Sprinklers at only four per cent of capital’s high rise blocks

An investigation by the Labour Party has found that just four per cent of London’s high rise council housing blocks have sprinklers installed, 18 months after the Grenfell Tower fire.

The findings of the research compiled by Shadow Housing Minister Sarah Jones contradicts Prime Minister Theresa May’s pledge to ‘do whatever it takes to keep our people safe’, revealing that not one single council request for support has been accepted by the government.

With over 800 high rise council blocks across London not having sprinklers installed, the opposition party has therefore called for a Government Fire Safety Fund, renewing calls for the retrofitting of sprinklers in tall blocks made by the National Fire Chiefs Council and London Fire Brigade Commissioner.

Jones said: “Councils and social housing tenants have been betrayed by this Government who promised to do whatever it took after Grenfell to make tower blocks safe, and has since backtracked. It’s simply contradictory for Ministers to say that sprinklers aren’t essential in older buildings while requiring them for new buildings. It creates a two-tier system which disproportionately impacts social housing tenants. Why should certain people be entitled to safer housing than others?

“Sprinklers are just one part of the fire safety mix, but they are proven to work. That’s why Labour is calling for a Government Fire Safety Fund to help councils with sprinklers and other important fire safety work.”