Electrical Safety First (ESF) has issued advice for consumers concerned about faulty appliances in light of the recent fire at Grenfell Tower in west London.
This move has been fuelled by the speculation that has arisen over the cause of the blaze, with recent reports in The Telegraph and Metro claiming that firefighters had tackled an initial blaze caused by a faulty fridge, and were leaving the building when it suddenly flared up again.
According to the BBC’s Panorama programme, shortly after dealing with the fridge fire last Wednesday, firefighters told residents that the fire had been put out.
These reports are yet to be confirmed by London Fire Brigade.
Panorama also made reference to a number of leaked letters that showed how ministers were repeatedly warned that fire regulations in high-rise buildings were putting people “at risk”.
There are estimated to be another 4,000 older tower blocks in the UK without automatic sprinkler protection, a leaked letter warned ministers.
In light of these events, ESF chief executive Phil Buckle has urged anyone concerned about the safety of an appliance to visit www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk for advice and information.
“On behalf of us all at Electrical Safety First, I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones in the fire – and to all those injured and made homeless, following this deeply disturbing incident,” Buckle said.
“There have been a number of reports to suggest that that a fridge may have caused the fire. While this remains unconfirmed, we understand that people – particularly those living in the 4,000 or so tower blocks in the country – might be worried about appliances in their home. We encourage anyone who is concerned about this to visit our website for advice on product registration and safe use of household appliances.”
- Image credit: Natalie_Oxford