BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[briantrumpet]

Grenfell had a “shelter in place” instruction for fires. It only had a single internal stairwell which was too dangerous for mass evacuation.
Each flat is classed an individual concrete compartment so the theory is that with adequate fire stopping any fire and smoke couldn’t spread between the flats.
Except as we all now know it spread up the outside of the building due to numerous mistakes with retro fitting the flammable cladding. (It’s a circular firing squad with everyone blaming everyone else)
In principle it was a safe structure before the cladding was installed. The fire would have been fairly easily contained and the occupant of the affected flat got out very easily.

Thanks. What I couldn't remember is whether there had been any subsequent fire assessments after the addition of the cladding, and if so, what had been assessed (including whether they'd just accepted the cladding company's assurances) and under what criteria.

 

[Ian H]

Going back nearly 20 years, we were invited to join a fancy-dress, New Year's eve party in Rennes. The venue was a medieval building in the centre. It was narrow and tall, and made of wood. We ascended the narrow curving wooden stairway to the second floor; one person had to be carried up in their wheelchair. There were about 30 of us seated at the dining tables, with lighted candles (including the strange, multilingual troubadour, but that's another story) and all of us with extremely limited means of escape should a fire have occurred.

 

[briantrumpet]

Going back nearly 20 years, we were invited to join a fancy-dress, New Year's eve party in Rennes. The venue was a medieval building in the centre. It was narrow and tall, and made of wood. We ascended the narrow curving wooden stairway to the second floor; one person had to be carried up in their wheelchair. There were about 30 of us seated at the dining tables, with lighted candles (including the strange, multilingual troubadour, but that's another story) and all of us with extremely limited means of escape should a fire have occurred.

French risk assessment is, shall we say, rather more laissez faire, then in the UK. I think having a land area that is twice the UK's, topography that is often rather more inherently risky than most of the UK, and, certainly until recently, an attitude to drink driving that focused on the bon appétit aspect rather than arriving home alive bit, meant that the 'French shrug' has been put to extensive use in risk assessment here.

 

[Dorset Boy]

I think I saw that the bar was licenced to hold 300 people.
Failure to have a second escape route seems unbelievable that a licence was granted for anywhere near that many.

 

[Pblakeney]

French risk assessment is, shall we say, rather more laissez faire, then in the UK. I think having a land area that is twice the UK's, topography that is often rather more inherently risky than most of the UK, and, certainly until recently, an attitude to drink driving that focused on the bon appétit aspect rather than arriving home alive bit, meant that the 'French shrug' has been put to extensive use in risk assessment here.

I left my holiday in NZ thinking that they hadn't heard of health and safety. Their attitude seems to be if you think you are up for it then go for it. Point of reference without travelling round the world, The Worlds Fastest Indian.

 

[Beebo]

Thanks. What I couldn't remember is whether there had been any subsequent fire assessments after the addition of the cladding, and if so, what had been assessed (including whether they'd just accepted the cladding company's assurances) and under what criteria.

I can’t remember either. The fact that the shelter in place advice remained suggests that everyone just accepted the advice that the cladding was fire retardant.

 

[briantrumpet]

I can’t remember either. The fact that the shelter in place advice remained suggests that everyone just accepted the advice that the cladding was fire retardant.

And goodness knows whether the public enquiry will lead to any change in the (so far, successful) collective shirking of responsibility.

 

[Pblakeney]

And goodness knows whether the public enquiry will lead to any change in the (so far, successful) collective shirking of responsibility.

I may have to look out a tasty one but I'll eat my hat is anyone is prosecuted and punished for what is surely negligence, if not downright deliberate sidestepping of safety certification and regulation.

 

[Psamathe]

Horrific tragedy but watching TV reports one minor aspect that struck me as strange is people trying to escape with their lives yet still make the effort to record video of the scrum for the exit. But maybe only strange to an older person (like myself) who isn't so focused on "content" and Social Media.