A 27 storey residential building in West London is totally on fire.

The fire started around 1 am on or around the first floor where it quickly took hold and raced to the above floors.

It's reported to be an old concrete building with antiquated fire escapes.

The fire fighters can only basically stand and watch it burn as their equipment can't reach the top half of the building.

They're expecting a very large death toll.

 

Well, at least in this Hellgate : London there aren't any demons

 

Just seen it.
Not looking good at all.
over 30 taken to hospital so far
been burning over 6 hours
pieces falling off and
fears it could colapse

 

Its pretty much a smouldering pile at the moment.
Not really any info being given out yet , beyond that there are fatalities.

I did note , reporter now saying it is a 24 story building , not that that helps.
Saying over 200 lived in it.

Apparently , the building had just recently been fully refurbished.
Last of scaffolding removed very recently.

 

Damn, I tend to be unfazed by these events that don't affect me, but hell, this actually sank my heart and made me cry...

 

I'll tell you right away what the problem was, before it even hits the news.

The aluminium cladding on the outside of the building.

There are three grades of cladding, no doubt the lowest grade/cheapest was used.

Note how the fire was on the outside of the building.

The aluminium combusted.

 

Maybe it's a new tactic being implementing by that super duper ultra peaceful religion.

 

Apparently a fridge initiated the event.

 

I don't think I'll speculate.
I'll leave that to experts ,
But
in the coverage I saw , the whole of the internals of the building was a raging inferno , and the cladding still appeared to be mostly in tact at that stage.
There are reports of masonry falling , but that's about all.
There was clearly more than enough combustibles within to make this a tragedy anyway , especially given the time.

Certainly aluminium burns ,
and just how badly ,
was demonstrated and learned
horribly in the Falklands war.

 

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/sourceable.net/risk-of-cladding-fire-in-skyscrapers-grows/amp/


Within minutes, the revelry of New Year’s Eve in Dubai turned to horror as those gathered for fireworks downtown watched flames race up the side of one of the city’s most prominent luxury hotels.

But the fire at the 63-storey The Address Downtown Dubai wasn't the first, second or even third blaze to spread swiftly along the exterior of skyscrapers.

It was at least the eighth such fire in the Emirates alone, and similar blazes have struck major cities across the world including in Melbourne, and they have killed dozens of people, according to an Associated Press survey.

The reason, building and safety experts say, is the material used for the buildings' sidings, called aluminium composite panel cladding.

 

Latest , 50 taken to hospitals

 

The director of Rydon is very good at not answering questions he is being asked ! There are no words for all those affected it is devastating .

 

You may be tight PP
and sadly , reports say it was reclad in the refurbishment.

Escapee/survivor report

.

.

 

This sounds like it was an accident waiting to happen!! My thoughts and condolences to the victims and their families!

Thinskin

 

My thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families.

 

I see there are four very similar tower blocks around the burnt out hulk.

Are they all essentially the same ?

If so , I suggest they have a trained fire officer on sight on duty 24/7

 

My condolences to the victims and families ... and best wishes to those injured.

 

Six people were killed and seventy four were injured. I'm hoping the rest get out ok.

 

sad news indeed