How many Tower block fires starting in landings or spreading to landings
Dear West Midlands Fire Service,
In Birmingham there have been something like 100 tower blocks in use for around 40 years, that is about 4000 tower-block-years (or about 40,000 tower-block-landing-years).
In all those 40,000 tower-block-landing-years please tell me:
1. How many fires have been started by arsonists (or otherwise) in landings of tower blocks in all that time?
2. What were the details of those incidents?
3. How many people were killed or injured in those incidents?
4. How many flats were significantly damaged or voided thereby?
5. How many fires spreaded to landings of tower blocks?
6. What were the details of those incidents?
7. How many people were killed or injured in those incidents?
Yours faithfully,
Mr Clarke
Ref:FOI/1377
Dear Mr Clarke,
RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 REQUEST
I can confirm that we have received your request for information
concerning Fires in Tower blocks. Your request was received on 30th
August 2013 and I am dealing with it under the Freedom of Information Act
2000.
In certain circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I
will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be
required to pay this before we will proceed to deal with the request.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me on 0121 380
6464. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
Regards
Barbara Wilkins
Data Management
0121 380 6464
FOI1377
Dear Mr Clarke,
As our records do not go back 40 years could you please let me know the required timescale that you would like the information for?
Thank you
Regards
Barbara Wilkins
Data Management
0121 380 6464
Dear Barbara Wilkins,
Thank you for your reply.
Please send information for as far back as is possible/practical.
Thank you,
Mr Clarke
Dear Barbara Wilkins,
As far back as your records do go, thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Clarke
FOI1377
Dear Mr Clarke,
RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 REQUEST
I am writing to confirm that the West Midlands Fire Service has now
completed its search for the information you requested on 30th August
2013. Please find below a summary of our findings.
Request
1. How many fires have been started by arsonists (or otherwise) in
landings of tower blocks in all that time?
2. What were the details of those incidents?
3. How many people were killed or injured in those incidents?
Reply
Please find attached a spreadsheet detailing fires in high-rises (4 floors
or more) which started in "Corridor / Hall", "Open Plan Area", or "Other -
Inside Building" which were indicated to be communal areas in the
Birmingham area for the period from April 2009 until the end of August
2013. There is no category for Landing.
Before April 2009 the information was recorded differently and we are
unable to retrieve this data.
Details of the incidents have included incident time and date, the
Birmingham ward it occurred in, the cause of the fire, and the source of
ignition.
Request
4. How many flats were significantly damaged or voided thereby?
5. How many fires spread to landings of tower blocks?
6. What were the details of those incidents?
7. How many people were killed or injured in those incidents?
Reply
This information is exempt under Section 1 of the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 as we do not hold this information because it is not recorded .
The exact location and details of where a fire spreads to is not recorded
but the spreadsheet does give detail of whether any other flat was
affected or not.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision
please write to The Public Relations Department, West Midlands Fire
Service, 99 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham, B7 4HW
Regards
Barbara Wilkins
Data Management
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