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A housing association started removing potentially flammable insulation from two tower blocks in Finsbury yesterday (Thursday) as questions were raised over why it was not taken down earlier following the Grenfell Tower fire.

Workers contracted by housing association Pea­body Trust put up scaffolding around St Mary’s Tower and Peabody Tower, off White­cross Street Market. A handful of fire wardens were seen around the buildings.

The 13-storey towers are just a stone’s throw from council-owned Braith­­waite House, which was found to have similar cladding to Grenfell Tower, where a fire killed 72 people. The Town Hall started removing the cladding there last June.

“We’ve been sitting in a lethal fire-trap for 15 years,” said one resident, who did not wish to be named.

She said she was told by the housing association that the removal was prompted by a recent re-testing of cladding and insulation around the former redbrick blocks. It is understood that Peabody first tested the cladding at the blocks soon after the Grenfell fire but it was found to be safe.

“The question to answer is when exactly did they find out it was unsafe and why has it become unsafe now when it was safe before?” she asked.

The cladding and insulation at the Finsbury towers went up around 15 years ago to improve homes and reduce carbon emissions.

Plans to remove clad­ding and insulation – due to take around six months – were unveiled at a meeting on Monday with residents and councillors. “I heard it was very heated. I couldn’t get in because it was so packed. But the meeting I went to afterwards was calm, but maybe that’s because there were less people,” said the resident. “There’s going to be a lot of disruption. There’s a lot of old people living in this building. We don’t know what will happen to them, but Peabody said they will rehouse them and will try to avoid hotels.

“I don’t think Peabody would have willingly put our lives at risk. I think they’ve reacted quickly.”

A Peabody spokesman said: “We are finalising a comprehensive update for residents about the next steps.”