AS A RESULT of the fire cladding on the tower blocks owned by Newport City Home failing flammability tests, Greenwood has been a hive of activity. 

More Newport City Home staff than we have seen in a long time have been on-site, as have a large number of fire officers, two Argus reporters and a reporter from Heart Radio. 

Residents doors have been knocked and assurance given that the blocks are still safe. The cladding is only a small part of the outside covering. The Rockwool insulation that is 125mm thick is fire retardant and there is a fire break on all floors which prevents the chimney effect that caused the Grenfell Tower fire to spread. 

Reporters also came on site probably hoping for sensational, dramatic comments from residents but I think it fair to say that most residents are remaining calm and are showing little concern. Believing that whatever needs to be done will be done.

I think that there is more concern being shown by those who do not live in tower blocks than by those who do. Residents do not feel the need to be moved out of the block and Newport City Homes and the fire service has not indicated that there is any need to! 

It is now highly probable that sprinklers will now be fitted in all three blocks.

Just as we were thinking that improvement works to the blocks was coming to an end, here we go again!

Lindsey Hayes
Greenwood
Beaufort Road
Newport