Residents alarmed by the state of fire safety in their tower blocks in Charlton have written to the council demanding they are improved.

A petition has been submitted to Greenwich Council by the people living in Chesterford House, Shenfield House, Brentwood House and Winchester House looking for multiple improvements made so they can feel safer in the case of a fire.

In the petition, signed by 65 of the residents, they asked the council to install fire alarms, sprinklers, fire extinguishers and blankets, and to complete works on fire door installations.

Greenwich Council will respond to the petition at the full council meeting today (October 18) but have already published a full response.

In the response, the council said London Fire Brigade guidance is why there are no fire extinguishers, blankets or fire alarms in the common areas in the building.

According to LFB guidance, firefighting equipment just encourages residents to fight the fire and put themselves at risk, while fire alarms will trigger a mass evacuation when guidance is that people should stay put in their rooms in case of a fire elsewhere in the tower.

New residential blocks must have sprinklers, but it is not mandatory for old buildings to retro-fit sprinklers, but the council said it will “act upon any revised guidance that is issued following the fire at Grenfell Tower”.

The council also promised all fire doors and other fire safety work will be completed by October 31.