2014 Melbourne AU | Lacrosse Fire | 0 Deaths
2017 London UK | Grenfell Tower Fire | 79 Deaths
2019 Melbourne AU | NEO 200 Fire | 0 Deaths
Thanks to Melbourne’s most efficient fire brigade - whom are always available to minimize and handle unexpected fire incidents professionally. However, the highly flammable cladding materials used is a big issue for the safety of the residents and are advised to follow the Victoria Building Authority’s recommended steps as below to make the right property choice for your next long term investment! 
VBA Guide: Combustible Cladding：
1. Review the Section 32 notice. It will include disclosures of any building notices or orders in place.
2. Ask the owners’ corporation or building manager if any emergency orders or building notices have been issued, and if they have been complied with.
3. Ask when the building was constructed, noting that most varieties of cladding used pre-2011 were comprised of a 100 per cent polymer core. This is the variety of cladding considered most dangerous.
4. Ask the owners’ corporation or building manager if they know if aluminium composite panels or expanded polystyrene are used on the building.
5. Contact your local council’s building department or Municipal Building Surveyor and ask if they are aware of any cladding-related issues with the building. You can also ask the VBA if the building has been audited.
6. Ask the owners’ corporation if the insurer has made any enquiries about the building and what the result of those enquiries were.
7. Engage a registered building surveyor to review the apartment, and the exterior cladding on the building, prior to purchasing. You can find registered building surveyors via VBA Find a Practitioner page.
（https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/find）
8. Review previous owners’ corporation minutes from Annual General Meetings. You may wish to ask for minutes from multiple years to give you a better understanding of the building’s history.
9. Visit vba.vic.gov.au/cladding and read the factsheets on aluminium composite panels and expanded polystyrene to better understand these products.
10. Ask the owners’ corporation about the essential safety measures (fire hydrants, fire doors, smoke alarms, sprinklers) in the building and how well they are mainatined. Ask for evidence of their maintenance.
若此刻，您对手边已购买之房产有任何消防上的疑虑，VBA的建议步骤如下
Every year, properties managed by IRE will have regular maintenance of the fire alarms. In response to the recent fire incidents, our team is actively working with building managers to confirm that the buildings under our management meets the fire safety standards. We also promote fire prevention knowledge and practices to raise awareness to tenants to minimize the risk for our owners. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us through 03 8842 3001 or leasing@ironfish.com.au.
Last but not least, start applying the VBA fire prevention recommendations to our daily lives to build a safe community together!
