Blaze sparks flats fire-risk report

Fire risk assessments are being carried out on flats in Oldham as investigators try to unravel the cause of the London tower block tragedy.

Oldham’s review was prompted by a blaze at Stockfield Mount, Chadderton, said Hugh Broadbent, chief executive of First Choice Homes Oldham.

Mr Broadbent added: “There are new rules around fire protection. The fire service has been in discussions with us for some months. Discussions have been very positive with the fire service and they are happy with the way we are dealing with this.

“There may well be some recommendations from the fire service which we will implement in accordance with their wishes.”

Fire crews were called to Stockfield Mount, in Petworth Road, when a bedroom caught fire in April.

As a precaution, flats on the same floor and the floor above and below were evacuated and police were called to help with crowd control.

The blaze, caused by a tumble dryer, was quickly dealt with but firefighters had to break into the flat because the owner was out.

Mr Broadbent said: “That is one of the areas which prompted some inspection work in our other tower blocks.

“There have been some recommendations, such as some paintwork in one building which had a higher content of something which was more flammable than first thought.”

Tenants in Camberwell, south London, where six people died at the weekend, criticised the tower block’s complicated structure and single stairwell. But that was a very unique design, not replicated in Oldham, added Mr Broadbent.

“We have not specifically reacted to the London incident, but we will be going back to the fire risk assessment and discussing with the fire service whether there is anything further we can do,” he said.