Burning questions

It is now three-and-a-half years since a fire at the Lakanal House tower block in Southwark, south London, killed six people. On Monday, the joint inquest into these tragic deaths will finally begin. Social landlords across the UK which own high-rise buildings will follow proceedings with interest as it is expected some key questions about the safety of high-rise accommodation will be addressed. Inside Housing highlighted a number of these issues through its Safe as Houses campaign, which successfully called for action to stop preventable deaths from fire and gas.

First, can tower blocks ever be safe in the event of fire? Tower blocks are designed so a blaze in a flat is contained for at least two hours. This means neighbours can remain in their homes while the fire service comes to their rescue. The problem with this theory is that, in practice, the structural integrity of blocks built in the 1960s and 70s has sometimes been compromised due to repairs and upgrade work. As a result, fires can spread. Experts have said this is likely to be what happened at Lakanal House, but the inquest should reveal the truth. Many landlords have already updated their risk assessments for such blocks but the inquest will help to clarify what approach they should take in future.

Second, is the present system, which requires landlords to identify a ‘responsible person’ to conduct regular fire risk assessments, fit for purpose? In the aftermath of the Lakanal fire, Inside Housing investigations discovered that a number of social landlords had not conducted these checks and that fire services had failed in their role of policing them.

Shortly after these findings the Local Government Association produced guidance (Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats, still available on its website) which experts insist has improved the situation. However, a further Inside Housing study last year found that English social landlords were being served with an average of one enforcement notice a week by fire services.

The deaths at Lakanal and at other tower blocks since, such as Marine Tower in Lewisham, south London, gave the whole housing sector pause for thought. The inquest should finally ensure that lessons are learned.