A major fire at a Travelodge in Brentford, London, today saw more than 100 firefighters respond.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said:
“This fire is yet another sign of this government’s utter failure to get to grips with our fire safety crisis. Two years on from Grenfell, there has still been no comprehensive programme testing building materials.
“The approach so far has been the agonisingly slow removal of one particular kind of cladding, but that barely scratches the surface.
“The Tory manifesto made no new policy proposals to tackle the fire safety crisis – just more of the same indifferent inaction. They have slashed the fire and rescue service and could not even bring themselves to mention it in their manifesto. Their record is nothing short of shameful.
“We need to bring together firefighters, government, tenants, and the fire safety industry to properly implement the Grenfell inquiry recommendations and get to grips with this crisis before we have another tragedy.
Media contact: Joe Karp-Sawey, FBU communications officer
joe.karpsawey@fbu.org.uk
Notes
The FBU recently called for a forum of all those needed to drive through sweeping changes to UK fire safety, writing to representatives from the government and shadow cabinet, the London Fire Brigade, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the Mayor of London, the Local Government Association, the first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, fire safety bodies and the Grenfell community. For more information, please see here: https://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2019/11/25/firefighters-call-forum-implement-grenfell-inquiry-recommendations
The FBU is the trade union representing the overwhelming majority of firefighters in the UK and serves as the professional voice of firefighters and the fire and rescue service. The union is a core participant in the ongoing Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
The FBU’s initial response to the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase one report is available here: https://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2019/10/30/fbu-response-grenfell-tower-inquiry-phase-1-report
The FBU launched its Grenfell: Never Again campaign on the second anniversary of the fire, with five demands:
1) the removal of all flammable cladding;
2) retrofitting sprinklers wherever a risk assessment deems necessary;
3) ensure a strong, democratic voice for tenants;
4) reverse the cuts to firefighter numbers and fire safety officers and;
5) create a new national body to oversee the fire and rescue service.
For more information, please see here: www.fbu.org.uk/grenfell-never-again