Expert warns about risks in Irish housing following Grenfell fire

This is very scary.

An expert surveyor has said that he fears something similar may happen in Ireland that happened at the Grenfell Tower. The fire, which consumed most of the building, killed 17 people and injured dozens more. The death toll is still expected to rise. According to RTÉ, Kevin Hollingsworth was talking to Morning Ireland when he said that the housing development situation in Ireland could pose the same risks as Grenfell Tower. He highlighted the self-certification in Ireland after 1992 and says that, because of this, there have been non-compliance with safety standards in some properties. Speaking on the show he 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."

He said apartment blocks carry more risks than houses, as houses have a parting wall without services running through them.