U.K. Finds 34 High-Rise Apartment Buildings With Unsafe Siding
A resident with belongings leaves Taplow Tower residential block on the Chalcots Estate in north London on June 24.
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London (AP) -- Britain's fire-safety crisis expanded substantially Saturday as authorities said 34 high-rise apartment blocks across the country had cladding that failed fire safety tests. London officials scrambled to evacuate four public housing towers after experts found them "not safe for people to sleep in overnight."
Hundreds of residents hastily packed their bags and sought emergency shelter, with many angry and confused about the chaotic situation. Some refused to leave their high-rise apartments. Scores of evacuees slept on inflatable beds in a gym while officials sought better accommodations for them.