Grenfell Tower - Celotex

Which is how the building was constructed. Some of the flat entrance doors, which should be self-closing 1 hour fire doors, must have been jammed open (or the self closing mechanism damaged or removed to prvent unintentional lockouts).

Reply to
Andrew
Loading thread data ...

The insulation is not fireproof, it is fire resistant, but even the technical notes say once the temperature exceeds a certain value, then even the fire-resistant nature of this type of celotex will be overwhelmed.

Reply to
Andrew

En el artículo , Andrew escribió:

(suggestion) the stairwell had windows, which were damaged by the cladding on fire outside, like all the other windows in the building?

The stairwells will have been built on the assumption that fire would come from within the building, not from without.

Aye.

Reply to
Mike Tomlinson

The stairwell and lift shaft are at the core of the building, with flats surrounding it ...

Reply to
Andy Burns

If the pillars are built using 7N+ blocks then there should be no need to use engineering bricks.

Breeze blocks are only commonly used in Ireland now.

In mainland UK, blocks are more likely to be medium or lightweight 'celcon' -style blocks. These need to have suitable padstones.

A column made of old-style concrete 'breeze' blocks will be strong enough not to need padstones.

Reply to
Andrew

Ah - all the fault of the fridge then? That will be a relief to whoever specified/fitted the cladding.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Not only the flats, but the stairwell should have fire doors to the corridors too. So two ways the smoke should have been stopped getting from the flat to the stairs.

Quite.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

In the course of my work I was in many a council block, and no internal stairwell ever had windows. I don't remember ever seeing one in the hallway between stairs and flats, either.

The question still is - how did so much smoke find its way into the stairs so quickly?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)
[snip]

ISTR that there was also the problem that the pre-fabricated panels did not fit together properly, and were bodged/adjusted on site, which compromised the structural integrity of the structure. Properly assembled, the explosion /should/ have not caused the panels to blow out and cause the progressive collapse of the corner concerned.

Reply to
Jim White

In message , at 00:36:00 on Fri, 23 Jun

2017, "Dave Plowman (News)" remarked:

Various reasons related to fire doors not working as designed.

Reply to
Roland Perry

nothing is foolproof ...

Reply to
Jim GM4DHJ ...

and if you have to pass the kitchen door escaping from a bedroom the kitchen would require an SCFD as well ........

Reply to
Jim GM4DHJ ...

when vetting a block of flats you consider the flat layout based on number of fire escapes....then you consider the storey layout and position of the protected zones of stair enclosures, fire lobby's etc then you make sure the position of the dry riser is correct ......

Reply to
Jim GM4DHJ ...

In message , at 07:59:08 on Fri, 23 Jun

2017, Jim GM4DHJ ... remarked:

In the Grenfell Tower, the bedroom doors are opposite the front door, and the kitchen/diner[1] is down a corridor, with its own door (no information on closers for it, but if people could reportedly stick their head into the flat and see the kitchen on fire, maybe not).

[1] That's a change from the pre-refurbishment plans in circulation, which show a living room plus a separate galley kitchen.
Reply to
Roland Perry

That's what the new fire wardens are for, making sure the doors aren't propped open or the closers disconnected or not working.

Why any of these things would happen I will leave to Dave.

Reply to
dennis

The doors are wedged open the closers are removed the doors are removed the checks are removed or intumescent strips are removed ....

Reply to
Jim GM4DHJ ...

It won't be long before the fire wardens get abused for trying to ensure the doors aren't propped open.

Reply to
Richard

well then the design must have the escape route away from the kitchen area with a fire door on the living room into the private lobby then ....

Reply to
Jim GM4DHJ ...

It will contribute to the available fuel load if there is enough hot flame played on it but it doesn't continue to burn on its own. It may well have been in a strong updraft of hot air too which will make the surface char burn away hotter and quicker. There was plenty of unburnt surface charred Celotex on the building and on the ground afterwards.

Reply to
Martin Brown

Do you know which? I had some new windows put in recently - not exactly major I know, but it is a conservation area, and did involve a bay. The firm self-certified (I think that's the phrase they used) as a council approved contractor.

Reply to
RJH

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.