Residents who fled fire said block was 'not safe', tell me about this news in (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmdx5wr73lyvo)

This report details the major fire that broke out at the Spectrum Building on Freshwater Road in Dagenham, east London, in August 2024, which led to the evacuation of more than 100 residents and sparked severe concerns over fire safety standards.Residents who fled the blaze described a harrowing escape and voiced anger that the residential block was unsafe long before the incident occurred. Many recounted waking up to thick smoke without hearing communal fire alarms sounding. Others reported encountering locked or blocked fire escape routes as they scrambled down stairwells in near-zero visibility, forcing people to bang on doors to alert neighbours.Key safety issues highlighted in the aftermath include:

• Known Hazards: The London Fire Brigade had previously identified fire safety defects in the building, and enforcement notices had been issued in 2023.
• Flammable Cladding: The property was actively undergoing remediation work to remove and replace non-compliant, flammable cladding on its upper floors, with scaffolding surrounding the structure at the time of the fire.
• Lack of Systems: The building lacked essential safety measures such as fire sprinklers, and residents had repeatedly flagged broken fire doors and broader maintenance issues to property management before the fire occurred.

While all occupants were accounted forwith several treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuriesthe disaster reignited nationwide criticism over the slow pace of cladding remediation and building safety reforms across the UK.