Initial ARUP report is released for Ledbury Estate
Southwark (following recommendations from Independent experts brought in by residents) were urged to assess whether or not the four Ledbury Estate tower blocks could withstand a gas explosion, or if they were likely to collapse in the event of any such explosion.
ARUP engineers were employed by Southwark to carry out these tests and concluded that the towers would probably collapse in a piped gas explosion, but also in a smaller bottled gas explosion. As such, Southwark switched off the gas supply in all four towers on 11th August.
ARUP will now undertake further intrusive investigations, to begin in September, looking at the structural issues in more detail in the absence of historical documents relating to the towers. Specifically; whether any of the joints have undergone any strengthening as recommended after the Ronan Point Inquiry. Whether or not the towers can withstand 'accidental damage', and how the towers could potentially be strengthened and fixed now to bring them up to an entirely safe standard.
This excerpt from the ARUP report concludes that during their limited investigations undertaken so far, the towers fall short of the required limits for accidental damage. The main danger of gas however, has now been eliminated.
The full report on the further investigations is due out on 20th November 2017.
Please view the initial ARUP report in full here.
