Kerrin Point was a 22 storey tower block on Kennington Road on the Ethelred Estate in Lambeth, Central London. It was built in 1969 as the first to be built on the estate and contained 86 flats.
At 1.30am on June 26, 1997, the tower was rocked by a gas explosion. The explosion occurred in the boiler house in the basement or side of the tower block. The roof of the tower block landed on top of it. The explosion was caused by problems with the gas-fired boiler which served Kerrin Point and a number of blocks on the estate. There was extensive damage to the block and the local area. Most of the residents were in bed when the explosion occurred. Many woke up believing that there had been a bomb explosion or that an aeroplane had struck the building, and evacuated the building in a state of panic. After hours of confusion on the night, residents either went to family or friends or were housed in emergency accommodation, mostly local community centres. Some residents were lucky enough to be re-housed within a week, for others it was a much longer process. They never went back to their homes, save under escort to collect some emergency belongings.
There was more news on the tv than learning live & helpful staff were moved on. Kerrin Point Action group moved on.
The London Borough of Lambeth commissioned AT&R to carry out a forensic investigation. Residents suffered PTSD as such a traumatic, shocking event including aftermath & how treated. Kerrin Point Action group was set up by residents & petitioned to have it demolished in the aftermath and the council opted to demolish the block in 2000. There was a court action against Lambeth who paid damages then the gas contractors.
The site was left as a temporary open space until it was sold by Lambeth Council for a new development. It is part of the Lambeth Walk/Ethelred Estate Major Development Opportunity site, as identified in Lambeth's Replacement Draft Unitary Development Plan.