Flats - should I stay or should I go?

[Tom Sutton]

The reason for my concern, check the bottom half of page 3 of the inquest of Catherine Hickman. http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/ec-inquisition-and-narrative-verdict-catherine-hickman.pdf

[Golden]

Can you elaborate your concern Tom? Many issues from Lakanal are well known and many of us have learnt from the experiences of both fire risk assessments, or lack of, at the property and from the issues with fire advice to occupiers. I'm not saying a similar incident will never happen again but it is extremely unlikely and in my opinion departing from stay put is foolish in the extreme - what are you actually suggesting?

[Tom Sutton]

My concerns is what I have been saying in the previous posts the term "Stay Put" can easily be misunderstood and if you read the paragraphs I indicated, I believe that is what happen there.

[Golden]

Yes there were issues with the stay put policy at Lakanal as well as a myriad of issues with poor building design, lack of knowledge of alternate fire escape routes, blocked escape routes, fire spread through badly repaired building works, alterations by residents affecting fire resistance, fire fighting, fire doors being left open, extreme weather conditions, etc. all of which contributed to the unfortunate deaths on the day - it would be grossly unfair to blame the 'stay put' policy alone as most people were safe in their flats up to the hour after the fire started. What would you suggest as an alternative?

[wee brian]

The question that comes up from Lakanal house is whether this unfortunate woman would have stayed in her flat if she hadn't have been told too. As I understand it her escape route was available even when flames were begining to penetrate through her windows.

Its an extreme case and the expereinces of all the blocks we've built since the 1960s suggest that the overarching strategy works.

[Tom Sutton]

Golden see nothing wrong with the concept of "Stay put if it is safe to do so" we have had it for more than fifty years and it has work fine. However in 2006 we had to label it and in my opinion emergency evacuation plan would have been better, but the terminology "Stay Put" was used and in my opinion can easily be misunderstood. This is why I used the inquest report to highlight that point, nothing to do with the rest of the problems at Lakanal House.