PRESSURE MOUNTS TO REFORM FIRE SAFETY

摘要

Pressure is mounting to reform regulation of fire safety in the wake of a fire at the Lacrosse Apartments in Victorias Docklands last November. The Melbourne Fire Brigade (MFB) has called for the state coroner to launch an enquiry into the use of non-compliant external cladding and the Victorian Building Authority's (VBA) role in the regulation of the building industry. Acting fire chief Paul Stacchino was recently quoted in The Age, saying he could foresee situations where the MFB might have to make the "terrible choice" of ordering its officers to withdraw from buildings similar to Lacrosse due to uncertainty over the widespread use of the combustible cladding. MFB investigations found that the building's Chinese manufactured external aluminium composite cladding was not compliant with the National Construction Code (NCC) and contributed to the rapid spread of the fire to 19 storeys of the high rise apartments.