Serious questions are being asked of Hammersmith and Fulham Council after a fire at a neglected White City building owned by the local authority killed three men. The disused former Over 50s Centre on the West London estate caught fire on the evening of June 20, with about 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines deployed. Two men died at the scene while another passed away after being taken to hospital. An investigation is ongoing by the Met Police.
Residents question council's management
Residents and friends of those who died are asking why the building, located in the heart of the estate next to a school, had not been brought back into use and maintained by the local authority. A spokesperson for Hammersmith and Fulham Council extended their deepest condolences to the families and said they are supporting the Met Police and London Fire Brigade with the ongoing investigation.
The former Over 50s Centre, a single-storey building next to the White City Community Centre, was built in the 1980s. It was first run by the council and later by the White City Residents' Association (WCRA). Around a decade ago, it was shut by the council, after which it was occupied by homeless people. An arrangement was later made for it to be managed under a guardianship, which ran until the end of 2024.
Homeless individuals known to council
After the guardians vacated, homeless individuals once again moved in, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). The LDRS has been told that the men who died had been squatting in the property and that their presence was known by the local authority. A council housing office is based next door. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money to repatriate one man's body to his family abroad and to pay for his funeral. The Met Police has not released names as they have struggled to contact next of kin.
While the cause of the fire has not been confirmed, it is speculated that lithium batteries, which were present, may have contributed. Police are following this as a line of enquiry.
Community anger over council's response
At a WCRA meeting this week, two friends of those who died said the council was aware of their presence and urged more support. Residents have also queried the council's management and response. Several community members were upset by a council notification stating that no residents of the White City Estate were hurt in the fire. Locals said this showed a lack of compassion for those who died, who were living on the estate, and did not account for witnesses, including teenagers attending a prom at a nearby school.
Harry Audley, a long-time resident and former Chair of the WCRA, said he was deeply moved by the community's response but disappointed with the council's attempt to distance itself from the building's occupants. He said: "As a former Chair of the White City Residents' Association and a board member of White City Enterprise, I know how much effort local people invested over many years trying first to keep the Over 50s Centre open and then to bring it back into community use after it was closed. Residents repeatedly proposed ways to restore the building and community organisations offered to help secure funding and manage it for public benefit. Those efforts were never taken forward."
Council commits to restore building after tragedy
Audley added: "It is therefore incredibly sad that three people had to lose their lives before the council committed, at this week's meeting, to restore and reopen the building. While that commitment is welcome, many residents will ask why it took such a devastating tragedy to secure meaningful action from LBHF on a building that the community had been trying to bring back into full use for more than a decade. The priority now must be a thorough and transparent investigation, honest answers about the decisions that led to the building being removed from community use, and more than just 'lessons will be learned' from LBHF Council."
In a statement, the WCRA said the meeting was a chance to come together and reflect on the tragic loss, recognize harm to witnesses including children, extend support, and thank emergency services. The statement continued: "The community meeting also brought to the fore fundamental questions of responsibility, mismanagement, accountability and culpability: what should the council have done to prevent this tragedy in their own building; how can the council possibly claim it did not know the building was occupied; why has the council neglected this and other buildings and spaces in White City; has the plan for White City Central driven this neglect?"
The Met Police said they are working with international partners to identify and notify all next of kin. A spokesperson added: "Enquiries are in the early stages, and an investigation to determine the cause of the fire is ongoing. A scene remains in place."
