London fire: A tale of two tower blocks

London is increasingly becoming a city of high-rise living. There are more than 700 tower blocks, ranging from brand new luxury developments to the post-war council-owned buildings seen as a quick fix to cure problems caused by crumbling and unsanitary 19th Century hovels.

About 8% of Londoners now live in tower blocks. Some flats are bought for millions; others are relatively low-cost social housing rented from a local council at a fraction of the private rate. Grenfell Tower itself was designed in 1967, started in 1972 and finished in 1974.

Originally built as municipal housing as part of the slum clearances of the 1960s, it had 120 one- and two-bedroom flats over 20 of its 24 storeys, and was renovated in 2016.

It's in a neighbourhood ranked among the most deprived 10% in England.

Just two miles away - or four stops along the Circle/Hammersmith and City line - is 3 Merchant Square, a 21-storey tower that is part of a new development around Paddington Basin. The contemporary block was finished in 2016 and holds 60 apartments over 15 storeys.

It's a different world. The penthouse apartment was sold for £7.5m. One-bedroom flats are at least £1m.

Surrounded by restaurants and bars, workers and residents can lounge on deckchairs on a newly-built floating park. Lunchtime yoga sessions are held and there's a luxury fitness club.

There's an enormous fountain and a bridge created by renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick, a nursery and winter garden.

But nice though these peripheries undoubtedly are, they don't keep people safe from fire. For that, we must have a look at the specifications of the apartments in the tower.

Once you get past the sales brochure description of 3 Merchant Square's walnut cutlery drawer inserts and integral wine coolers, the adjustable mood lighting and heated bathroom walls, you come to the fire safety details: Every flat has not only ceiling mounted smoke detectors but sprinklers.

The International Fire Sprinkler Association (IFSA) says that automatic fire sprinkler systems are the single most effective fire protection measure available, and are able to make up for a wide range of other fire protection deficiencies.

There has never been a multiple loss of life from a fire developing in a building protected by a properly designed, installed and maintained fire sprinkler system. While fire sprinkler systems have been required in new high-rise residential buildings in England since 2007, it is not compulsory to retrofit them into existing buildings. So Grenfell Tower had none.

Former chief fire officer Ronnie King, honorary secretary of the all-party parliamentary group on fire safety and rescue - which had recommended fitting sprinklers to buildings to save lives - said the regulations "badly need updating" and "three successive ministers have not done it".

"My own thinking is there was the red tape challenge and they don't really want to put regulation on to businesses, adding a burden.

"It's one of those that if you bring in a new regulation, you have got to give three up to get it."