Five Camden tower blocks to be evacuated over cladding fears

A council estate in Camden, north London is being evacuated for 'urgent fire safety works.'

Residents in five towers on the Chalcots estate are to be moved amid safety concerns after it was found that the blocks used cladding similar to that on the Grenfell Tower.

Camden Council had earlier confirmed it will remove external thermal cladding from five tower blocks on the estate.

While it had initially announced the evacuation of one tower block, Taplow, this was later extended to include all five tower blocks after safety checks were carried out by the London Fire Brigade.

Council leader Georgia Gould said: "Camden Council is absolutely determined to ensure that our residents are safe and we have promised them that we will work with them, continue to act swiftly and be open and transparent."

It was decided the flats needed to be "temporarily decanted" to allow the work "so that residents can be fully assured of their safety. This means that we need to move residents from their homes and into temporary accommodation."#

She added that the "really really difficult decision" had been made to evacuate the blocks while urgent fire safety work is completed.

"We realise that this is hugely distressing for everyone affected and we will be doing all we can, alongside the London Fire Brigade and other authorities, to support our residents at this difficult time," Ms Gould said.

"The Grenfell fire changes everything - we need to do everything we can to keep residents safe."

Ms Gould said the work is expected to take three to four weeks, adding the "Grenfell fire changes everything".

Eyewitnesses described scenes of confusion as residents are being moved out to a rest centre at Swiss Cottage Library before council workers allocate them accommodation in hotels Sky News reports.

A total of 79 people are feared dead after the Grenfell fire which the Metropolitan Police confirmed was started by a faulty fridge-freezer.