Lessons for New Zealand after devastating London tower fire tragedy

The death toll from the blaze which engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in West London could yet climb over 100. Photo / AP

The Auckland Fire Service has offered up some key safety tips for people who live or work in multi-storey buildings in light of the Grenfell Tower disaster in London.

A blaze ripped through the 24-storey tower in West London, killing at least 12 people in what has been called a "disaster waiting to happen" by experts. Hundreds of the roughly 500 residents in the block were unaccounted for. Some estimated that the death toll could rise above 100.

The Auckland City Fire Area posted tips to their Facebook page accompanied by a photo of the Grenfell Tower fire, saying their "thoughts are with those involved in the tragedy and with our colleagues of the London Fire Brigade".

Do you live or work in a multi storied building? Do you know what to do if there is a fire? If you own or manage a multi...

Posted by Auckland City Fire Area on Wednesday, 14 June 2017

Some of the tips mentioned include knowing your way out of the building, treating all fire alarms as real and evacuating immediately, not storing rubbish or goods in escape routes, leaving fire stop doors unlocked, and placing a wet blanket or towel under a closed door if you are trapped and calling 111 immediately.

The Fire Service post said building owners must display evacuation procedures within a building, and they must have an approved evacuation scheme for the building, including carrying out trial evacuations regularly.

Fire hazards should be reported to building managers, if they fail to act then the Fire Service should be notified.

Meanwhile Auckland Council will be looking to learn lessons from the tragedy that has unfolded in London.

Auckland Council building control general manager Ian McCormick said most of the information they currently have on the fire has come through the media as it is "early days", but they are in contact with colleagues on the ground in London.

"Absolutely we will be [talking to people in London]," he said.

"We're already talking to MBIE. When these sort of tragic events happen we will have a major review."

He said it was hard to be specific on what could change here as a result of the tragedy, but the New Zealand and United Kingdom fire codes were "quite similar".

In the Daily Mail, a woman who worked as a property manager for Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council said the fire could have been avoided if it wasn't for the use of "cut-price cladding" when the building was refurbished in 2016.

McCormick said the same type of aluminium composite cladding was used in New Zealand, although it wasn't common.

"There's many different types and many different manufacturers. None of these types of claddings are fire-proof.

"It's one component in isolation."