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Posted: 2017-06-23 01:15:40

Posted June 23, 2017 11:15:40

Tenants at the Chalcots Estate in north London have had a nervous week.

Last Wednesday they could see the smoke billowing from the Grenfell Tower inferno just a few kilometres away.

Like so many others living in high-rise homes across the United Kingdom, they've spent the past few days asking themselves, "is my apartment safe?".

"Yeah, I'm worried," Pei Ng said.

"We know they've been doing safety checks, we've had letters from the council. I'm not reassured."

The residents are angry to learn their towers also contain combustible external cladding.

The aluminium composite panels, which are put on buildings to make them more energy efficient, are suspected of contributing to the rapid spread and intensity of the enormous Grenfell blaze that claimed at least 79 lives.

"[The cladding] is aesthetically pleasing but I'd rather live in an unappealing place than a fire hazard," said Jennifer Stewart-Cocco, a resident of one of the towers on the Chalcots Estate.

"Safety is more important than looks."

The local council claims the combustible panels should have never been installed.

It says it was misled by the company that installed them.

Workmen have already begun the task of removing the cladding and fire wardens will patrol the estate around the clock until the job's done.

But there are fears the problem could be widespread across Britain.

About 600 high-rise blocks are currently being tested.

At the time of writing, 11 towers in eight different places have been found to have combustible cladding.

"The relevant local authorities and local fire services have been informed," British Prime Minister Theresa May said.

"As I speak they are taking all possible steps to ensure buildings are safe and to inform affected residents."

Some on the Chalcots Estate believe the Grenfell Tower inferno is a horrible symbol of inequality in the UK.

They claim the concerns of social housing residents have been repeatedly ignored, while those living in new London apartment blocks have all the latest fire safety measures in place.

"The gap between the rich and poor is getting wider," local resident Dominic Reay said.

"Why are they only dealing with this [combustible cladding] now?"

But fire safety experts say it is highly likely that private buildings have the cladding too.

There is now an enormous push to ensure the Grenfell Tower tragedy becomes a turning point for the UK — a disaster that ensures the nation's fire safety regulations are overhauled.

Topics: business-economics-and-finance, industry, building-and-construction, occupational-health-and-safety, safety, united-kingdom

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