[QUOTE=MiscInformed;1508437091]Mass is mass. Doesn't matter how it's distributed. A 50lb box of feathers is as hard to catch as a 50lb box of bricks. You have the added problem of the impact force when the baby was caught actually breaking their young (weak) bones. You could easily break a child's spine this way I think (MD Brahs can chime in). Anyway, it turns out it was a baby, not a child. Still really improbable, but I suppose it's possible. Gonna be traveling fast from 10 stories up though. If it was balled up real well in blankets, I suppose that helps a bit with the impact.

It will be interesting over the next couple of days to find out if this really happened or not. The guy will come forward and be a hero, or the story will disappear.

PS - Check out the guy in this video who rekt his arm helping to catch a toddler who fell from 5 stories.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/embed/sumgG-pTitw[/youtube]

Sometimes I think about being stuck in a tall building during a huge fire - like when I've been in hotels etc. I can't even imagine the despair and panic. RIP to those caught, what a tragic way to end your life. Ground floor living for me. All it takes is 1 idiot as well. I remember a video with some moron gamer throwing something lit in his trash can while on stream. It burned down the building and killed people as well. Instant rage.

Maybe, if you can get to the side where flames aren't..
I think parachute is best bet from a reasonable height. I know someone BASE jumped from inside St. Paul's cathedral, which can't be more than two or three hundred feet..

I wonder what the real death count was

The government response has been **** since the fire has happened wtf

79 official. Suspected to be 100's by people from the area. Though I know a death has to be confirmed before its added to the poll, still feels like it is being downplayed. 120 flats with believed up to 600 people living there.

Used to work construction and I remember a site manager telling me some new 'cosmopolitan' residents moved into a brand new social house, ripped up the carpets and burnt the furniture.. in the living room.
Not saying this is what happened, but there is zero chance this was an exploding fridge

Update on cladding:

Technically illegal and the result of a mistake by the quantity surveyor/architects OR a cost cutting measure, either way not picked up by building inspector/housing association

HOWEVER

Apparently you can use this stuff, even in tall buildings, if you convince the fire inspector of other suitable fire safety measures.

Corporate manslaughter for sure, although I think it will be down to gross negligence rather than criminal intent. Jail time certain.

112 feet lol

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-1556263.html

Its not a mistake by the QS or Architect. Bill of Quantities would have specified the cladding which is fireproof/resistant and the council took one look and said fuk it, get cheaper one because how often does cladding catch fire right guys? Contractor would have agreed too. The fire inspector would be gas lighted over this because additional measures would be sprinkler system, stair escape etc.

They wanted to save 6k, now they will be spending millions on the investigation, compensation, fines, firings, liquidations of contractors and possible demolition of the block if it becomes condemned through safety or no sales/rental market.

The original planning application did specify fire resistant cladding

Somewhere between there and installation it was changed. I think from something I heard earlier in the week, they had very similar trade names, might, stress might, have been a genuine mistake..

i used to have meetings with qs's in my job as a surveyor but I'm a bit hazy now. Tell me if I'm wrong:

Council instructs architect, architect produces plans, plans submitted for approval.
Contractor chosen, who have their own qs
Qs requisitions the materials..at this point we know the wrong cladding is ordered, deliberately or otherwise
Building/fire safety inspector doesn't notice or ask

OR (as mentioned above) there were other fire safety measures in place that would have allowed the use of the non fire retardant cladding.

I could be wrong on any of that, but I think it's safe to say several people are going down for a while, not to mention living with the deaths of 79 people. One reason I got out of construction years ago, one error..