OT - Fire in Garricks's Villa

[John]

It always seems to me that fire fighting is less successful than it used to be. Any thoughts on this? Perhaps the water isn't as good - or don't the hoses get pointed in the right places.

[OG]

What's your baseline date for when fire fighting was 'good' ?

[geoff]

In message , John writes

Can't get the staff these days - they are all doing media degrees

[www.GymRatZ.co.uk]

Since Ikea became commonplace

Perhaps the tenders are on water meters and it's the govenrments way of passing the cost on to the home owner

[Tony Bryer]

The older the building, the more suspect the integrity of the structure. Each new round of services means more holes knocked through floor voids etc, never to be made good of course.

There is no way I would ever feel happy living in an upper level conversion flat in a building with timber floors. If the people below you suddenly get the urge for concealed spots, what are the chances that they will worry about fire hoods or the effect of the integrity of the ceiling.

My new high-rise flat here in Melbourne is sprinklered - two heads in the bedroom - but not the drench type found in commercial buildings, rather ones that (AIUI - do not intend to test ) just give a fine spray if triggered.

[Alan]

You obviously haven't seen what is new built around my way. The main structure for 22 flats in my road arrived on the back of some trucks and was nailed together within two days. A bit of brick cladding on the outside and it's finished.

When a similar block of flats (same builder, same construction) caught fire recently the fire chief expressed concern about how the fire had rapidly spread to multiple dwellings.

[John]

Just a thought - I don't believe the Fire Brigades do the inspections that they uses to do. It is delegated to the occupiers.

When I worked for a large company if any maintenance work was being carried out on the sprinkler system - or any work was being done which could cause sparks (welding, grinding) then the Works Fire Brigade would send 2 guys with radios and extinguishers to monitor the work.

The Fire Brigade & Security got outsourced and most of the equipment was 'rationalised' - charges were applies and a call centre for advice was set up. Mmmmmmm!

[Adrian]

"John" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Grade I listed building. Being developed into flats. At a time of falling property values. At a time of slow property sales.

Fire breaks out, at a time when conveniently nobody's working to be risked.

Mmm. Bet that was an accident, eh?

[Rod]

The most amazing bit of the story is this:

"One of the residents, antiques dealer Boudica Scherazade, said: "It's just so awful. There's so many valuable things in there."

That is some name! (And I think perhaps she might need to rephrase as "so many formerly valuable things". :-( )

[Tony Bryer]

Save that as it's a listed building, and not just listed but Grade 1, the local authority and English Heritage are likely to insist on complete restoration, no expense spared.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I said it was converted into flats 40 years ago on the BBC news.

Sounded like there were people already living in it.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Should read "It" said... (I didn't say anything on the BBC news;-)

[ZeitGeist]

[Owain]

They'll have insurance, won't they?

Owain