I can't recall seeing a building fire rage like what happened there at Grenfell Tower in London last evening. I'm a fan of the movie "The Towering Inferno" but this blaze made that fake blaze in the film look like a cakewalk. It was just a horrifying sight and to think of the people who were trapped in that building is sickening and horrifying. Those people asleep on the upper floors likely had no chance at all. And, from what I read, people who got out say the fire alarms did not even go off. I just hope most of them got out. It's scary to think how many may have actually died but they have only put the number at six fatalities so far. My thoughts and prayers go out to those people.
I just heard about this today. Super sad especially the reports of building dwellers calling their relatives saying their goodbyes knowing they are going to die.
In one of the most affluent boroughs, no less. There is a thing in London where they try to mix affordable living with the wealthy, sometimes even in the same complex. This was a "lower class" housing in the middle of fancy town that was just refurbished but even still was never really safe and the borough knew it. Nobody cared, though, because they have to cater to the rich people instead. The rich people who are constantly trying to get the affordable housing out of their area.
I don't understand how they were telling people to stay put in their flats and put a towel under the door. That's basically condemning them to death for sure. Terrible advice. They are probably dead either way but I wonder how early in the fire they were telling people this? Some may have had a chance. Staying put means no chance.
I've sat through a safety orientation for an office complex I won't name who has a similar policy. I can't remember which, but they either tell you to stay in the building if the fire's not on your floor or if it's not on an adjacent floor as they expect the fire barriers between the floors to take hours to burn through. My basic thoughts though were "Fat chance, I'm out of here if I find out there's a fire in the building."
