Residents warned of fire risk in Grenfell Tower before blaze

A residents’ association in the Grenfell Tower had warned of an imminent fire risk in the building.

Blog posts from the Grenfell Action Group explicitly warned of a "catastrophic" fire and accused the building’s managers of failing to ensure residents’ safety.

They claimed residents were given insufficient information about how to deal with an emergency and were told to stay in their homes in the event of a fire.

In a November post, the group argued that "only an incident that results in serious loss of life" would end what they described as "dangerous living conditions" and the "neglect of health and safety legislation" in the block.

"It is our conviction that a serious fire in a tower block or similar high density residential property is the most likely reason that those who wield power at the KCTMO will be found out and brought to justice," the blog said.

Floor plans of the 24-storey building show there was only one staircase on the residential floors.

The tower block was built in 1974, as social housing by Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council, and building regulations have since changed.

The council still owns the building but it has been managed since the 1990s by the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Association (KCTMO).

A major refurbishment of the estate, which cost £10m and took two years to finish, was completed in 2016.

The work included installing insulated exterior cladding, including rain screen cladding and a curtain wall facade, and new windows.

It was intended to both modernise the building’s exterior and improve thermal insulation.

A heating system, nine new homes, and facilities for a nursery and boxing club were also installed.

Councillor Nick Paget-Brown, the leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, told Sky News on Wednesday that a "major refurbishment" of the building had been completed last year.

"At that point it was inspected," he said. "We will have to await the study as to what the cause of this has been."

The refurbishment was part of a wider £67m development, funded by the council and carried out by KCTMO and Rydon, a construction company.

KCTMO said the development would enhance the energy efficiency of the building and reduce residents’ living costs.

Eyewitnesses at the scene of the fire said they saw the external cladding of the building quickly catching alight.

In a statement released Wednesday, Rydon said its building work met the necessary building specifications.

"Rydon completed a refurbishment of the building in the summer of 2016 for KCTMO on behalf of the council, which met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards," it said.

"We will co-operate with the relevant authorities and emergency services and fully support their inquiries into the causes of this fire at the appropriate time."

The Grenfell Action Group was set up in 2010 to oppose a planned development to the estate and defend the rights of residents.

Judith Blakeman, a local councillor, said the management organisation had reassured those living in the tower about fire safety on a number of occasions.

She said residents of the block had expressed concerns about the safety of the building "over several years".

"I raised 19 complaints on behalf of the residents with the TMO. Lots of them were about the safety of the building and what would happen if there was a major fire," she added.

Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, has issued a statement, saying it is "aware concerns have been raised historically" by residents, adding that the reports "will form part of our forthcoming investigations".

"KCTMO, in conjunction with Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and others, is doing everything it can to assist the residents of Grenfell Tower and those affected by the tragedy."

The Grenfell block contains 120 flats. Many of the flats had three or four bedrooms where families lived.

It is the largest tower on the Lancaster West estate, which includes three further blocks, outdoor walkways, and green spaces.

The tower is in Kensington and Chelsea in west London, next to Latimer Road Station and less than a mile west of Notting Hill. Westfield Shopping Centre is nearby and the building is next to Westway, a major elevated dual carriageway passing out of London.

It was built to replace streets that lacked indoor plumbing as part of a broader project to replace London housing that was regarded as slum standard.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement: "There will be a great many questions over the coming days as to the cause of this tragedy and I want to reassure Londoners that we will get all the answers."

(c) Sky News 2017: Residents warned of fire risk in Grenfell Tower before blaze