In a dramatic turn of events, a towering inferno erupted at a high-rise block of flats on Rosenthal Road in Catford, south-east London. The fire, which began shortly before 1 p.m. BST, quickly captured the attention of the local community and emergency services, leading to a significant response from the London Fire Brigade (LFB).
A Rapid Response
At approximately 12:51 p.m., the LFB dispatched around 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines to the scene after receiving over 50 emergency calls. The blaze, which initially appeared to engulf the ninth and tenth floors of the tower block, was described by witnesses as “massive,” with flames visible from multiple windows.
By 2:15 p.m., the LFB reported that the fire had been brought under control, and all residents had been safely evacuated with no injuries reported. Despite the swift response, the damage to the building was substantial. Pictures from the scene show the upper floors of the tower block with blackened windows and severe damage to several apartments.
Eyewitness Accounts
Local residents and passersby described a harrowing scene as the fire raged. Staff at the nearby Catford Food Centre, who preferred to remain anonymous, recounted the intense situation. “The flames were massive,” one staff member said. “Everyone was on the road watching and taking videos. It was a big apartment block and old.”
An anonymous resident, who watched from the street below, described the chaos as they tried to alert those inside. “Someone was waving from a window on one of the upper floors and we were all shouting, ‘there’s a fire, a fire.’ It was mad. It was crazy.”
Firefighters and Emergency Services
Fire crews from various stations, including Forest Hill, Greenwich, Deptford, and Lee Green, converged on the scene to tackle the blaze. The scale of the response underscored the severity of the fire and the importance of coordinated emergency efforts in such situations.
In the aftermath, both sides of the street remained lined with fire engines, and local residents gathered to witness the scene, grappling with the reality of what had occurred. Rushey Green was closed between Rosenthal Road and Honley Road as emergency services worked to secure the area and assess the situation.
The Grenfell Tower Tragedy: A Stark Reminder
The incident on Rosenthal Road comes against the backdrop of the recent publication of the final report from the six-year public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire of 2017. The Grenfell fire, which claimed 72 lives, was a stark reminder of the critical need for stringent fire safety regulations.
The report, which spans 1,700 pages, details a “path to disaster” that began as early as the 1990s. It criticizes successive governments for ignoring or delaying safety concerns, and highlights how manufacturers of cladding and insulation products concealed the risks associated with their products. The inquiry found the management of building safety in England and Wales to be “seriously defective” and “fragmented.”
Key findings from the report include
– Systematic dishonesty by cladding manufacturers, notably Arconic, which concealed the dangers of its Reynobond 55 cladding.
– Failures in the London Fire Brigade’s training and evacuation strategies.
– Missed opportunities by successive governments to address safety issues.
– Indifference from local councils and tenant management organizations towards fire safety.
The report has led to calls for significant reforms, including the establishment of a single construction regulator, improved firefighter training, and revised material testing standards. Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the inquiry chair, noted that while all involved parties contributed to the disaster, the primary causes were “incompetence,” with elements of “dishonesty and greed.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have both issued apologies on behalf of the state, acknowledging the failure to protect those affected and pledging to support the ongoing efforts to address the issues highlighted by the inquiry.
Looking Ahead
As the investigation into the Rosenthal Road fire continues, the community of Catford, along with emergency services, must grapple with the aftermath of today’s events. The parallels with Grenfell Tower serve as a sobering reminder of the critical importance of fire safety and the need for robust measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
