Call on the government to act after a terrible fire in Leeds apartments affected by the siding and fire safety scandal Yorkshire News

A fire in an apartment block in Leeds city center last night saw terrified residents evacuated from a building affected by the siding and fire safety scandal and on the “fuel and at risk list”.

Firefighters rushed to the scene and managed to put out the fire in the Blue apartment block on Little Neville Street near Granary Wharf. It is believed that it began on a wooden balcony. Since the Grenfell fire tragedy highlighted fire safety issues in apartment buildings, balconies are classified as “flammable.”

A resident of a neighboring apartment who was affected by the smoke and water used to put out the fire said: “My apartment almost caught fire with me in it. Another resident told me that she only knew there was a fire because someone in the opposite building he started yelling and pointing and that’s when he triggered the alarm. “

He added: “I am a normal hardworking person and the coatings scandal could bankrupt me and hit the streets or burn me alive.”

Abi Tubis, spokesperson for the Leeds Cladding Scandal campaign group, says: “This is another example of why the government must act quickly to remediate and repair all these buildings.”

Abi, who lives in the St George building in Leeds, which is also at risk due to flammable siding, inadequate firebreaks, wooden balconies and other fire safety issues, adds: “Firefighters moved very fast in Blue last night and they did a great job but, along with most of the other buildings affected by this scandal, there are many other fire safety flaws there.

“There was a fire on a balcony in an affected block in London last month so this is not an isolated incident. I hope the government sees this latest incident as a revelation and that they speed things up and agree to fund all the defects of fire safety that exists in these apartment blocks. It’s not just about siding. “

While the government has agreed to fund the removal and reinstallation of flammable siding in some but not all apartment blocks, it is not funding the repair of many other fire safety problems, such as wooden balconies and a lack of fire breaks. Activists want to see a developer tax to help fund the repair of all security problems in all affected apartment blocks.