Fire safety

The tragic circumstances recently witnessed in Camberwell make it doubly important that fire safety arrangements are as good as possible. Both Lambeth Living and United Residents Housing, the council’s other Arms Length Management Organisation, are undertaking immediate reviews of fire safety arrangements at all housing blocks across the borough. This is in addition to the regular planned inspections and checks of fire safety equipment including; dry risers, fire safety doors and closers and all other fire prevention, warning or fire fighting equipment. Additionally, our estate cleaners inspect all tower blocks on a daily basis to ensure any hazards are removed and all fire safety equipment is in place.

We have less than a year left of our fire and gas safety commitment to visit every Lambeth Living household over three years. To date we have visited 15,000 homes and will finish the remaining homes by March 2010.  Our visits include a fire assessment, installation of smoke alarms, advice to all tenants about common hazards and information about what to do in the case of a fire. 

It is important that you, your family and anyone living with you are safe in your home and know the following information:

• Do you know the quickest and safest way out of your home or block in the event of an emergency? If not, please find out and let everyone who lives with you know.
  
  
• Ensure that you have read and understood all of the fire safety information available in your residence.
  
  
• Have you checked that your exit route from your home is clear of obstacles?
  
  
• Do you have a smoke alarm fitted in your home? If you have a smoke alarm, when was the last time you checked it?
  
  
• Be very careful about tackling a fire. If in any doubt then do not tackle a fire yourself.
  
  
• Call the emergency services on 999. Leave it to the professionals. Get out and stay out.
  

Following the fire in Camberwell which spread because of certain construction features of the tower block concerned, we are identifying any similar construction types in Lambeth. We are carrying out this survey quickly and will instruct specialists to review any similar blocks to recommend appropriate fire protection works. At this stage we do not know if we have blocks that are exactly the same as the Camberwell. Where buildings have shown design features that don’t meet the highest standards of fire resistance, additional investment has been undertaken. During our surveys we have upgraded fire doors, lighting, electrical circuits and sealing cavities. These works will continue on any other block requiring additional investment. Both Lambeth Living and Lambeth Council will prioritise any funds required following these surveys to ensure your homes are safe.

If you have any concerns about your fire safety in your home please call the LSC on 0207 926 6000 or contact the London Fire Brigade for a free home fire safety visit on 020 8555 1200.

You can also visit the London Fire Brigade website to book a home visit, by clicking the link here, (please note, this will open the London Fire Brigade website in a new window.)