Lakanal inquests statement from Southwark Council

28 March 2013

Q&A

Response to the coroner's Rule 43 recommendations

We think that the Coroner’s recommendations all look very sensible. In fact, much of this work is already under way at Southwark. For example, we have already transformed the way in which we carry out fire risk assessments, have employed a dedicated and well-qualified specialist Fire Safety Team, and have completed fire risk assessments for all our properties. Nonetheless, we will of course go away and consider each recommendation very carefully and respond fully to the Coroner in due course.

Are the Council’s high rise residential blocks safe?

We have worked relentlessly on fire safety across the borough. It’s a big challenge for us as the largest council landlord in London and one of the biggest in the country. To provide some context, we have 39,000 council homes and 16,700 leasehold properties.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the London Fire Brigade inspected other blocks of a similar construction to Lakanal and identified three blocks where fire safety improvement works needed to be undertaken. Following the completion of fire risk assessments by expert fire safety consultants and fire safety improvement work, in 2009 the London Fire Brigade confirmed that all three of those blocks complied with the Fire Safety Order.

In addition, fire risk assessments were undertaken in relation to all of the remaining high rise residential blocks by either external consultants or the Council’s own specialist Fire Safety Team, which was created following the Lakanal fire. The Fire Safety Team’s officers are drawn from a range of professions and include former fire officers and members of various professional bodies, and they maintain a strong ongoing working relationship with the London Fire Brigade, with regular contact and information sharing as part of the memorandum of understanding that was agreed in respect of fire safety across the borough.

There has been a £48m investment in this fire risk assessment programme and associated works to reduce fire risk. In addition, as well as this fire safety work, we are currently spending £326m to make all our council homes warm, dry and safe in one of the biggest investment programmes of its kind in the country.

Did Lakanal have a fire risk assessment at the time of the fire?

There should have been a fire risk assessment for Lakanal in 2009 and there was not; we apologise unreservedly for that. We were slow in responding to the new legislation that required a fire risk assessment to be carried out on the common parts of residential premises. As such, whilst housing staff were trained to undertake fire risk assessments by the London Fire Brigade in 2008 and started to undertake fire risk assessments in 2009, by the time of the Lakanal fire on 3 July 2009, a fire risk assessment had not been undertaken of Lakanal.

What difference would it have made if a fire risk assessment had been done for Lakanal prior to the fire in 2009?

It was certainly a missed opportunity to identify potential fire safety concerns in the block and do something about them. For example, an expert witness at the inquests said that a competent fire risk assessor might well have recommended removal of part of the suspended ceiling in the communal corridors for further inspection by an expert However, the training that the London Fire Brigade provided to Council housing staff in 2008 to carry out fire risk assessments would not have equipped them with the requisite expertise to carry out more intrusive inspections, such as looking inside a suspended ceiling, as would be done now.

In addition, if a fire risk assessment had been undertaken for Lakanal before the fire, the jury’s verdicts suggest that it would not have made a difference to the fire with respect to the Trespa panels under the bedroom windows of flat 79 and the spread of fire from flat 65 to flat 79.

Further, the jury’s verdicts suggest that, if a fire risk assessment had been undertaken for Lakanal before the fire, it is possible that it may have identified the boxing-in under the internal stairs of flat 79 and flat 81, the panel above the front entrance door to flat 81, the lack of fire seals on the front entrance door to flat 81, and the lack of adequate fire stopping around pipework going into flat 81 as features for subsequent further investigation.

Why did it take more than 2 years to start your fire risk assessment programme from the time when you had a legal duty to do so?

The inquests heard from an expert witness who said that there were many gaps across the country where fire risk assessment programmes were not instigated when the Fire Safety Order came in to effect in 2006. This certainly applied to Southwark. As Council officers were aware that Southwark was not compliant with the Fire Safety Order, the London Fire Brigade agreed to train housing staff to conduct fire risk assessments and subsequently did so. Thereafter, the first fire risk assessments took place in January 2009.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the London Fire Brigade inspected other blocks of a similar construction to Lakanal and identified fire safety improvement works to be undertaken in relation to three blocks. Following the completion of fire risk assessments by expert fire safety consultants and fire safety improvement work, in 2009, the London Fire Brigade confirmed that all three of those blocks complied with the Fire Safety Order.

In addition, fire risk assessments were undertaken in relation to all of the remaining high rise residential blocks by either external consultants or the Council’s own specialist Fire Safety Team, which was created following the Lakanal fire. The Fire Safety Team’s officers are drawn from a range of professions and include former fire officers and members of various professional bodies, and they maintain a strong ongoing working relationship with the London Fire Brigade, with regular contact and information sharing as part of the memorandum of understanding that was agreed in respect of fire safety across the borough.

There has been a £48m investment in this fire risk assessment programme and associated works to reduce fire risk. As well as this fire safety work, we are currently spending £326m to make all our council homes warm, dry and safe in one of the biggest investment programmes of its kind in the country.

Do other buildings that are like Lakanal now have a current fire risk assessment?

All of our high rise residential blocks, including those that are similar to Lakanal, have a fire risk assessment.

How have things changed since the fire?

The position in relation to purpose built blocks of flats and fire risk assessment has changed dramatically since the tragedy at Lakanal: the August 2011 guidance document published by the Local Government Association in respect of purpose built blocks of flats represents the most comprehensive guide to approaching a fire risk assessment now available for any type of premises.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the London Fire Brigade inspected other blocks of a similar construction to Lakanal and identified fire safety improvement works to be undertaken in relation to three blocks. Following the completion of fire risk assessments by expert fire safety consultants and fire safety improvement work, in 2009, the London Fire Brigade confirmed that all three of those blocks complied with the Fire Safety Order.

Did the building and refurbishment work carried out since it was built in the 1950s affect the safety of Lakanal, including the 2006/2007 refurbishment works?

The inquests identified some issues with the building:

Trespa panels under the bedroom windows of flat 79

The panels under the bedroom windows that were fitted as part of the 2006/2007 refurbishment works were not required to be fire resistant, but they were required to be "Class 0" with respect to surface spread of flame. Regrettably, the panels did not meet the "Class 0" requirement. In addition, if a fire risk assessment had been undertaken for Lakanal before the fire, the jury’s verdicts suggest that it would not have made a difference.

Boxing-in under the internal stairs of flat 79 and flat 81

The boxing-in under the internal stairs of flat 79 and flat 81 failed prematurely in the fire allowing smoke and fire to spread into the communal corridor and into flat 81 respectively. The boxing-in was an original feature of the building, but is it not clear whether, and if so when, it was refurbished. If a fire risk assessment had been undertaken for Lakanal before the fire, the jury’s verdicts suggest that it is possible that it may have identified this feature for subsequent further investigation.

Panel above the front entrance door to flat 81

The panel above the front entrance door to flat 81 failed prematurely in the fire allowing smoke and fire to spread into flat 81. The panel was probably an original feature of the building. If a fire risk assessment had been undertaken for Lakanal before the fire, the jury’s verdicts suggest that it is possible that it may have identified this feature for subsequent further investigation.

Fire seals on the front entrance door to flat 81

The lack of fire seals on the front entrance door to flat 81 allowed smoke to spread into flat 81. If a fire risk assessment had been undertaken for Lakanal before the fire, the jury’s verdicts suggest that it is possible that it may have identified this feature for subsequent further investigation.

Fire stopping of pipework

The lack of adequate fire stopping around pipework going into flat 81 (relating to works undertaken in the 1980s) allowed smoke to spread into flat 81. If a fire risk assessment had been undertaken for Lakanal before the fire, the jury’s verdicts suggest that it is possible that it may have identified this feature for subsequent further investigation.

What about Marie Curie? What work have you done on that?

There has been significant fire safety work conducted on Marie Curie since the Lakanal fire. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the Council and the London Fire Brigade jointly visited Marie Curie to consider fire safety, including examining the potential for fire spread both within the flats and within the common parts. Following this visit and consultation with the London Fire Brigade, the Council immediately implemented fire safety improvement works and, later in 2009, the London Fire Brigade confirmed that Marie Curie complied with the Fire Safety Order.

Do building plans need to be made accessible to the London Fire Brigade?

We are already working with the London Fire Brigade about sharing plans of our buildings. We will consider carefully and will act upon the Coroner’s recommendation.

Should people stay put in a fire and wait to be rescued?

Our current advice (from the website) is as follows:

• If a fire breaks out in your flat, tell everyone. Do not stop to collect belongings, leave the room and close the door. Make sure that everyone has got out and close your front door. Do not return to collect anything and do not use a lift. Call the fire brigade on 999 and stay out of your home until the fire brigade says that it is safe to return.
• Use the stairs, not a lift. Don't use a balcony unless it is a proper escape route.
• If you are trapped, close the door of your room and use bedding, towels or clothes to block up any gaps under the door that might let in smoke or fumes.
• Shout from the window to attract attention and tell people to call the fire brigade.
• If you live in a purpose built flat or maisonette and fire breaks out elsewhere in the building, it may be safer for you to stay in your home. Many purpose-built flats and maisonettes have fire safety measures built into them. But if heat or smoke affects your home, get out at once and close the windows and doors behind you.

What are you going to do about Lakanal itself?

Now that the inquests are over, we are going to consult carefully with the community and families about possible options for the future of Lakanal but will not rush in to any decision. We will also be speaking to the victims’ families about introducing a permanent memorial to their loved ones on the site.

Page last updated: 01 December 2017