Fire-trap homes shut down

Firefighters have closed six "death trap" buildings in a crackdown on landlords who breach fire safety regulations.

London Fire Brigade swooped on the properties in Wembley, where 150 people were living.

They described the lack of safety measures as among "the worst they have ever seen". Six prohibition notices have been issued on the premises in an industrial estate in the Alperton area, stopping them from being used as homes.

LFB's assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation, Steve Turek, said: "These buildings are potential death traps and it's lucky nobody was killed."

Firefighters were alerted to the problem after a blaze in an office block in Mount Pleasant at the end of October when six people were rescued. A subsequent inspection revealed 17 rooms with more than 50 people living in the building which had almost none of the appropriate safety features.

On their visit last Wednesday, they found 21 people, including three children, living in similar conditions. Four other buildings were also discovered. It is not yet clear if the buildings are owned by the same person and if they had planning permission to convert them into homes.

The brigade is working with Brent Council to find new homes for those living in the buildings.