London towers evacuated over fire fears

Residents of 650 London flats were evacuated yesterday due to fire safety fears in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, but 83 people refused to leave their homes, according to local officials.

Four of the five Chalcots Estate towers in Camden, north London, were deemed unsafe after they were found to use cladding similar to that on Grenfell, widely blamed for the rapid spread of the massive blaze last week that is presumed to have killed 79 people.

"Following extensive joint visits and inspections the brigade advised that there were a number of fire safety issues in the buildings and recommended that residents should not remain," said a London Fire Brigade spokesman.

The dramatic decision follows urgent testing of the towers' exteriors, which were installed by the same contractor as the Grenfell Tower.

Residents from all five Chalcots towers were initially evacuated, but one of the five -- Blashford -- was deemed safe and residents allowed to return.

Other residents faced chaos, with temporary accommodation offered in a local leisure centre and hotels, but some refused to move.

On Friday, police said that manslaughter charges could be brought over the Grenfell inferno, after finding that the fire started with a faulty fridge and the building's cladding had failed safety tests.

The cladding was installed on the 24-storey council-owned Grenfell Tower, which was built in 1974, as part of a refurbishment completed last year.

It has prompted a wider review of social housing which has identified at least 600 towers in England with similar cladding.

Prime Minister Theresa May stressed on Thursday that all Grenfell victims, regardless of their immigration status, would be able to access whatever help they need.