Tower block archive - Grenfell tower area

beno.org.uk

[@edmundfisher4951]

One of my mates in London managed to get inside Grenfell tower in the weeks after the fire. He said he really regrets going in for an explore as it was super creepy and the building was making noises with the wind, and looking at his pictures I can see why. He said the lower floors could be explored and just looked messy, but he couldn't get to the upper floors with fire damage as they were padlocked off. The tower had CCTV and alarms put in after the fire to stop anyone exploring it, but I bet it's even more secure now.

[@themaskedscotslass]

unbeleivably stupid and disrepectful for someone to urbex grenfell tower im sure people already done now but you wont see any pictures uploaded online tho as that would incriminate themself

[@Gencturk92]

i can imagine there are still human remains in there, bones or burnt body.

[@yurigagarin4974]

nothing wrong with looking behind the scenes as long as its done respectfully. The cctv is just to stop looting and forensic interference

[@arjanwilbie2511]

Did those pictures make it on line yet? Like published on 28 days later?

[@thatrandomskywalker9928]

Entertainment INC It isn’t disrespectful if you don’t show the bodies/other evidence of the tragedy. Grenfell tower is almost going to collapse any time soon when they take the scaffolding down and it’s like 9/11. In 9/11 a lot of bodies were found in the rubble sucesfuly. So therefore your statement on saying how it’s disrespecful is invalid! Pretty sure he never stole anything from the tower as it’s illegal and disrespectful

[@keii_avfc]

It's scary to think I was right by Grenfell the day before it happened

[@futureme6943]

What happened

[@MeganCookiie]

@@futureme6943 it burned down. apparently a fridge explosion caused it

[@BluestarFanOfficial]

@@MeganCookiie well now in Southampton Tower block have proper fire alarm systems

[@StrawberrySunday212]

I was brought up in a tower block built in the late 60s and the lifts didnt serve the 1st floor or the top 2 floors as that space on the top 2 floors was used for the motors. It was an odd set up, the lifts had no plant room, basically on the very top floor (the 14th) had big double cabinet doors, and when opened it had a huge wheel (what i assume was the motor)which sat on top of the shaft and the logic was in a little room on the ground floor. After watching these videos it showed how my tower lift set up was strange.

[@Landie_Man]

Grenfell was such a tragic disaster. One of the worst things that’s happened in the UK in a very very long time. Still gives me the creeps. Interesting video though looking at the lifts and architecture

[@SunnyXplore]

Never heard of that place, what happened there?

[@foxslifts]

A massive fire.

[@SunnyXplore]

Many deaths?

[@foxslifts]

Quite a lot

[@Landie_Man]

Sunny Rain 80 or so. Last June, the tower had been clad with a material on the outside to improve its looks and provide insulation, and also its heating system modified. They’d compromised the internal fire proofing by drilling holes between walls inside to fit pipes, and the cladding turned out to be very flammable under the conditions. It resulted in the tower burning for 24 hours and killing 80 trapped people inside and making hundreds homeless. A total tragedy. Still gives me the shivers now.

[@MajorCaliber]

The spring-loaded centrifugal governor is quite rare legacy technology... love the attached placard with velocities displayed, very sorted operation.

[@ellisedwards2887]

As much as I like your videos I do find it sad that not one bit of human compassion seemed to be displayed for the scores of people who died in Grenfell tower. Reast in peace to them all. Always in our hearts 💚💚

[@user-gc4dc5jy3n]

Obviously not getting it.

[@KaisOnBuses]

​@@user-gc4dc5jy3n are u not getting it? people died in that tower block who were Innocent trying to get sleep and ending up burning.

[@LadySophieofHougunManor7325]

Awesome love the clicking relays a soulful motor room

[@slendermanRblx]

May I ask how you get into the towers. For my explores I either wait for someone and tailgate them in or buzz the intercom for some random flat (If it is only audio, not a video type.) and claim I forgot the code or am wanting to visit a mate who lives there. But I don’t want to get caught out as a fraud. Or are the tower doors you go to equipped with FB locks so you can just use an FB key to get in? Also do security (offsite) actively watch their cameras for council tower blocks?

[@stevenwade7466]

Very interesting video with lots of interesting information too . Well done .

[@kowalski7086]

0:14 Are we the only two people in the world that like 60s architecture, because every other dope prefers a fukin space ship designed building and it is just completely fucking ridiculous. If more tower blocks get built they should definitely make the. 60s design.

[@dykodesigns]

I wonder what they are going to with Grenfell tower. It's still standing but I suppose they are going to demolish it? I mean even if they can repair it, I doubt any would want to live in that tower again as it's "tainted". People will associate it with that tragic fire. I bet the inside will have exposed rebar as heat of the fire will cause the top surface of the concrete to crack. Fire damaged concrete is repairable to some extend, with shotcrete and additional rebars. These sort of highrise towers need a fire resistance against structural failure of at least 180 minutes so that the fire brigade has enough time to evacuate people. The building didn't collapse but the people where trapped due to inadequate escape routes. The staircases need fire doors and need to stay free of smoke, from what I've heard Grenfell tower did not have these things in order. Also the cladding they used was the wrong type, they used the cheaper version that wasn't fire rated for this application. They saved 200000 pounds by using the wrong type of cladding! This is absolutely horrible. It's almost like a social engineering complot, those people where trapped by a horrible city counil of rich bastards who wanted to save a couple of pennies on cladding........

[@ELPaso1990TX]

dykodesigns2yt it will be demolished after all investigations and inquests are complete.

[@k1an24]

It would be Impossible to Repair so They'd Likely demolish it after all Investigations/inquests are over And they'd use Safe materials!

[@aaronhilsz-lothian5504]

They would probably have to remove any asbestos in it too.

[@honeymonster5589]

dykodesigns2yt well said and you sound like a knowledgeable lady on building structures and materials criss cross steel tying of reinforced bar

[@Gencturk92]

it will be demolished so they can rebuild new homes for wealthy people coming in. Thats why the fire broke out in the first place, it's social cleansing: to divide the poor and rich in the wealthiest are of London, UK and Europe

[@juliuseskola1281]

The Met Policing London series contains footage of apartments in these blocks getting raided btw

[@wisteela]

It's utterly tragic and disgusting what happened, and is still happening with Grenfell Tower. Great old architecture. Great that you found the comms stuff. They're still not sure what will happen to Grenfell.

[@yurigagarin4974]

you can buy a 300 meter rope for pretty cheap, if i lived here id mount a pulley somewhere and make sure i knew how to descend/lower kids/people with it

[@DJRustla]

Interesting how you worked out how Grenfell was built differently to the others in the area, maybe theres something to that.

[@Has_Mo]

DJRustla Grenfell Tower was part of another estate called the Lancaster west estate that’s why it looks different

[@lukedavis436]

Their was a very grotty vent axia fan in the motor room of tower 1

[@paianis]

4:27 Made in Finland :)

[@blackpantheryt6014]

Really looking forward to the rest of this series

[@londonbuses29discontinuedu66]

Do a video where you go to grendfell at night

[@thatrandomskywalker9928]

Stamp Five It’s impossible. There’s laser beam cameras everywhere and they’ve blocked the staircase noe

[@Techno-Universal]

There’s also a lot of Otis lifts from the 1980s and later that use generic buttons and indicators which is possibly for the purpose of making those lifts more resistant to vandalism.

[@Jazzeeyy]

Below widely available Google. Ben: Is it placing yourself at risk by informing the inquiry (still ongoing) of faulty fire switches in their other flats A recent inquiry into Fire found that Fire lift Grenfell Tower’s lift was designed to have a feature that allowed it to be used as a fire rescue lift, but it did not work. The “failure of the lift to perform as intended is a matter of very serious concern”, said Millett. Grenfell survivor blames landlord’s ‘cancerous’ decisions for disaster Read more It delayed firefighters getting to the flat where the fire startednd “might have increased the chances of extinguishing the fire before it spread externally”, said Lane. Its failure also prevented the firefighters getting equipment higher up the building. “All operations by the fire service within the 23 storeys were therefore required to be by means of walking up and down the stair only,” she sai

[@lukedavis436]

Yikes orange is very old I like mobile phones on orange

[@carb0n22]

The keys are very easy to obtain for mobile masts. First one was O2, second one was EE (old Orange) The Huawei stuff is most likely 4G. If you want I can tell you the basics about them

[@benolifts]

Really? Mobile mast locks look very secure. I would think mobile companies would be ultra protective of them. Some (but not all) lift keys are easy to get once you know what you are looking for. But you do have to know what to search for, searching for lift key will not get you anywhere, and searching for a lift key of a certain company will only get you american keys that don't work in the UK.

[@carb0n22]

@@benolifts Same with mobile masts. You can't just look for mobile masts keys. I've been told that the engineers sell the keys on Facebook groups for these. I'm in a telegram group for mobile masts and that's what someone told me

[@lobstertexas]

Amazing tour and incredible knowledge of electric motors / elevator equipment; interesting that you didn't encounter one person during that entire time. Lots of nonsensical things about the design of these buildings - for example @8:14 why do you suppose the first door to the roof has a bolt that latches from the inside, but then moments later you open a door that has a latch on the outside? Who are they trying to keep out, both tenants and people who have parachuted onto the roof? :D

[@benolifts]

Fire regs in the UK seem confused about roofs. In Germany the fire regs are very clear that people must always be able to escape the roof. This means that if you sky dived and landed on a roof you would be able to exit the building. In the UK it ssems to be varied. Some roofs are locked so you can escape the roof but people can't get on roof without key, while other roofs are the other way around and anyone can access the roof, but the building is secured from people entering from the roof.

[@TheMisphit]

They aren't "servers" they are VHF and UHF repeaters (for emergency services/taxi/pmr etc)

[@carlrichter99]

Did you actually go into a random tower block and play with the lifts?

[@benolifts]

Obviously!

[@jasonchadburn6698]

i like your videos keep up the good videos

[@simeonminkov6058]

17:44 Sounds like the Sofia metro.

[@scotthopkins7711]

They are so depressing to live in.

[@hopesworldd7678]

And scary if you are scared of heights but you can see a lot of places if you live on the higher floors. But they can be depressing with two bedrooms only

[@hopesworldd7678]

They are quite cool

[@guymadgesam24]

Beno please please please can you visit the building that was used in Only fools and horses as Nelson Mandela house. I think it's called harlech tower but it's days are numbered

[@HDTransport]

17:44 ELECTROSTAR LIFFFFFT

[@transportflick923]

HD Transport i even made the corresponding ghost sound while it played

[@MajorCaliber]

So the "price" of living on the topmost floor is you have to walk up at least one floor to get "home"... Councils of that era seem to be allergic to lift-room penthouses...??

[@tweetypie1978]

When I was a kid I lived on the 10th floor of a 10 story block (there are 3 of same kind) the stairs carried on to the roof and there was one flat on the actual roof that was more like a bungalow built on the centre of it. I believe these have since been demolished, the flats are still there but there's no roof bungalow, I don't know why.

[@sgstuff1152]

Seventh bus is here - I need to get in !

[@ELPaso1990TX]

6:29 SKF axle hub on the lift motor winding drum. Aren’t SKF the same company that also makes axle hubs for locomotives and railway carriages & wagons?

[@MajorCaliber]

Yes, SKF is a huge Swedish firm that makes BEARINGS for everything from the heaviest locomotives and industrial turbines down to... your roller skates... and just about everything in between... lol.

[@MajorCaliber]

I like *most* mid-Century architecture, but Grenfell--even pre-cladding--was so grim because... *NO BALCONIES* at all. Imagine pouring all that concrete, and you can't just extend the floor slab a tiny bit, to form a small "tongue" to make a little balcony for each flat. Would help with escaping fires too. Pity.

[@cherylharewood2549]

@Major Calibere those buildings were not built to code.

[@MajorCaliber]

@@cherylharewood2549 A) HOW do you know that?... on the contrary, I would posit that the fact that Grenfell did not *collapse* due to that intense and *prolonged* fire indicates a very high build quality, and a lot of safety margin in the structural design. B) What does The Building Code have to do with style, and little luxuries like balconies?

[@cherylharewood2549]

@@MajorCaliber saw a documentary about tower blocks. They weren't built to code.

[@cherylharewood2549]

@@MajorCaliber go to Ronan Point 50 years safety building problem.

[@MajorCaliber]

20 years on, and I see that my extensive (and inebriated) efforts to get the Brits to drive on the *right* side of the road have all been for nought... ;')

[@theinspiringengineer-scien6393]

I guess youre a lift engineer - great job, though it has it ups and downs...... ;)

[@benolifts]

I am not a lift engineer. I would never want to become that sort of person.

[@inspiringengineer]

@@benolifts Why not - you seem to know something about them and like spending time in lift machinery rooms.... ;)

[@carldobson6820]

Takes more than 2years for so called 1st phase public inquiry and the fire brigade are blamed... Council/architect/planning, contractors.. Should be the first ones to take responsibility... To be honest its all dodgy and I believe there was some kind of arson involved something dogdy about the whole night and I dowt we will ever find out the truth

[@thatrandomskywalker9928]

Carl Dobson Well I mean if the tower burned for more than it did then I’m pretty sure it would collapse. But no it didn’t. The inside is built with hard concrete that was fireproof meaning that it didn’t sag and let the building fall down. They’ll demolish it soon or let it collapse

[@Lighting_Desk]

Did you ever do Wardroper House in Newcastle? Used to live there.

[@senpaimeatstick2608]

Hi, could u do some of the old blocks at the now half regenerated acton gardens estate near acton town station?

[@christopher-2000]

Awesome video

[@crabbymegaman101]

Hey I saw my Uncle Cosion I see u

[@wargamingjelf9675]

Beno did you ever go in Grendel before the disaster?

[@dvidclapperton]

Where's Grendel?

[@annieshreeve3614]

Jelf Gaming its grenfel

[@wargamingjelf9675]

Annie Shreeve that’s the one

[@dustybroadcast6035]

David Clapperton Grenfell

[@ElevatingArizonaByGageWilliams]

Hi Benobve!!!!

[@benolifts]

Hi

[@juliuseskola1281]

Wtf why does the motor contain asbestos

[@guymadgesam24]

Because it was probably made before we knew how bad it was. But I don't know why a motor needs it.

[@thatrandomskywalker9928]

Julius Eskola Fireproofing reasons

[@juliuseskola1281]

Guy Yeah, I guess so, just thinking why would a motor contain it. Guess some high heat resistance stuff?

[@juliuseskola1281]

ThatRandomSkywalker It doesn’t make sense since a motor is made almost exclusively out of metal, which is fire-resistant.

[@ismailyldz9687]

TURKEY elevator

[@dvidclapperton]

It will happen again. Just at another tower block next time.

[@Gamer27832]

David Clapperton future teller?? 😐

[@acid3129]

sounds like a threat

[@arjanwilbie2511]

Watch the 5 fires that predicted Grenfell. It is not a threat he made... just his knollage of human greed and fire tests that do not cover their purpose. Foam insulation boards get tested witb a fire against a windowless wall. No window, no ventilation holes. That is plain wrong... we need tests that cover two or three scenarios of regular building situation (roof and wall.

[@thatrandomskywalker9928]

Arjan Wilbie it won’t be the same as grenfell,the regulations have gotten more stricter and the building won’t be burnt out like grenfell

[@insaa43]

Hope not

[@SamSitar]

balcony floors can be skylobbies. why does it have a split lift system like that?

[@shauna7346]

Sam Sitar a lot of tower blocks have that lift system. I'm not sure why tbh I think it might be so that people don't have to wait as long for a lift to get to their floor

[@sc0tte1-416]

I've never seen elevators skip floors like that at any of the thousands of apartment blocks I've been in here in Canada...I found that weird.

[@jakejonson878]

I live in a tower block in plymouth

[@jaidensgarage565]

hiiiii