Safety fears after deadly fire at tower block
- 00:01:23
- ITN
Safety fears after deadly fire at tower block
Five of the six victims who died when a blaze ripped through a tower block have been named. The news came amid questions on whether escape routes and fire prevention measures were adequate at the building, which had a single central staircase. The cause of the fire has not yet been established and officers are treating it as suspicious. Three young children including a three-week-old baby girl were among those killed in the fire at the 12-storey Lakanal Flats, in Camberwell, south London, on Friday night. Baby Michelle Udoaka died in hospital and the body of her 34-year-old mother Helen was discovered on the 11th floor of the tower block. Dayana Francisquini, 26, and Filipe Francisquini, three, also died in hospital. The bodies of Catherine Hickman, 31, and an as-yet unidentified person were found on the 11th floor of the tower block. Chief Superintendent Wayne Chance said: "The one further victim of this tragic incident is still to be identified. "This is proving slightly more difficult as the bodies of the last three casualties still remain in the housing block." Harriet Harman, the area's MP, said people were "asking questions" about fire escape routes at the flats. She added: "There will have to be a thorough investigation in to what caused this fire and whether the prevention was adequate. "There are many blocks with one central stairwell and questions will have to be asked about what happens when a fire breaks out." Several residents said the complicated layout of the flats made the evacuation difficult, and onlookers described seeing those trapped inside screaming for help.
ITN | July 4, 2009
