The Guardian’s architecture correspondent calls for an urgent national audit of blocks of council homes in the aftermath of the Lakanal House blaze on Sceaux Gardens estate, in Camberwell, south-east London.
Six 11th-floor residents died including two children and a three week-old baby.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but most people believe the design of the building was a contributory factor because there was only one way in or out, through the central staircase.
The writer says Lakanal House is no more unsafe than many other housing blocks of its type which has caused a public outcry.
He says for all the talk about urban regeneration over the last decade, council estates are still low in the residential pecking order and many estates are degrading places in which to live.
He says we can expect more fatal fires in future if Lakanal House is typical.
The correspondent says weaknesses in such buildings should be investigated and they should be equipped with secondary fire estates.
He asks how many Lakanal Houses must there be “before we decide to civilise mass housing”.
10/07/09 Guardian 32
