Assurances on fire safety standards

MP Debbie Abrahams

OLDHAM MP Debbie Abrahams has written to the borough's housing providers to seek assurances about fire safety standards following the horrific fire at Grenfell Tower in London.

Mrs Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, said: "The Grenfell Tower tragedy is absolutely devastating for the families affected, many of whom are still unsure if they will be reunited with loved ones.

"We must do all we can to ensure an event like this never happens again and we must look closely at the measures taken locally to protect residents across our own borough.

"Many constituents will be wondering whether such an event could happen to their flat or home.

"For this reason I've written to local housing providers to ask them to give specific details about what fire risk assessments they have undertaken in the last 12 months to ensure residents will be safe.

"I want to know details about fire drills, evacuation procedures and testing of fire equipment and who undertook these assessments.

"I've asked about the fire safety measures they have in place, including sprinkler systems, and how have the coroner's recommendations from 2013, following the Lakanal flats fire, been implemented locally, including the retrofitting of sprinkler systems into old flats."

She added that there is a need to know what assessment is undertaken locally during commissioning refurbishment programmes on the use of fire-retardant materials such as fire-retardant claddings.

"Residents are entitled to know how regularly fire safety measures and risk assessments are monitored and how are maintenance issues and repairs are managed at properties across Oldham. They should also be clear what the process is for them raising health and safety issues with providers and what the protocol for housing providers responding to these issues is."