London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Barking and Dagenham Council has undertaken a fundraising page to help devastated families and “get them back on their feet” after a significant fire broke out across a tower block.
What Happened in the Dagenham Tower Block Fire?
Approximately 225 firefighters and 40 fire engines were called to contain a huge fire at the Spectrum Building on Freshwater Road in Dagenham. More than 80 citizens were evacuated from the six-storey facility and 20 residents were saved, with two people being taken to hospital.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has expressed all of the residents have now been accounted for, and an inquiry into the cause of the fire in partnership with the police has begun. Residents were taken to an emergency rest camp where they were helped by staff and visited by Darren Rodwell, director of Barking and Dagenham Council, ward councillors and Margaret Mullane, the area’s local MP.
How is Barking and Dagenham Council Assisting Affected Residents?
The council states it has delivered emergency accommodation to residents who are incapable of returning home and have nowhere to stay. A fundraiser has been established on GoFundMe by the council and has lifted £9,552 out of a £20,000 target at the time of writing, which the council states is to help families impacted by the fire.
The council reported on its fundraising page: “As you can imagine, it’s an extremely difficult time for the people who have lost everything, and while their possessions can never be replaced, this will hopefully help them get back on their feet in the coming weeks.
“We’re asking people not to come to the rest centre with items for donation at the moment because our staff are trying to support understandably distressed people. The best way you can help right now is by donating on this page. This is the official crowdfunding page, endorsed by Barking and Dagenham Council, to raise funds for those who have been affected.”
What Were the Building’s Fire Safety Issues?
A planning application from June 2023 indicates that “remedial work” had been authorised to remove non-law-abiding cladding on floors five and six of the building. The fire service expressed the building, which is not council-owned, had some “known” fire safety problems.
LFB’s commissioner Andy Roe expressed that the investigation is moving to be “difficult” as some of the buildings are currently dangerous to enter. Mr Roe stated: “Due to the extensive harm to the building, with parts of it now being declared dangerous to access, it is difficult to make an entry in there to do that investigation.”