Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
BBC radio news conference: At least 12 deaths and they anticipate the number will increase. They are still searching the building, have not seen a fire of this scale in many years. Unheard of. So many people are unaccounted for--and they do not anticipate finding any survivors.
Still putting the fire out, pockets of flame in hard to reach places, will take a long time but they will keep searching and recovering. 68 patients taken to hospitals, 18 in critical care, 10 more patients took themselves to the hospital. One hundred twenty flats within the building so at least that many people involved.
"To improve insulation", that was the reason for the construction that tenants were complaining about. Sounds like it could be FOAM--but they are dodging all questions relating to this issue, saying it's too early to know.
I watched it burn, live on BBC & Sky News: just happened to be awake at the time. The fire was clearly (at least in my vision and understanding) burning on the inside, before it got to the outside. I'm thinking that video is probably available of what I saw live. So maybe some here will want to look at it.
It also appeared to be burning in the upper floors, before the lower floors and I didn't know a fire would or could do that.
Then there are the conflicting reports: the person on the 4th floor who said his refrigerator exploded (and yes, the newer "green" refriges. can and do explode this way). Contrast this with the report which said the fire began on the 2nd floor.
So. There are all kinds & bits of information floating around. And I do know that it's possible I just don't have the frame of reference to understand what I thought I clearly saw. Perhaps something else was happening on the other side of the building, before it was totally engulfed in the flames?
Clearly it is horrific and a very sad tragedy, adding insult to injury that some or all of these people are/were among the poor. And the reported fact that the community there had been begging and pleading for Years about the unsafe conditions.
And, now that I'm well into a rant, the absolutely Asinine written instructions that in the event of fire not in one's very own apartment, that one should stay IN the place and close all doors & windows. At least to me, it seems asinine.
Perhaps a firefighter can come along and explain the "wisdom" of this instruction?
And, now that I'm well into a rant, the absolutely Asinine written instructions that in the event of fire not in one's very own apartment, that one should stay IN the place and close all doors & windows. At least to me, it seems asinine.
Perhaps a firefighter can come along and explain the "wisdom" of this instruction?
.
I'm not a firefighter, but from what I understand, is if it's properly built, each unit will have firewalls that will prevent the spread between floors and between units. If the firewalls do their job, you're safer sealed off in your unit than you are in a stairwell that may potentially be smoke filled.
Of course, that only applies to properly built/properly remodeled buildings. It also seems like that kind of becomes a moot point if the fire is climbing up the outside of the building, which then causes windows to break, which then carries the fire back on the inside.
Thank you. I haven't disappeared. It isn't worth the time and effort defending my opinion with certain posters.
Anyone who doesn't immediately suspect Islamic terrorist activity in this latest London tragedy doesn't pay much attention to world news.
Actually, I've had the same thought of that possibility. How can one not consider the possibility? To jihadist terrorists, anyone who is not part of them is the enemy. It's in much of what they follow as being instructions for their lives. I know, because I've read at least some of it.
On the other hand, it may not be due to terrorism. Hopefully sometime the truth will become clear.
I'm not a firefighter, but from what I understand, is if it's properly built, each unit will have firewalls that will prevent the spread between floors and between units. If the firewalls do their job, you're safer sealed off in your unit than you are in a stairwell that may potentially be smoke filled.
Of course, that only applies to properly built/properly remodeled buildings. It also seems like that kind of becomes a moot point if the fire is climbing up the outside of the building, which then causes windows to break, which then carries the fire back on the inside.
Thank you for this help! I can understand what you're saying.
in general, the elevators would likely cease to operate in a fire. Stairwells, when designed to most modern worldwide building codes, are designed to provide a safe egress from even the highest floors. However, if the integrity of the stairwell has been compromised by either non-functioning or propped doors, they become nothing more than smoke filled chimneys. I also heard reports that the single stairwell was blocked and that there was either no sprinkler system or that it was non-functioning.
in general, 'Shelter-in-Place' is the best strategy in a high rise fire, but that strategy is moot in the event of a poorly performing fire/smoke suppression environment. I suspect the death toll will be much higher than any of the reports have indicated to this point.
Actually, I've had the same thought of that possibility. How can one not consider the possibility? To jihadist terrorists, anyone who is not part of them is the enemy. It's in much of what they follow as being instructions for their lives. I know, because I've read at least some of it.
On the other hand, it may not be due to terrorism. Hopefully sometime the truth will become clear.
If I witnessed a fox killing one of my chickens every day for five days, and on the sixth day I find another dead chicken, I would be the stupidest person on Earth if I didn't suspect that fox of killing the sixth chicken. Yes, evidence may later prove that the cat did it, but I'd be a fool to suspect her right away.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
They are still searching the building, have not seen a fire of this scale in many years. Unheard of. So many people are unaccounted for--and they do not anticipate finding any survivors. 
