Government fire inspection for flammable flats after Your Local Guardian expose

Government inspectors visited a tower block in Croydon covered in flammable cladding after the Local Guardian reported that its fire safety lift had been broken for around a year.

Canterbury House, Sydenham Road, is currently under ‘vigilance’, whereby it is constantly patrolled in the event of a fire.

Tenants told the local Guardian this week that the fire safety lift – used by firefighters in an emergency – is STILL not working.

We reported in late May that firefighters discovered it wasn’t working when they were called to the building twice.

Croydon Council and the government’s Joint Inspection Team (JIT) visited the block, a short walk from East Croydon railway station, on 26 and 27 June.

“The inspection is related to fire safety and in relation to the identification of combustible materials in the external wall system,” according to a letter handed to tenants.

“Croydon Council would like to see remedial work undertaken as soon as possible in relation to the combustible materials on the external walls.”

A spokesman for Croydon Council told this newspaper: “We regularly carry out inspections to ensure that private sector buildings in Croydon comply with government fire safety guidance and we work with fire experts and the London Fire Brigade, which advises on any improvements required.”

In May, we reported how the fire safety elevator was destroyed and the other elevator continued to fail.

Residents said the lifts at Canterbury House – which have flammable cladding and are subject to a wake-up call – have been unreliable and regularly breaking down for years. The London Fire Brigade monitors the building, as does Croydon Council (Image: Katrina Sejdija)

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Firefighters were called twice in nine days to rescue tenants stuck in the elevator.

It then broke down for nearly two weeks, leaving disabled residents either trapped inside or struggling up and down many flights of stairs.

A Croydon Council email, seen by Your Local Guardian, said in May that London Fire Brigade was “involved in the block for a number of reasons… The fire brigade requested work to the fire alarm, cladding and current evacuation strategy”.

Criterion Hospitality, which owns the block, did not respond to a request for comment on the inspection.

Croydon Council said it would keep residents informed of the outcome, but the inspection report would be drawn up by the government.

“We will be working with the London Fire Brigade, the building owners, the tenant and the management company to discuss the findings and any improvements where necessary,” the council added.