Government warns housing chiefs of design weakness found in fire death tower block

The Government has this week written to the heads of all local housing authorities warning them of a potential design weakness that has come to light following investigations into the fire at a South London tower block in which six people died.

The letter from Terrie Arafat, the Department of Communities and Local Government's head of housing delivery and homelessness, alerts authorities to a safety issue at Lakanal House, Camberwell, that may pose a problem in similar buildings across the country.

Ms Arafat states: "Whilst investigations into the cause of the fire will not be completed for some time, LB Southwark have been working with LFEPA (London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority) to carry out certain fire safety improvements in Marie Curie House, the block adjacent to Lakanal House. 

"During this initial work, it has come to our attention that there is a feature in the building that could undermine the fire protection of the common escape corridors.

"This feature could be repeated in buildings of the same structure/design elsewhere and may not be readily apparent from visual inspections. I thought it appropriate, therefore, to bring it to your attention so you may consider the issues this raises in the context of the fire safety risk assessments that exist for similar premises in your area

"Lakanal House was built in 1959 and contains 98 two storey flats over 14  floors. They are arranged in a “scissor block” style, served, at alternate levels, by a longitudinal common corridor that leads to a central stairwell. The flats are accessed on either side of the common corridor and at entrance level contain bedrooms and bathroom accommodation.

"An internal timber stair adjacent to the corridor gives access to the living room and kitchen on the flat’s upper floor, which spans from side to side of the building passing over the common corridor on the lower level.

"Where the internal staircase passes over the corridor it cuts through the enclosure to the common corridor presenting a potential breach in the fire resisting construction above the ceiling. This could allow a fire in one of the flats to burn through the timber stair and spread into the ceiling void."

Ms Arafat said that the need to take action as a result of her letter was 'a matter for your judgement' but stressed: "You will need to consider this both in your capacity as a social landlord, where you will be the ‘responsible person’ under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and more generally in relation to your responsibility for the health and safety of housing as a whole."