'Floating Grenfell' fears as whistleblower voices alarm over asylum barge safety
A whistleblower has warned that a huge barge set to house around 500 asylum seekers could become a "floating Grenfell" amid safety fears.
The Home Office plans to place hundreds of people on the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland, Dorset - but questions have emerged about whether it is safe to do so. Fire inspectors are understood to be worried about the facility, which Home Secretary Suella Braverman hopes will ease reliance on hotels.
The first arrivals had been expected to arrive several days ago, but officials now say this is set to happen "in the coming weeks". Insiders warn the controversial barge could be a fire hazard amid reports it hasn't yet been approved by fire services.
The decision to house asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm and two other barges elsewhere in the UK have been widely condemned by human rights groups. Critics have dubbed it a "floating prison".
Critics have branded the barge a 'floating prison' (PA)A source told The Times that lax fire safety protocols mean the vessel has the potential to become a "floating Grenfell". At least 72 people died after Grenfell Tower in west London caught fire in 2017.
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The insider said Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service had been “very critical" on "a number of safety issues", and voiced concern that the Home Office might "suppress" negative findings. The service said it is ready to "exercise our enforcement powers" once the barge is put into use.
Fire safety manager Graham Kewley said: "Where any aspect falls within the scope of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, we will be undertaking appropriate audits to confirm that adequate general fire precautions are in place.
The massive vessel could house more than 500 asylum seekers in 222 rooms (Getty Images)"We have provided advice and comment in relation to fire safety arrangements to both the Home Office and the vessels operators during our familiarisation and pre-occupation visits."
He added: "We do not conduct fire risk assessments or provide an approval process prior to occupation of a premises but will exercise our enforcement powers (either formal or informal) to address any significant areas of non-compliance where necessary. It would be inappropriate for DWFRS to provide further detail on the specific systems and emergency plans in place, as these could impact upon the safety of the vessel and/or its occupants."
The Home Office said the Bibby Stockholm is "undergoing final preparations to ensure it complies with all appropriate regulations before the arrival of the first asylum seekers in the coming weeks".
Insiders have voiced fears over fire safety on the barge (Getty Images)The Bibby Stockholm, docked in Portland Port, will house up to 506 migrants in 222 bedrooms spread over three floors.
On the vessel, which is the length of a football pitch, four fifths of the rooms have two beds, although some have four or six. The bunk beds do not have privacy curtains and rooms have a shared shower room.
Migrants - who are referred to as “service users” by officials - can leave the gated compound at any time by foot after being escorted to the main gate by security. There will also be a bus service once an hour which will drop them at four different stops in the local area between 7am-11pm. If they miss the last bus back to the barge, they will be able to call a local taxi firm that has been given a contract.
There are two outdoor courtyards which are approximately 25m by 10m - the length of just 25% of a football pitch - amongst the rows of bedrooms. One will be used as a sporting area, with basketball hoops and football nets, while the other will have picnic benches.
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