower blocks, to include but not limited to:

1. fire safety regulations incorporated in all planning permissions (for public scrutiny)

2. non-combustible materials

3. sprinklers in all public areas

4. a minimum of two ventilated escape routes (as in the US)

5. a height limit that does not exceed the maximum reachable by fire hoses

6. compartmentation (sealed off units)

7. effective and up-to-date fire-fighting measures and fire detection systems

8. full transparency and scrutiny of all fire safety documentation

9. open liaison between residents, landlords, and councils regarding fire safety

10. annual fire safety checks and maintenance

11. enforcement of regulations with effective deterrents

Please sign this petition from Lives Before Profit – see: tinyurl.com/towermoratorium

JANINE SACHS
Swiss Cottage