A MAJOR fire in Dagenham has further raised safety concerns among residents of apartment blocks in Basingstoke, where cladding removal works are either ongoing or soon to start.

The East London fire, occurred at a residential block where work was underway to remove non-compliant cladding, forced the evacuation of more than 100 people and sent two people to the hospital.

According to a fire expert, scaffolding used by contractors during the Dagenham remedial work may have contributed to the fire's rapid spread.

This has alarmed residents in Basingstoke, particularly those living in buildings with similar cladding concerns.

Scaffolding outside one of the apartment blocks in Winterthur WayScaffolding outside one of the apartment blocks in Winterthur Way (Image: Newsquest)

READ MORE: Residents have ‘lost everything after nightmare’ east London flat block fire

In Basingstoke, scaffolding is already up around some of the apartment blocks in Winterthur Way, where cladding works are in progress.

Residents of Crown Heights in Alencon Link are also bracing for scaffolding to be erected on September 30 as part of efforts to replace flammable cladding.

Jean Pattison, a resident of Crown Heights since 2015 and the chair of the residents’ association, has shared her concerns regarding the safety of the ongoing and upcoming works.

"We need more information about how the scaffold boards caught fire and what our contractors will be doing to mitigate this but obviously we are worried about this," she said.

"We were aware of the risk from the flammable cladding, especially following the recent small fire on a balcony, but had not considered the additional risk of fire on the scaffolding.

"I am glad everyone affected in Dagenham is ok."

Ms Pattison also voiced her frustration over the prolonged delay in replacing the dangerous cladding.

The works were supposed to begin in July, but it was pushed back to August because the original developer was waiting to receive approval for the works from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).

The starting date has now been pushed further to September 30. 

SEE ALSO: Basingstoke: Work to remove Crown Heights cladding delayed

 "It's disgusting that it has taken so many years for the cladding to be replaced," Ms Pattison said.

"We should not have had to wait until another building with flammable cladding caught fire. Hopefully now, all cladding replacements will be top priority and take place before there is any other dangerous incident."

A Barratt spokesperson, which is responsible for Crown Heights, said: “The health and safety of residents is our first priority, and we will work closely with our chosen contractors across all our developments to ensure residents’ safety throughout the remedial works.

“This includes carrying out daily inspections of the site and scaffolding, reviewing the project’s fire plan & Fire Safety Risk Assessments, and liaising with relevant parties to implement any additional safety measures as deemed necessary. In addition, any netting or sheeting used on the scaffold will be fire retardant and any combustible materials removed from the building will be stored safely offsite.”

 Stanlil, which is responsible for Winterthur Way cladding was contacted for a comment.