A huge fire rages across multiple apartment blocks

High rise fire in Hong Kong

Over 146 people are known to have died in a huge fire across multiple apartment blocks in Hong Kong. The fire broke out at at Wang Fuk Court, a residential housing complex, on Wednesday 26 November. Flames were first spotted at 14:52 local time, and had spread to two more towers within ninety...
Old photos of Jeff Simspon

Tipping point: Anne's story

My husband was the first UK firefighter to have his death from cancer officially recorded as caused by the job. Now I’m fighting for a legal precedent that could force employers to act, writes Anne Davies My husband Jeff Simpson was a wonderful man. He joined the London Fire Brigade in 1983 before...
Firefighters behind a picket line brazier hold up a placard reading "modern service, ancient pay"

Where is the resilience?

Spring and summer this year were both record-breaking. Droughts and high temperatures created the perfect conditions for wildfires. Meanwhile, austerity has undermined the ability of the fire service to respond and a lack of national standards means that it’s pot luck how good your local fire cover...
A white arrow on a red background with the word 'Culpable' in white

Culpable

A tower block fire in the nineties should have alerted politicians to the dangers of deregulation – instead they allowed homes to become ticking time bombs. Paul Hampton uncovers a web of complicity and deceit in the new FBU book on the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire  On 5 April 1991, fire...