Two of the seven New Lodge tower blocks have been covered in cladding. Picture Mal McCann.

The Housing Executive has sought to reassure tenants in Belfast's tower blocks in the wake of the London fire.

It said that cladding system used on two of the New Lodge's high-rise flats were "required to comply with the relevant fire safety regulations".

It came as a resident of one of the clad blocks in north Belfast said he is worried the flats are a "disaster waiting to happen".

Dan McCullough, who has lived in Cuchulainn House for more than 20 years, said images of the inferno at Grenfell Tower, in north Kensington, have left residents of the New Lodge flats terrified.

Fire safety experts are already questioning whether cladding that was attached to the front of the west London tower block during a recent refurbishment may have accelerated the speed at which the flames spread.

Of the seven, 12-storey New Lodge tower blocks, two have undergone a recent refurbishment which included cladding being placed on the exterior of the flats.

Mr McCullough said that the flats have been plagued with maintenance problems and residents were terrified that if a fire broke out they'd never be able to escape.

"I've been watching the news of the fire in London and the first thing I thought was, that could happen here", Mr McCullough said.

"It's is all any of the residents are talking about, we've no security on the front office any more, the main door into the flats is broke.

"There are old people who live here, some of the wee pensioners are on oxygen or on zimmer frames.

"The only fire safety advice we've been given is that a fire breaks out don't use the lift, so how are the older residents meant to escape?

"I've a 92-year-old aunt living in the other tower block that was also refurbished and she can't even open her own front door or windows", he added.

The cladding system used in the New Lodge tower blocks is called VinyTherm, an insulating material that has passed fire safety testing. It is not yet know if it is the same system used to clad the Kensington tower block.

Residents say it was attached to the 12 storey, tower block using sheets of plywood and are seeking reassurance that the flats are not vulnerable to a blaze similar to the Kensington block.

"I watched the workmen attach that cladding", said Mr McCullough.

"It was all attached to plywood, this entire block is covered in a layer of wood and then the cladding.

"How can that be safe.

"It's a disaster waiting to happen, there's no point carrying out inquiries after the fact when people are dead, the safety checks need carried out now and residents need to know they're not at risk", he added.

A spokesman for the Housing Executive said: "We have robust fire safety regimes and carry out regular inspections in all of our 32 tower blocks.

“In light of the fire in Grenfell, we are undertaking health and safety inspections of each block.

“We are currently refurbishing three tower blocks in Belfast and completed one last year.

“We want to reassure tenants that any cladding systems which have been installed or are being installed are required to comply with the relevant fire safety regulations."