BLAZE CONCERNS
Camden council evacuates five tower blocks over cladding fire fears – but 83 residents REFUSE to leave their homes
THOUSANDS of people in tower blocks in Camden are being evacuated from 800 homes due to cladding concerns - but 83 residents have refused to leave their homes.
Camden Council say families in 800 flats in five blocks on the Chalcots estate are going to be temporarily rehoused in rest centres and hotels for up to four weeks while "urgent fire safety work" is carried out following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
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Tests carried out yesterday on the panels of the high-rise estate showed the cladding fitted to five tower blocks was identical to those used at the gutted North Kensington estate.
Throughout the country, 27 high-rise blocks of flats in 15 local authority areas have failed fire cladding safety tests, the Government has said.
Leader of Camden Council Georgia Gould said tonight external cladding on the blocks "was not up to the standard that we wanted and was not fire retardant".
She said she has taken the "really, really difficult decision" to move around 4,000 people into temporary accommodation while "urgent fire safety work" is undertaken.
But she also added that 83 residents have refused to leave their homes.
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Roger Evans, a resident of the Taplow block for the past three years, said he found out that his building was being evacuated after a friend saw it on the news and alerted him by text.
The 51-year-old, who has so far refused to leave his first-floor flat, said: "As far as I am concerned, nothing in that building has changed in the last few days, weeks, months or years.
"It was perfectly safe before, despite what they are saying now.
"I believe I am safe in there."
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Ms Gould said residents will be taken to a rest centre at the Swiss Cottage Library and the Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre.
A clip sent to Sky shot from the leisure centre by a resident shows dozens of inflatable beds packed in side-by-side on the gym floor.
Cllr Gould said: "I know this is difficult but...I don't believe we can take any risks with our residents' safety and I have to put them first.
"We know it's a scary time but we'll make sure they're safe."
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The Chalcots estate has five tower blocks - four 22 storey blocks and one 18 storey block.
Theresa May has tweeted about the evacuation tonight, saying: "My thoughts are with residents being evacuated in Camden while their homes are made safe tonight.
"We will work with and support the emergency services and relevant authorities to safeguard the public.
"Have asked @sajidjavid to keep me regularly updated & ensure we are offering every support we can to residents & those working onsite."
Cllr Gould had said in a statement earlier: "Camden Council is absolutely determined to ensure that our residents are safe and we have promised them that we will work with them, continue to act swiftly and be open and transparent."
She said London Fire Brigade had completed a joint inspection of the blocks with Camden Council technical experts and the council has decided to "temporarily decant" residents.
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Ms Gould added: "We realise that this is hugely distressing for everyone affected and we will be doing all we can, alongside the London Fire Brigade and other authorities, to support our residents at this difficult time. The Grenfell fire changes everything – we need to do everything we can to keep residents safe."
Chaotic scenes from outside the estate tonight show confused residents clutching bags and pillows as they are evacuated from the tower blocks.
Some said they only knew they were being rehoused when they saw it flash up on the news.
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Taplow resident Shirley Phillips told Sky News: "We're told we'll be out for two to four weeks.
"I'm going over to the emergency centre and they've told me they'll find me somewhere to go.
"I've got a little bag together. I've got some underwear, some dog food, a night gown... I haven't got anything else."
She said she was given "no notice" of what had happened.
"They've had the fire brigade here all day, Camden Council, police...why have they left it til 8.30 at night to start get residents out. Where do they think we're all going?"
Teacher Kim Price, who lives in Blashford Tower with her 14-year-old son, said: "I really don't know what to do, I'm so scared right now."
Other residents said the evacuation was an "over-reaction".
Edward Strange said: "We've had two fires here since the cladding was put on and both fires didn't spread so I don't see what the problem is.
"It's a complete over-reaction, it's ridiculous."
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Wheelchair-bound Abdul Sharif, 15, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was assured he and his family would be a priority.
But last night, as he prepared to sleep on an airbed in the leisure centre, he said he had no idea where he and his family would be staying for the next few weeks.
He said: “No one from the council came to tell us, our friend let us know. They told me to go and stand next to one of the mattresses we are going to spend the night on.”
A 94-year-old resident, Peter, said he left in such a rush he did not have time to grab his medication.
He said: “It’s terrible, I’d rather stay there tonight and take a chance. If I get excited I’ll be having a heart attack.”
Another resident, Suliman, said he hurriedly packed his PlayStation.
He said: “They knocked on my door saying, ‘you have to leave right now’. The only thing I had to get was my PlayStation, my clothes, my toothbrush. That was everything.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he is in "close contact" with Camden Council, the London Fire Brigade and the Government.
He added: "Following advice from fire prevention experts at the London Fire Brigade, it has been decided that the best way to keep residents safe is to relocate them tonight, as a precautionary measure.
"There is a particular set of circumstances on this estate that make this necessary, which has been identified following good work between Camden Council and the London Fire Brigade. Fire safety checks are ongoing at other estates across the UK."
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Camden Council agreed a contract with Rydon Construction - the same firm that oversaw the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower - in a £66 million revamp.
Although it is unclear when it was fitted, a spokesman for the council said yesterday it was present on the Taplow Tower in 2012 when a fire broke out on the 16th floor.
At least 79 people were killed after Grenfell Tower erupted in flames on June 14 forcing frantic residents to leap from the 24-storey building to avoid being burnt alive.
Investigators have now said that cladding and insulation that was attached to the outside of the building had failed subsequent safety tests and cops were now looking at possible manslaughter charges.
Up to 600 residential tower blocks may have inflammable cladding similar to that used in Grenfell Tower.
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