There is not a single fire sprinkler system in any former council high-rise block in Calderdale.
The revelation comes after London’s fire commissioner said sprinklers save lives and should be retrofitted to older blocks in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton said: “Sprinklers are the only fire safety system that detects a fire, suppresses a fire and raises the alarm.
“They save lives and protect property and they are especially important where there are vulnerable residents who would find it difficult to escape, like those with mobility problems.”
Meanwhile Together Housing, which owns and runs former council housing in Calderdale, has started work on removing cladding at three tower blocks in Mixenden that failed fire safety tests.
George Paterson, director of property services at Together Housing Group, said: “While our high rise blocks in Calderdale do not currently have sprinklers fitted, our comprehensive review of fire safety includes considering whether we will fit them in future.
“Our immediate priority has been to remove the cladding, but the safety and reassurance of our tenants remains central to our work and we will be keeping them informed about other considerations in due course.”
Halifax MP Holly Lynch said: “I would like to see us moving towards sprinkler systems in all high rise buildings, however, this will represent a significant cost which housing associations would not be able to meet.
Read more at Halifax Courier
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