London Assembly urges action over timber frame fires

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(Free-Press-Release.com) December 21, 2010 -- Fires on timber frame projects are becoming an ever increasing concern. The most recent being a huge timber frame fire that totally destroyed a building site in Basingstoke in September. The £9.5 million project of 64 flats for over 60’s with care needs was the being constructed by Castleoak Care Partnerships, the Cardiff-based specialist care home building contractors. Castleoak’s client was Saxon Weald Housing Association. After an extensive delay work has only recently started to re build the project.

The government needs to urgently address a “crisis of confidence” about fire risks on timber frame construction sites following a number of recent fires, the London Assembly has said in a new report.

The Assembly’s Planning and Housing Committee said that the government should not wait until its planned review of the regulations in 2012 as there was already a “significant level” of industry concern about the safety of timber frame sites.

As part of its key findings in the report, the Assembly said that fire safety needed to be improved during the construction phase after it heard evidence that timber frame buildings posed no greater risk than conventional buildings once constructed.

The report recommended that temporary sprinklers be installed on timber frame sites, and the Fire Brigade be informed of new timber frame sites.

The report also called for local authorities to forbid occupation of timber frame sites until the scheme was fully built, as timber frame fires can spread quickly.

The Assembly urged the government to review Building Regulations in relation to timber frame construction techniques. It also said that industry should identify critical stages of construction and ensure thorough inspections.

“This is an issue that cannot wait,” said Nicky Gavron, chairman of the Housing and Planning Committee. “As we construct at higher densities with more environmentally friendly materials, we will see more timber frame buildings. It is therefore vital to current and future residents that we get fire safety absolutely right.”