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A fire at a nine-storey block of flats with unsafe cladding last weekend has heightened concerns that remediation work is not being carried out quickly enough.
Nobody was hurt in the incident at the Eastgate development in Woking, Surrey, although one resident at the building has described it as “Woking’s Grenfell, waiting to happen”.
Six fire engines and a turntable ladder were called to the building on 19 April and the building was evacuated after reports of a smell of burning.
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service found that a fire had broken out in one of the flats in the building but residents were allowed to return after precautionary checks were carried out.
Southern Housing Group, which manages the building, confirmed that the external cladding on the building – which is not thought to be aluminium composite material (ACM) – is not compliant with the most recent advice.
In a statement, it said: “Initial inspections have identified a number of concerns and further inspections are underway to determine the extent of remedial work required. This programme is already in planning and the timetable is on track notwithstanding the current covid-19 situation, but the details are not yet completed. In the meantime, working with the appropriate authorities, residents and partners, we have put in place comprehensive supplemental fire safety measures, which ensure residents, staff and the public have no cause for concern. As a responsible landlord and building owner, we monitor the situation continuously.”
The latest government figures have revealed that as of 31 March, two-thirds of high-risk buildings with ACM cladding have not yet been remediated. Meanwhile, the government has stressed that the replacement of dangerous cladding remains a priority, even during the covid-19 pandemic.
