As suspected the use of combustible cladding that the residents of Grenfell Tower paid a heavy price for is widespread across Britain's social housings sector, not a dozen suspected tower blocks, or even 100, but as many as 600 of Britain's 4000 Tower blocks could be primed to first gas (cyanide) and then incinerate their residents.

The cladding refurbishment craze that has swept Britain for the past decade, one of 30 to 50 year old social housing tower blocks, many of which that should have been demolished but instead were dolled up with cladding and insulation to reduce energy costs and to make them externally more appealing to both residents, visitors and most importantly nearby affluent areas as was the case with Grenfell Tower, a pocket of social housing in Kensington, probably the most affluent area of Britain with the same repeated across Britain's cities that leaves as many as 1/4 million people living in death traps.

Whilst the fast spread of the fire was shocking enough, the latest coming out of the investigation into the preventable disaster is that the burning of the cladding and insulation outside of each of the flats windows released enough cyanide gas to kill the flats occupants before the fire reached them! So many of the tower block residents were first gassed to death either in their flats or in attempts to leave the building and then incinerated! The clearly negligent installation of which surely will result in many criminal prosecutions of who signed off for such dangerous installations in Grenfell Tower and then again repeated in as many as 600 of Britain's tower blocks.

Grenfell tower has triggered city councils to in a panic start checking the materials used to refurbish and clad their own tower blocks. Sheffield has over 100 tower blocks across the city, many of which have recently been refurbished with exterior cladding of which 24 are under the direct control of the city council.

Sheffield's High RIse Ticking Time Bombs :

Sheffield city council announced on twitter that they will be installing sprinkler systems in all of their 24 tower blocks. Though it's a pity it took the deaths of over 100 people at Grenfell Tower in Kensington for SCC to do what they should have done many years ago, especially in the wake of the 2009 Lakanal House tower block fire. Also, no time table was given for when the installation of sprinklers will be completed. Is it tasked as a matter of urgency i.e. within a couple of months, or will the council put their feet up and take several years?

However as my recent video pointed out, this raises another issue, what about the other approx 100 Sheffield tower blocks? How many of those lack sprinkler systems?

And how many more Grenfell's until the local authorities arrive at the logical conclusion that most of the tower blocks built during the 1960's 70's need to be torn down and rebuilt rather than be clad with combustible cladding materials that the tower blocks were never designed to have attached to their exteriors.

By Nadeem Walayat

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk

Nadeem Walayat has over 25 years experience of trading derivatives, portfolio management and analysing the financial markets, including one of few who both anticipated and Beat the 1987 Crash. Nadeem's forward looking analysis focuses on UK inflation, economy, interest rates and housing market. He is the author of five ebook's in the The Inflation Mega-Trend and Stocks Stealth Bull Market series that can be downloaded for Free.

Nadeem is the Editor of The Market Oracle, a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication that presents in-depth analysis from over 1000 experienced analysts on a range of views of the probable direction of the financial markets, thus enabling our readers to arrive at an informed opinion on future market direction. http://www.marketoracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any trading losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors before engaging in any trading activities.

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