High rise buildings are well above the reach of ladders. The higher the ladders the greater the risk to the firefighters from flames, smoke and falling debris and wind changes.
The only way to tackle such a fire is from inside the building.
What really surprises me with this particular fire was the absence of a sprinkler system, I would have thought this would have been a requirement in a block built since the 1960s.
There is only one set of stairs in these blocks. With the lifts out of action during a fire, is this sufficient as an escape route for residents and an entrance for emergency services with their equipment?
A lot of lessons need to be learnt from this fire if it is not to be repeated elsewhere.
Eddie
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