The fire at Petworth Court, a 10-story block in Elm Road, Wembley (managed by Octavia Housing & Care), erupted on January 29, 2024, around 4:42 PM, engulfing half the external facade, the entire roof, and four balconies. Over 125 firefighters and 20 engines from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) battled the blaze for ~5 hours, evacuating all residents without injuries. Cladding fueled rapid spread, echoing Grenfell (2017), and exposed systemic failures in remediation, governance, and oversight. Below, a timeline, key issues, and impacts—drawing from RSH reports, LFB statements, MP correspondence, and resident accounts. This incident accelerated Octavia's regulatory downgrade and merger with Abri Group (Dec 2024), highlighting broader UK housing safety crises.
| Date/Time | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2021 | Cladding Installation | ACM (aluminium composite material) cladding fitted during construction; failed EWS1 tests by 2021, identifying fire risks. |
| April 2023 | MP Warnings Begin | Brent North MP Barry Gardiner raises cladding concerns with Octavia CEO; correspondence (seen by Inside Housing) highlights remediation delays. |
| May–Dec 2023 | LFB Notifications | LFB issues Fire Safety Deficiency Notices for 13 Octavia buildings, including Petworth Court; overdue actions mount (~1,200 across portfolio). |
| Sep 2023 | RSH Downgrade | Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) downgrades Octavia to G3 (governance)/V3 (viability)/C3 (consumer) for poor budgeting, safety data inconsistencies, and board oversight failures. |
| Nov 2023 | MP Meeting | Gardiner meets Octavia CEO; no "solid plan" for cladding removal; concerns over gas boilers/alarms ignored. |
| Jan 29, 2024 (4:42 PM) | Fire Breaks Out | Blaze starts on lower floors (possible boiler origin); cladding accelerates spread to roof/balconies. 125 firefighters respond; full evacuation of Petworth Court + 5 adjoining blocks (~200 residents). No injuries; residents in hotels/temporary housing. |
| Jan 30, 2024 | LFB Statement | Confirms cladding involvement; investigation ongoing (cause: possible electrical/gas); policy changed from "stay put" to simultaneous evacuation in 2019 due to cladding risks/timber frames. |
| Feb 2024 | MP Accusations & Resident Complaints | Gardiner: "Octavia sat on hands" despite warnings; residents report 6-month unrepaired gas boilers (deemed unsafe, uncapped), failed alarms, damp/mould/rats/cockroaches, leaks. Calls for buybacks; LFB audits before reoccupation. |
| Jul 2024 | RSH Consumer Grade (C3) | RSH issues first consumer standard grade: Non-compliant (1,200 overdue fire actions, incomplete safety data, CO detector gaps); ongoing governance/viability probe. |
| Dec 2024 | Merger with Abri Group | Octavia joins as subsidiary (5,000 homes to Abri's 50,000); RSH "intensive engagement" for compliance; 66% resident support, but priorities repairs/safety. |
The fire crystallized Octavia's woes, hastening its Dec 2024 subsidiary merger with Abri (to 55,000 homes). RSH "intensive engagement" for compliance; Abri's "rescue" boosts scale but inherits liabilities (e.g., overdue actions, covenant waivers). Sector critique: Mergers as bailouts for failing landlords, risking larger cascades.
This blaze isn't isolated – it's the hydra's hiss in a sector where 2023 saw 1,200+ deficiency notices and endless Grenfell echoes. Next move? Lacey dossier or merger deep-dive? Your vector. 🚀