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West London tower blocks not strengthened to withstand explosion
Two high-rise tower blocks in west London have not been strengthened to withstand an explosion, a survey published this week has revealed.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council has published a report, carried out by in-house structural engineers and completed in March, which reveals the blocks have not been strengthened to withstand an explosion. Experts had warned the council in August last year that the 14-storey Hartopp Point and Lannoy Point blocks may not be strong enough to withstand an explosion.
The council asked its structural engineering team to carry out a survey of the blocks in August last year. The first stage was completed in November last year and the second stage was completed in March.
Despite finding that the tower blocks “structurally… appear to have performed satisfactorily over their service period of over 45 years”, the report found the blocks had not been “designed to accommodate damage and prevent disproportionate collapse in the event of an accidental explosion”. A council spokesperson said the blocks are safe.
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The engineers’ “intrusive” investigation found there were no vertical wall ties in the blocks, as required in building regulations. “The only bolted wall panel connections observed were to the lift and stair access tower,” the report said.
The report found large gaps between floor and wall panels, through which a fire could spread. It said bottled gas and oxygen cylinders should be banned from the blocks.
Alongside the strengthening work required, fire safety issues have been reported by residents in the blocks. These include large cracks in the walls, which the council knew about in 2012 but failed to fix. More than 20 families have requested to move out of the blocks because of the fire safety issues.
In November, the council scrapped its “stay put” policy and replaced it with an immediate evacuation policy. In February engineering firm, Arup, was commissioned to check the blocks had been strengthened in line with government requirements. This work is ongoing.
Inside Housing previously revealed more than 20 households had requested to move out of the blocks.
Large panel system blocks are made of concrete panels with floors and walls that rest upon one another and are held together by their own weight. Ronan Point was a large panel system block that partially collapsed in 1968, killing four people. Following the collapse the government at the time told landlords to strengthen their blocks.
A Hammersmith and Fulham Council spokesperson said: “The report does make it clear that the blocks are safe. The enhanced accidental damage test has identified some additional work to be undertaken and we are seeking guidance from Arup on the most appropriate solutions that minimise disruption for residents.
“As well as publishing the report on our website, we’ve written to all residents about the survey’s results. In consultation with the fire brigade and leading fire safety experts, we’ve put in all the precautionary fire safety measures possible including 24/7 fire safety wardens, smoke alarms in communal areas and in flats, and increased housing management support to residents.”
Update: at 12.00pm, 17.04.18 This story was updated to correct the month when the report was completed. A previous version of the report on the council’s website stated the survey was completed in December 2017 and there was no date on the report. The council did not respond to a request for clarification from Inside Housing. A new version states the report was completed in March 2018.
