today on my way home from visiting OH sick Dad, we could smell this srtong burning plastic smell it was really bad i even pulled the car over worried it was something under my bonet well it wasn't it was worse this happened 10 minutes walking distance from my house what a dreadfully sad thing i feel sick RIP sweet little ones ,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1197378/Six-dead-including-children-30-rescued-flat-block-blaze.html

how very awful and very sad, r.i.p x x x

What a terrible thing to happen.No words can express how I feel for those poor people.God bless them.x

It brought tears to my eyes........having just experienced a 'close shave' here it certainly brought home how lucky we were.
Fire alarms, smoke alarms, fire doors. whatever it is please EVERYONE on this board, make certain you have them.

Karen :(

thats so sad :(

Apparently the large block of flates only had one stairewll??? If that is true then it is a disgrace and was an accident waiting to happen :-(

One stairwell!?How could they get away with it.It makes me feel so frustrated to hear about things like this.It's so wrong to make big blocks of flats with no escape routes.It's so awful for those poor people.

My cousin was on a day out when she drove 'past' it!  Terrible.........God bless those poor people and babies!

Why is it if you had a loft extention the Council planning office make you have a fire escape, when in THERE buildings, where a great many people live, they do-not!!! Why! do the council have a law for them and one for us?
NOW, look what has happened.
The suffering those poor poor children must have experienced. They have other Council blocks the same. Lets see what rubish excuses they make for not moving people out off them.
The council make a lot of money with all the flat rents, on a small amount of land. At least make them safe.
It makes me very angry.
Who will be held responsible? the people the rent is paid to? It should be, NO excuses!
God bless the poor familys that have losted there children and loved one's.
The council knew these flats were unsafe, as they make the rules!!

Denese 

yes its true only one stairwell in the middle but this by no way Unusual of these type of blocks built in the 60's and in fact there are a lot of much older blocks around here that also have one stairwell  ,
we went and layed some flowers at the scene today and my young son took one of his teddy bears,
the council were on the news today saying they spent 3 million doing the block up surely for that amount they could have ripped them down and rebuilt better housing,
but then southwark do very stupid things they pulled down half the north peckham estate only to rebuild it with more runs and alleys then the last block ,

It is annoying, as the people that make these decisions, usally do not live in the area, and in 1/2 million pound homes, at least.
The Councils pull a very large amount of rents and rates off these type of properties. They should have at least made them safe.
The Local Councilors very rarley have any pull. But!! I do beleve in making some one, take responsiblity for there actions.

Denese

> The Councils pull a very large amount of rents and rates off these type of properties.

You're so right.If it was a private landlord the council would not have allowed it.Why should they get away with this.It's crass of them to say they've just spent 3 million doing them up.It sounds as if they're saying that a coat of paint and a bit more secutity on the entrances should be enough to make the tenants happy.No mention of the money theydidn't spend on making sure fire couldn't spread and people could get out safely.No doubt nothing will change,and they will be hoping if they drag their feet people will forget about it.They must not be allowed to brush this under the carpet.

I agree, they could have at least put water sprinklers on all the stair ways. If the tenants allow it to drop, it could happen again. The poor man why lost all his family, a three week old baby, what price could be put on there lives. Heart breaking.

Denese

on arriving to school this morning with my 11 year old son the teachers were at the gates handing out letters , as i took one i said whats this more about the swine flu,
then was told the sad news that the 2 children who died in the fire at this tower block were actually from my sons school,
its been sad enough knowing what happened and now it seems to have just brought it closer to home knowing they were in school with my son,

the letter tells us that thoughtout the day they will be speaking to all of the classes individually and give support to both adults and children where needed,
and that a memorial service for the family will be held at a later date,

their were lots of tears this morning as you can imagine some children broke down and had to go home i cant Describe to you all how  incredibly distressing it was to see,
I myself couldn't hold back my tears and even the teachers were having trouble trying to deal with the endless questions from pupils as to why this awful tragedy happened,

i had to spend a while with my son as he was incredibly upset he is a very sensative boy with a fear of dying himself so was vary hard to explain to him how something like this happens ,

what sickens me to the pit of my stomach was that press turned up and started taking photos of the upset and were trying to ask parents and teachers what they thought, police came to try to move them on and even they said that the press have been  incredibly insensitive regarding the whole matter and had behaved  like vulture's on the day of the fire they turned up at the unit where the people had been evacuated to and were trying to get a story out of everyone and anyone we passed the flats on the way home and their were still a lot of press outside the block and a news van,  it to me is all to much really it is

For young children to have to think about their little friends in this way is tragic.I know bad things happen everywhere,but as you said Chealzeagirl,when it's near home it goes deep,and affects you more than hearing about a tragedy far away,even though those things are deserving of tears and heartbreak.My thoughts are very much with that poor dad who lost his wife and little ones,and the man whse wife and baby died-their lives will never be the same.

chelzeagirl,
When it is near to home it hits you like a brick, others do not understand. The press are very insensitive, unfortunatly you have to us them to your advantage. Imagine the fear of other children that live in the other blocks.
It is usally the press the council/goverment fear. It can be them that pressures to get somthing down asap.
Always try to stay positive, I know it is hard sometimes!

Denese

please help me i need ideas on how to raise money for Rafael Cervi the father who lost his wife Dayana, son and Daughter Thais and Felipe, in the fire at Camberwell tower block, http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2516516/Man-loses-family-in-Camberwell-flat-fire.html
the school has started a fund for him as his wishes are to take his family back to his home land Brazil to be buried ,
i put in a £50 donation today £20 being from my oldest son ,
and we are sorting out our stuff today and tomorrow to be able to do a boot sale on Sunday and what ever we get will be given to the school,
i wanted some help on what else i could do to raise money so this man who has lost everything can have his final wish for his family ,
my area if full of mostly low income working class familys and im not sure if the school alone will receive enough from just us parents ,
i was thinking of email Captin crunch from the news of the world paper for a donation,
(of course to be fowarded to the school not myself) but other than that and my boot sale im  not sure what else any ideas please??

A large car boot sale at the school would help locals also the appeal. Speak to the local radio station, they could ask people to donate unwanted items to the school to sell, or for a raffle.

Denese