At around 2pm the Emergency Services were called to a fire which had broken out on the 16th floor of the Tower Block of Flats.

 

Crews from Garston Watford St Albans and Kings Langley attended Garsmouth Way Garston to report of fire in high rise building.

 

Four Fire engines, several police cars and local community police.

 

A large crowd of locals gathered who had been alerted to noise of the loud wailing sirens attending to Abbey View.

 

The flat was occupied by ex-caretaker of the hi-rises and his wife (who suffers from dementia but is currently away). He reported the fire, exited and closed fire door.

 

One woman saw the fire was concerned for her granddaughter who lived on the 7th floor, she sent a text to see if she was ok. Luckily she had already left the building and was outside.

 

"the fire seemed under control quite quickly and she was allowed back in", but her granddaughter was a bit worried about going back in.

 

Fire crew said "no one has been injured" and then proceeded to check that residents "Smoke Alarms" were working, as it seems the one in the flat that caught on fire did not go off.

 

 

One man said the fire crew were about to evacuate the floor but it was already contained, concerns about poisonous fumes but it checked out ok and residents could stay put it they wanted.

 

Two residents said there was a plan to fit cladding with a budget behind it was mentioned a couple of years ago, but it did not go ahead and he did not know why.

 

An elderly resident went to check with the caretaker John, but he was not in.

 

A female resident said they had recently received a letter from the Housing Association which said the building did not have the same type of flammable cladding that had been used at the Grenfell Tower in London.

 

She said a fireman had came to check her smoke alarm, but there had been no other recent checks, and she has been there a resident for eleven years.

 

Though they feel safer than the London blocks.

 

At around 4pm the Landlord "Watford Community Housing" officers turned up.

 

She could not comment but said their will be a reply on Monday.

WCHT is attending a meeting being held by Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service at the Meriden Community Centre on 6th July at 7pm.

Everyone will be welcome to attend, and the meeting will cover fire safety tips and information relating to the high- and low-rise buildings on the Meriden.

Trust staff will be in attendance to answer any questions you may have.

 

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill has asked for confirmation that visits to the high-rise blocks have taken place since the Grenfell Tower fire!!, whether sprinkler systems are installed or would be in the future.

 

 

Fire officers were seen telling residents to check there smoke alarms regularly, at least one a week. He told us all the flats had the "hard wired" smoke alarms.

 

If you have a fire or see smoke in your flat:

• leave the room where the fire is straight away, and then close the door
• tell everyone in your home and get them to leave
• close the front door of your flat behind you
• don't stay behind to put the fire out
• always use the stairs, not the lift
• call the fire service and wait outside, well away from the building.