German city evacuates 11-story building

An 11-story residential building in the western German city of Wuppertal was evacuated Tuesday after it was discovered to have insulation panels similar to those that burnt in London's ill-fated Grenfell Tower, the city authorities said.

The inferno that engulfed the London tower block prompted the decision, they said.

Residents would be able to return to their flats once the insulation had been removed, they added.

The evacuated residents were being housed in replacement flats.

Following the fire in Grenfell Tower in which at least 79 people died, Wuppertal had decided to reassess the risk of fire breaking out in its high-rise buildings.

A defective fridge is believed to have set off the Grenfell Tower blaze, which spread to all 24 stories of the building.

At the weekend, about 4,000 people from some 650 flats were evacuated in north London to allow for urgent fire safety work to be done on the buildings after inspectors determined the exterior cladding posed a fire risk.