SOLIHULL Community Housing (SCH) manages 37 high-rise blocks across the borough – and has released a statement today to reassure its residents.
It said: “You will be aware of the tragic events that took place at a London high-rise. While the full reasons behind this dreadful incident have yet to be fully established, it is important that we remind you of our fire safety message.
“Thorough health and safety checks take place regularly at our high rise buildings. The fire service revisited all of our high rise buildings today and confirmed that all of our checks are fully up to date and in good order.
“There has been no change in our ‘Stay Put’ policy following events in London.”
The housing group added in the event of a fire residents should remain in the flats, unless advised otherwise by the emergency services or the fire is in their own flat.
In it’s statement it also said most UK high-rises do not have fire alarms as each flat is designed to contain a fire within its own walls.
The statement ended with a note to residents reassuring them that their personal well-being and safety is something the organisation treats with utmost importance.
Last month firefighters were sent to one of SCH’s residential blocks in Chelmsley Wood – but it is believed the fire was started by pallets belonging to contractors working on the roof.
The Observer contacted SCH to find out if it had received any fire-safety concerns from residents.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “In response to the fire at Grenfell Tower we have been quick to communicate with our own high rise residents offering information and reassurance.
“We had staff on the ground around all our high rises the morning after the London blaze, talking with residents, and responding to their questions and concerns.
“Each SCH high-rise home was visited last night with a letter of reassurance delivered along with a fire safety information flyer that can be displayed inside the property.”
SCH added it will use information from the London fire to review its fire-safety procedures alongside West Midlands Fire Service.
The organisation is also aware of concerns of building materials used for the residential blocks and said its external wall insulation is a completely different form to that used at Grenfell Tower.
It uses a fire retardant Rockwool and the cladding is fitted directly to the building and not on timber battens as used at Grenfell Tower.
