08/07/2009

Councillor Calls For Fatal Blaze Inquiry

An emergency council motion is to call for a public inquiry into a fire in a south London tower block that killed six people.

Three woman and three children - one of whom was only weeks old - died in the blaze at Lakanal House, in the Sceaux Gardens Estate in Camberwell.

Labour councillor Ian Wingfield is to present the motion to the Southwark council meeting, calling for a "full and independent public inquiry" into the fire "to be held at the earliest possible opportunity".

Helen Udoaka, 34, and her three-week-old daughter Michelle died in the fire in the 12-storey block.

Dayana Francisquini, 26, her three-year-old son Filipe, her daughter - who has been named in media reports as six-year-old Thais - and Catherine Hickman, 31, also lost their lives.

Mr Wingfield said he planned to the council meeting on Wednesday that "there may be serious lessons to be learnt from these tragic events, which will be relevant to similar buildings in Southwark and those owned by other local authorities and housing bodies across the country".

Metropolitan Police said officers would interview all residents to help them determine the cause of the fatal fire.

Acting Det Ch Insp Rick Murphy said: "We need to ensure that necessary investigative work has been exhausted before it can be handed over to Southwark Council.

"We also wish to ensure we obtain any photographs or moving footage material that might help in our enquiries as to how the fire started, as soon as possible."

See: Tower Block Safety Investigation Calls After Blaze Claims Six Lives

(JM/BMcC)

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