Date: 24th July 2023
Email: FireAdvisors@camden.gov.uk
Property Management
London Borough of Camden
Town Hall
Judd Street
LONDON
WCI H 9JE
Phone: 020 7974 4444
camden.gov.uk
Dear Resident,
Important Information about Fire Doors and how they keep people safe in their homes
Since the tragic Grenfell fire, the Council has been working with residents to develop and deliver a Resident Safety Programme to make all Council homes as safe as possible by 2025. Residents have told us that an important part of the programme is making sure that they have the right information to keep themselves and their homes safe.
This letter provides important information about the fire doors how they work and how you can play your part in making sure they are working properly.
What are Fire Doors?
Fire doors are designed to help contain the spread of smoke and flames during a fire. In full working order they will self-close behind people providing a barrier that slows down the
spread of heat and smoke between rooms and help to slow down the spread of fire.
The most common types of fire doors are made of wood or metal and are designed to keep flames and smoke on one side of the door for at least half an hour. This allows time
for people to escape and maintains escape routes so others can escape if required.
All parts of a fire door and its frame are there for a specific reason to keep people safe and if you think notice any damage or the door is not closing properly or you see gaps around the door contact Camden Housing Repairs and we will send someone to check.
• You can phone us 0207 974 4444 available 24/7 if it is an emergency otherwise 9am -5pm Monday to Friday.
• You can report via Whats App and Text and chat to us in any of a 100+ languages or send a picture or a video to help us fix it 07360 277 909 -available 8am-6pm Monday to Friday
• You can report your repairs online at camden.gov.uk/Repairs
Where will you find Fire doors?
The doors into corridors or hallways leading to individual flats will be fire doors, flat front doors may also be a fire door
Keep your fire door clear
If a fire door is blocked by furniture or possessions or kept open it won’t be able to do its job and help to prevent the spread of smoke and flames and keep you safe.
How can you help to keep fire doors safe?
Let our staff and contractors in to inspect fire doors and make sure they are in good condition and doing their job in keeping you safe. You can do a visual check yourself to make sure that the door isn’t showing signs of wear and tear, that it closes tightly with no gaps around the edges, and that the hinges, latches and closure mechanisms are in working order.
All new fire doors to flats have seals around the edges that prevent smoke/fire spread – the seals should not be loose or missing. The door closer at the top of the door should not be damaged or loose. Never remove the seal around the door, never remove the door closer. If you think there is an with the door contact Camden Housing Repairs and we will send someone to check.
Your Neighbourhood Housing Officers are undertaking a visiting programme to all Council homes to ensure that we are able to keep residents safe, address fire risks and make sure
that we help and support residents to maintain their tenancies.
If you are concerned about fire safety in your building or your home you can contact our Fire Safety Advisers, if you have health or support needs please let your Neighbourhood Officer know.
We are safer together.
Gavin Haynes
Director of Property Management
LB Camden
Please read the full document at this link: 2023-07-24 Fire Doors