Neutron Tower fire: One dead, 50 homeless after blaze

A fire in Neutron Tower, Poplar, on Saturday morning resulted in one fatality and left over 50 residents temporarily homeless. The blaze, which broke out shortly after 04:30 BST, is under investigation by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) and the Metropolitan Police.

Concerns about the building's safety have been raised by residents who returned to their homes on Friday evening following a major water leak. The leak, caused by a burst pipe in the roof, led to extensive flooding throughout the 22-storey building. Residents were advised by the LFB to return to their flats once the water was pumped out.

Concerns over safety protocols

Several residents have voiced fears that the earlier water leak may have caused an electrical fault that led to the fire. Lou, a resident, told BBC London that she found it problematic that electricity remained on in individual flats while communal areas had been affected by the flood. She stated, "I feel that there should have been a thorough assessment by professionals and they should have determined whether it was safe for us to return or not and I don't believe that happened." She added, "We were just basically allowed to go back into a building that was severely water damaged in certain areas and unfortunately just a few hours after that a fire happened so I don't believe that they are linked."

Shabana, who has lived on the sixth floor for 11 years, described the situation as clearly unsafe. "We shouldn't have been allowed to go back in the first place," she said. During the evacuation, she reported that the communal areas were dark and wet, with no emergency lighting functioning. Ayaz Rahman, a resident on the seventh floor, had to carry his disabled wife down the stairs in the dark. He stated, "There was no fire alarm, that's the most devastating thing."

Multiple residents reported that neither the fire alarms nor the emergency lighting activated during the incident, forcing them to navigate the building in darkness using phone torches. Hala, from the second floor, also reported hearing an explosion around 04:20 BST before hearing screams, with no alarm sounding.

Official investigations underway

The LFB deployed 10 fire engines and 70 firefighters to tackle the blaze, bringing it under control within two hours. Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne of the LFB acknowledged the residents' concerns. "We are aware of concerns raised by residents regarding fire safety within the building," he said. "These matters form part of the ongoing investigations and will be subject to a detailed examination." He declined to comment further on specific allegations until investigators had established the full facts.

First Port, the building's management company, expressed its condolences. "We are deeply saddened by the death of a man at Neutron Tower, and our thoughts are with his family, and everyone affected by this incident," a spokesperson stated. "The circumstances surrounding the fire are currently subject to active investigations. It would not be appropriate for us to speculate on, nor comment on, specific matters that may form part of those investigations."