Fire wardens being introduced at Bristol Council tower blocks
It comes after two serious fires since September 25
Last updated 9th Nov 2022
Fire wardens are being brought in, to patrol tower blocks run by Bristol City Council, 24 hours a day, after it emerged dangerous cladding was a factor in the spread of a fire last month.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Cladding played a part in the spread of the flames at Ecclestone House in October, with the Council saying they're working on a scheme to remove the cladding on all relevant buildings in the city, but it could take 8 to 10 years to complete.
Council officials made the announcement this afternoon (November 8), saying the decision comes in response to "fire safety information from the Fire Service" and "extensive surveys".
It comes just weeks after two serious fires at council run apartment blocks in Bristol, one at Twinnell House in Easton and the other at Ecclestone House in Barton Hill, the first of which killed a man.
Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes said: “While I understand this could be a concern for high-rise residents, I want to reassure them that these measures are precautionary only.
"They show an abundance of caution on our part as I want to be confident that our blocks are safe."
Confusingly, a press release put out by the council announcing the need for new waking watches, does not mention that dangerous cladding played a part in the fire at Ecclestone House.
Instead, that fact is only included in a blog written by Councillor Renhard on the Bristol Mayor's website, which also appears to contradict the council's press release as to when the new fire wardens will be introduced.
The press release suggests the wardens will begin work in the coming months, while Councillor Renhard's blog says they will begin work this week.
"I’ve also written to National government to request that they step up their level of support for local authorities across the UK, and not just in Bristol, as similar fire safety patrols may need to be implemented in other parts of the UK too.," Councillor Renhard says in the press release.
Work is already either ongoing or planned at several tower blocks in the city to remove old cladding, a decision which was made after the Grenfell Tower disaster in London in 2017.
"While works have already been underway for some time to remove older cladding from some buildings this work will now be accelerated so that a longer-lasting cladding that requires less-maintenance can be retro-fitted, to about two-thirds of the council’s blocks," the council statement reads.
"While the works are carried out the 24/7 fire safety patrols by fully trained fire wardens, sometimes known as a waking watch, will help keep the buildings safe.
"We will be communicating with all affected tenants with fire safety evacuation changes and intend to follow this up with a letter explaining the changes.
"We will also be communicating with all residents of high-rise blocks, as we did after the Twinnell House fire, regardless of type of cladding used, to remind them of the fire safety guidance for their block."
The first of the recent fires, at Twinnell House, broke out on the top floor of the block in the early hours of Sunday 25 September.
A man died when trying to escape the flames by climbing out of a window and we later heard the blaze started when an e-bike on charge malfuntioned.
In the immediate aftermath many residents on the floors below expressed serious fears around the building's safety, saying they had not heard alarms go off, but the Fire Service later confirmed that was normal, as such buildings to do not have communal alarms.
Less than a month later, in the early hours of Thursday 20 October, six people were injured in the fire at Ecclestone House in Barton Hill.
That reportedly started on the first floor but spread around the building via scaffolding on the outside.
A man was later arrested and charged with arson.
We have asked Bristol City Council for an interview regarding the warden news.