On the night of September 10, flames destroyed Fox House. This swathe of municipal concrete in Battersea, south London. The fire quickly engulfed the entire fourth floor and the roof area. This created what was at the time the largest emergency response in history from the London Fire Brigade. Over 100 firefighters courageously battled the burning inferno. At the same time, over 150 residents were out of their homes, in need of immediate assistance.
The blaze wrought total devastation to the southern half of Fox House, forcing dozens of low-income residents to question where they’ll live next. Everybody likes Isabel Lubeiro, a 59-year-old resident of Fox House. She’s lived there for 26 years. She revealed profound anxieties about the prospect of losing it all in the blaze.
“The smoke destroyed everything. We’ve probably lost everything.” – Isabel Lubeiro
Wandsworth Council has been doing everything it can to support people impacted by the fire. They have now rehoused 27 out of 29 Fox House households into permanent alternative council homes. These families had once been living under stable, secure, lifetime tenancies. In spite of the delay, the council is now establishing rehousing options for the few remaining residents. Most, like Lubeiro and son Alex Langley-Lubeiro, are now living in hotels.
Labour councillor Kate Stock shared her fears over how rapidly the fire had begun to spread. She contested the authority’s previous risk assessments for Fox House. She called for accountability and transparency, and said we need a clear and honest investigation as to how this fire spread so fast.
The London Fire Brigade’s investigation into the incident has faced delays due to the building’s unsafe condition. These findings will be integral to determining the next steps for Fox House. They’ll have a huge cancelling out effect on every other similar council block on the same road.
The coordinated response from restoration entities impressed council representative Dave Worth, who voiced praise during an emergency council meeting following the disaster. He took a moment that night to reflect proudly on the staff’s diligence and efforts through that fire. He praised those who have made efforts to offer their assistance in the years since.
“It has been a really good example of the council working across departments together.” – Dave Worth
“I just feel so very, very sorry for the residents involved and I know that this is life-changing for them.” – Sarah Davies
