Friday, March 29, 2024

Timer

Could a deadly high-rise fire, like the one in London, happen here?

First Published:

More than a million people live in high-rise buildings in the GTHA, so we asked local experts if the deadly London high rise fire could happen here.

Residents who escaped the fire in London described seeing pieces of the exterior fall off as the flames rapidly swept toward the roof.

“From a fire safety perspective, it’s a conflagration that typically should not happen.” Ishwar Puri, McMaster Dean of Engineering.

Officials have yet to determine the cause of the fire. Some observers have been pointing at renovations done last year, when the building was covered with an aluminium composite cladding. Any gap between the cladding and the building can cause a chimney effect.

The same type of cladding has been blamed for other rapidly-spreading high rise fires around the world, like Dubai.

“If the fire did occur in the cladding, or outside the building then the protocols, fire doors, fire separation devices, could not have stopped the fire from going up.”

Hamilton’s chief building official says no one on his team is aware of aluminium composite cladding being used locally, nor had fire officials heard of its use.

More Top News

With budget mostly silent on climate change, critics say Ontario lacks plan to adapt

The Ontario budget's failure to directly address climate change represents a "gross abdication of responsibility" by the government, some critics argue, saying the province...

County Council approves emergency funding for gender-based violence organizations

County of Brant Council approved a one-time allotment of $266,177 to be split between Intimate Partner and Gender-based Violence organizations during their regular Council...

Police searching for missing 78-year-old last seen in Burlington

Hamilton police are turning to the public for help finding a missing 78-year-old man. Ronald Mitton was last seen in Burlington near Harvester Road and...

Masked man who robbed Beamsville dispensary at gun point at large

Authorities are on the hunt for a man who robbed a cannabis dispensary at gunpoint in Beamsville. Authorities say they were called out to the...

Pioneering soccer star helped build foundation for future generations

Lydia Vamos excelled at every level she played at and established herself as one of the early Canadian soccer stars to lay the foundations...

Apartment fire in Hamilton captured on video

An apartment fire in Hamilton was caught on video and shared to social media yesterday. No one was injured but the fire department says that...

County Council approves emergency funding for gender-based violence organizations

County of Brant Council approved a one-time allotment of $266,177 to be split between Intimate Partner and Gender-based Violence organizations during their regular Council...