Responding to the blaze in a block of flats at De Pass Gardens in Barking, East London, Labour’s London Assembly Fire and Resilience Spokesperson, Andrew Dismore AM, said:
"This serious fire in Barking shows how terribly easy it is for a blaze to start and spread. While we are all incredibly thankful no one was seriously hurt, many residents have had their homes destroyed and gone through great trauma.
"The speed and destructiveness of fires like this demonstrate just how important is that the Government and building owners act quickly to deal with flammable cladding and materials – particularly because we know that 15,200 homes in London are in buildings with Grenfell-style aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding.
"The firefighters of LFB have yet again shown their professionalism and dedication tackling this fire and ensuring the human cost was not worse".
Notes to editors
- Andrew Dismore AM is the London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden