Emergency safety measures have been put in place at a Woking high rise development after flammable insulation was found.

Residents in the New Central development – which rises up to 21-storeys at its peak – were left “shocked” at the “dangerous” discovery on Wednesday, September 6 when crews from Surrey Fire and Rescue were called out to the town centre tower.

One person who lives in the block, in Guildford Road, and wanted to remain anonymous said: “The fire brigade came down to our estate and now we have a waking watch because of flammable cladding [insulation]. We are all shocked by this?!”

According to the national fire chiefs council,  a waking watch is when trained people “continually patrol” a building and its perimeter to detect fires, raise alarms and alert emergency services.

They can also “carry out the duties that may be required to manage an evacuation if needed”.

Waking watches are used, it says, as an immediate solution to reduce the risk in a building and allow people to continue to live in it. Without them, the fire council says, the risk of fire may lead to a building being deemed “no longer appropriate” for occupation and the fire and rescue service issuing a prohibition notice.

Waking watches should only be used, the fire chiefs council says, “where significant risk of fire spreading in a building has been confirmed, to allow time for a more sustainable plan to be made without the need for residents to leave their homes”.

It is understood the building’s lining met safety standards when first installed but recent specification updates mean this is no longer the case.

A spokesperson for the building’s developer Barratt Development, said: “Following our initial investigations, the advice from the fire engineer is that an interim waking watch should be put in place. 

“We are sorry for any inconvenience this causes but all of the costs will be met by Barratt. 

“Investigations are still ongoing and we will let residents know timings once they are complete.

“We are committed to doing the right thing, correcting any fire-safety defects and making sure no leaseholder has to pay for any remediation works.”

A Surrey Fire and Rescue (SFRS) spokesperson said it was “working closely in partnership with Woking Borough Council to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all residents from the New Central Development. 

 “The support that SFRS fire safety inspectors and its protection department provide, through the regulation of fire safety, helps shape the safety of both residents and businesses across Surrey through engagement with responsible parties”.

Fire chiefs found expanded polystyrene insulation (EPS) within the development which, according to a report by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, can lead to “vertical fire spread and pool fires”.

 A Woking Borough Council spokesperson said: “Council officers were recently notified of the discovery of flammable expanded polystyrene insulation (EPS) at the New Central development in Woking town centre by Surrey Fire and Rescue. 

“Representatives from Woking Borough Council, the fire service and the building’s developer, freeholders and managing agent have since met to agree the immediate implementation of resident safety measures. 

“Officers continue to work closely with all parties to ensure the safety of residents and that a long-term resolution to this situation is identified and implemented without delay.”