A COMMITTEE will hear next week that the exact cause of the fire in a Grays tower block remains undtermined - so as a precaustion all blocks in the borough are being checked to ensure their electrics are safe.

After two months, an investigation by UK Power Networks (UKPN) has confirmed an electrical fault was the cause of a fire at 15-storey Lionel Oxley House, New Road, Grays, on Boxing day last Christmas.

Several families were unable to return to their homes for two days following the fire in a communal area.

Investigators found a heating unit caused the fire but it was so badly damaged the cause of the malfunction couldn't be ascertained.

The faulty units owned by UKPN have since been replaced and checks carried out on other buildings.

A report by Ewelina Sorbjan, Thurrock Council's assistant director for housing, to the housing and overview scrutiny committee which will meet next week (Wednesday, 2 March), said: "We can confirm that following the incident at Lionel Oxley House, UKPN have undertaken surveys utilising specialist testing equipment on the incoming mains of all six high rise resident tower blocks in South Grays.

"These surveys did not identify any defects across any of the six blocks. At the time of compiling this report we can advise that we are currently in active communication in regard to continuing this piece of work across other council owned assets and specifically the remaining high rise resident tower blocks within Thurrock."

Since the fire the council and UKPN have agreed to jointly review the main electrical infrastructure within Thurrock's high-rise blocks.

The report said UKPN has confirmed that, specifically in respect to Lionel Oxley House, their equipment is designed and maintained to be safe and meets industry regulations and standards.

They further stated, these types of incidents are infrequent and relatively isolated across the energy industry. They are not considered an emerging threat to residents and do not indicate a deterioration of electrical infrastructure.