2018 Aug 23
High rises are popping up in the Colombo skyline almost overnight and are an assured sign of development that almost attempts to mimic the strategies used in China to enhance population density.
While the increase of population density requires a degree of infrastructure and technology, which until recent years have eluded Sri Lankan know how, it also brings serious concerns, especially given the atmosphere of recent building collapses. This is inclusive of the incident in Wellawatta on the 18th May which reportedly hospitalised 24 people.
Addressing these concerns Mr. Bernard Vasantha, Secretary for the Ministry of Housing and Construction, stated that the ministry has taken a three pronged approach toward ensuring construction quality standards. The Ministry now requires the registration of qualified engineers, the registration of contractors and mandates technical auditing. However these measures undoubtedly come a little too late for the victims of building collapses and perhaps to those living in brand new high rise buildings overlooking Colombo.
The main problem: the use of combustible cladding is an extremely high fire risk. And many Sri Lankan developers are using this combustible cladding.
On the 14th of June 2017 a fire broke out in a hotpoint fridge freezer on the 4th floor of Grenfell Tower which was situated in a residential area in North Kensington, West London, England. BBC reported that the 24 storey building was engulfed by the flames in a matter of a few short hours. 72 people lost their lives to the inferno despite the best efforts of over 200 fire fighters and 40 fire engines, just as many were injured, over 350 people were rendered homeless and also damaged other properties in the vicinity. It is described as the worst disaster of its kind since the Second World War.
Grenfell Tower was constructed in 1974 by Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council and later renovated in May 2016 by Rydon Construction. The latter refurbishment included the addition of a central heating system, window replacements and exterior cladding. It was later discovered that it was the cladding and the access shaft at the centre of the building, which included the building’s only elevators and stairwell, were largely responsible for the rapid spread of fire. During the renovation even though it was proposed that Zinc cladding be used, it was replaced by a cheaper aluminium alternative which was less fire resistant and the distance between the cladding and through the centralized access shaft, increasing the movement of air in and out of the building through a natural process known as the ‘stack effect’ or ‘chimney effect’.
So what would happen in Sri Lanka, where the fire brigade is often under staffed, ill equipped and arrives late to the scene?
The increased danger of fire afflicted on the safety and wellbeing is not only for those paying millions of rupees for that spectacular view but also those who were moved into low-income housing projects as well.
Mr. Madhawa Waidyarathna, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development told us that 8 low income housing projects have been completed, 12 projects are in the process of being completed and several other projects have made tender stage, under the incumbent Government. Yet it comes as no surprise that the cramped multi-storey housings are poorly maintained following completion and prompts a considerable fire risk.
Mr. S. Amarasekara, Director of the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA), stated that very few buildings in Sri Lanka have cladding since the Authority does not recommend the use of cladding in construction, and in cases where cladding is used Amarasekara recommended a minimum distance between the cladding to reduce the risk of the rapid spread of fire.
Furthermore Amarasekara assured us that strict adherence by the Fire Department to CIDA regulations and compliance of the Fire Brigade CID Act No.33 of 2014 which specifies the use of ‘standard documents’ published by CIDA in any ‘Identified Construction Works’ (ICW). The Act carries over a 100 regulations which are revised by experts of the industry, including regulations on cladding.
Regulations include the construction of a refuge floor for every 10 floors and the consideration of evacuation time in the Fire System Design, in the case of an emergency, use of fire resistant material and compartmentation, providing protected stairways, firefighting shafts, evacuation lifts and external access. He also added that high rises without of automated sprinkler systems are at higher risk of generating extreme amounts of smoke during a fire which would affect to higher floors of the building.
With all those regulations in place one could rest with relative ease but caution is always advised both in making the choice of apartment and also in the use of appliances, etc. From high rise buildings to low-income housing projects, the risk of fire is always imminent.
