AN IN-DEPTH review of fire risks in Bridgwater's 10-storey tower block Westfield House has concluded the building is safe.

Cllr Brian Smedley called for the checks in wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster in the capital last month in which at least 80 people died.

Last week Sedgemoor District Council's scrutiny committee looked into the assurances concerning fire safety given by Sedgemoor District Council and Homes in Sedgemoor.

Scrutiny committee chairman Cllr Smedley said: “We heard evidence that Homes in Sedgemoor acting on behalf of the Council did indeed do what was required to reassure its tenants but crucially responded to residents' concerns to take certain actions to improve the situation and also identified other solutions.

"For instance there were issues where keys were not available to the fire crews, which have now been rectified, and the fire officer pointed out that the nearest water point was some distance from the building and in a location which was often the site of a parked vehicle.

"While fire officers have the power to physically shift that vehicle, they recognised it was better to relocate the hydrant point elsewhere."

The committee took evidence from a working party; staff from Homes in Sedgemoor and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and local residents.

It then looked at a host of topics including the 'Stay Put' policy, the building's cladding, the smoke alarm system, fire extinguishers, sprinklers and venting on the top storey.

Cllr Smedley said: “The key question was ‘How can a small kitchen fire in one flat lead to the catastrophe in Grenfell? How could it happen there and could it happen here?’"

"Residents raised four areas of concern -The Stay Put Policy, the lack of a central sprinkler system, the lack of a central Fire Alarm and, crucially, the Cladding used which seemed to have contributed to the spread of the fire. "We felt a Scrutiny Working Party should look at these issues first and present a full and open report to be put on the table for the public to see, scrutinise and ultimately be re-assured by, or if not then whatever action necessary should be taken.”