What was Grenfell Tower?
Grenfell tower, a 23 storey tower block in North Kensington, West London, was set ablaze, after a fire broke out on the third floor on the 14th of June 2017. It has been described as one of the worst disasters in modern UK history. Along with reshaping the social justice and political landscape, the Grenfell Tower fire has redefined the entire world of fire safety in the UK.
How did this tragedy change passive fire safety?
In the early hours of the 14th of June 2017, a freezer fridge sparked a fire, which spread to the outside cladding of the building. This cladding was composed of aluminum sheets combined with a polyethylene core. This polyethylene material releases huge amounts of energy when combusted and drops and flows when exposed to high temperatures. Inconclusive reports suggest that the vertical cavities behind the cladding aided the fire in spreading to such a degree.
Other issues like improper planning, a lack of regulation enforcement, and ignored warning signs also contributed to the horrific event. The lack of proper passive fire safety protection led to the tragic loss of 72 people’s lives. Following the fire was a large public outcry that touched on a range of systemic issues, from racism to fire safety regulations.
Lessons learned and how passive fire protection can help prevent another tragedy from happening.
In future events when the adequate passive fire applications were installed and built into the building, the fire would not have spread to such an extent in that short amount of time. Intumescent paint on the exterior of the building, fire doors, fire collars, fire rated cladding, and other services could have prevented the fire from even escaping the kitchen on the third floor. Fires can be extremely dangerous events, but the precautions taken prior to an event can determine how many people lose their lives and the amount of damage caused.
