Expert Warns Of Irish Housing Risks Following Grenfell Tower Inferno In London

An expert housing surveyor spoke on RTÉ's Morning Ireland this morning and stated his fears that many Irish buildings are at risk of a fire similar to that of the Grenfell Tower fire in London, which killed a confirmed 17 people this week as the death toll continues to rise rapidly.

Speaking on the show, Kevin Hollingsworth said: "The issues found are common in all of those 29 developments … non-compliance with fire safety, breaches in compartition of common areas, and there is widespread non-compliance with the approved fire safety certs."

Referencing one apartment block in particular he added: "When we took off the socket in one apartment, I could have pushed the socket into the adjoining property. Between apartments there is meant to be enough layers of plaster board to provide for one-hour fire resistance."

Dublin Social Democrats councillor Cian O’Callaghan also said that the blaze must serve as a “wake up call” for Irish fire safety authorities, as many buildings built during the boom fell short of safety regulations.

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