CHESHIRE Fire and Rescue Service is continuing to provide reassurance to residents of high rise accommodation in Warrington and across the county following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London.
Firefighters and prevention and protection officers are also working with hospital trusts to ensure their buildings are fire safe.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Service’s Protection team has contacted all Cheshire high rise housing providers to ask for details of any cladding material used on a tower block.
Fire crews and Prevention officers are revisiting each of the 21 high rise properties across Cheshire to offer advice and support to occupiers and are offering home safety assessments in each flat. Fire officers are also working with housing providers and attending residents’ meetings arranged by them to answer specific questions relating to fire safety.
The Service’s head of Protection, Area Manager Simon Gibbins, said: “I would like to reassure everyone that Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has been working tirelesslyto ensure the safety of our communities under the powers we have following the unprecedented fire in London on 14 June.
“Firefighters have visited every residential high rise property across Cheshire to provide reassurance to residents and to carry out site specific risk inspections (SSRIs). These are done so that firefighters are aware of building layouts and whether there are any particular hazards they may encounter if there was a fire in the building.
“Crews have also visited all the main hospital sites to identify clad buildings and update their SSRI documents. Fire protection officers are working with the hospital trusts following the Grenfell fire.”
Warrington has only two residential high rise blocks – Kingsway House and Peninsula House. Neither has exterior cladding.
