Waking Watch including Fire Fighters/Officers

An emergency situation had occurred following a Fire Risk Assessment at the Union Park Estate and the London Fire Brigade (LFB) had reacted accordingly to the intolerable risks and risk to life by initiating required emergency measures.

The estate is made up of 9 blocks of flats containing 250 properties with 13 properties being leased by the Council with the remainder being Private Sector Housing.

Failure to take urgent action and implementing a 24/7 Waking Watch including Fire Marshalls and specialist Fire Fighters/Officers, a prohibition notice could have been issued by the LFB on the managing agents and responsible officers which could have meant the immediate decanting of 250 plus families all at the cost to the Local Authority.