high-rise building fires News

Fire Fears After UK’s Grenfell Disaster Set Back Wood Building, With Insurance as Factor

To get fire department approval for their six-story London office project made of strong engineered wood known as mass timber, Theo Michell and Richard Walker had to build a full-scale section of it in the UK, ship it to Poland …

UK Builders Face Ban Unless They Commit to Repairing Unsafe Cladding

Eleven property developers could be barred from the industry unless they sign a UK government contract to repair unsafe cladding on apartment blocks, according to Michael Gove, the secretary of state for housing. While 39 firms signed the commitment by …

Britain Proposes Reforms for Insuring Apartment Blocks After Deadly Grenfell Tower Fire

Britain’s financial watchdog has proposed reforming how apartment blocks are insured after the deaths of 72 people in the Grenfell Tower fire in London led to rocketing premiums on policies. The Financial Conduct Authority said on Wednesday that since the …

UK Government’s Safety Plan for High-Rise Buildings Could Push Away Investors: Aviva

Aviva Plc, the UK insurer and asset manager, warned the government that new safety proposals for high-rise apartment blocks could steer institutional investors away from the residential property market. The company last year urged the government to consider how its …

Deadly London Tower Fire Sparks Development in U.S. of Safety Evaluation Tool

Six months after flames engulfed a London high-rise and sparked concerns about similarly-clad buildings around the world, a U.S.-based fire prevention group has developed a tool aimed at making buildings safer. The National Association of State Fire Marshals’ research foundation …

Fire Risk Lower in High-Rise Buildings: Report

Fires in high-rise buildings cause about $230 million in property damage and take more than 50 lives a year. But high-rise buildings tend to present a lower risk of fire and associated losses than lower-rise building, according to a report …