Camden tower block evacuated over cladding concerns

'The Grenfell fire changes everything – we need to do everything we can to keep residents safe.'

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Camden Council has evacuated one of its tower blocks following an inspection by the London Fire Brigade which found it had similar cladding to that used on Grenfell Tower.

Residents from 800 households in the Taplow Block on the Chalcots Estate will be taken to a rest centre in Swiss Cottage, a council spokesman said.

Its leader Georgia Gould said the council said that a joint fire inspection was carried out by the London Fire Brigade and council technical experts, after she met with concerned residents at the Taplow Block with the council's chief executive.

"What we found was that while the insulation was safe, the external cladding was not up to the standard that we wanted and was not a fire retardant," she said. "Obviously this was very disappointing."

"Together we decided that the Taplow block needs to be temporarily decanted while we undertake urgent fire safety works so that residents can be fully assured of their safety," she said. "This means that we need to move residents from their homes and into temporary accommodation."

Ms Gould did not say where the residents would move or how many people lived in the block, but she said that she thought the work to make it safe would take three or four weeks.

"We realise that this is hugely distressing for everyone affected and we will be doing all we can, alongside the London Fire Brigade and other authorities, to support our residents at this difficult time.

"The Grenfell fire changes everything – we need to do everything we can to keep residents safe."

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