Margaret Mullane MP features on Inside Housing Article regarding Dagenham fire

Margaret Mullane along with a group of MPs have accused the freeholder and insurer of a Dagenham building of keeping residents ''in the dark'' about the fire that destroyed their homes.

17 MPs including Margaret has written to building freeholder Arinium and insurer Aviva, seeking answers as to what ''caused the fire and what allowed it to spread so quickly''.

The building, which was in the process of having cladding removed at the time of the fire has now been demolished following the Metropolitan Police closing its investigation.

Although the London Fire Brigade's investigation was unable to find a cause of the fire, the MPs letter states that the LFB report identifies the scaffolding covering the building as ''assisting the fires spread''. Residents and MPs are therefore seeking information to discover whether the scaffolding or the blocks earlier conversion, caused or contributed to the loss of the building.

Alongside this, the MPs are also working to change the law to 'empower leaseholders' to have automatic access to relevant information and data about their buildings.

Margaret commented;

“The fire at Spectrum Building had a devastating effect on the people living there. I have been deeply disappointed by the response from the building’s owner and insurer.

Parliamentary colleagues, across different political parties, share my view that justice for residents is essential. I am disappointed that these companies have, so far, refused to share information with residents. I hope that this demonstration of political support can persuade them to change their minds.”

Margaret added that the fire at the building exposed how vulnerable residents were, not just to fire, but to being “kept in the dark” by companies that should help them.

Read the full Inside Housing article here Inside Housing - News - MPs accuse insurer and freeholder of keeping residents ‘in the dark’ over Dagenham fire