Posted 30.06.17
BBC News: Article link
Cladding fitted to Grenfell Tower during its refurbishment was changed to a cheaper version, documents obtained by the BBC suggest.
Documents show the zinc cladding originally proposed was replaced with an aluminium type, which was less fire resistant, saving nearly £300,000.
The cladding is thought to have contributed to the spread of the fire that killed at least 80 people.
There is no suggestion a deliberate decision was made to cut fire safety.
This comes a day after Kensington and Chelsea Council's first cabinet meeting since the disaster was adjourned after just 20 minutes, after the Council was forced by a court order to admit the press and public.
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Posted 27.06.17
GOV UK: Article link
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid announced a new independent expert advisory panel to advise on any immediate measures that can be put in place to make buildings safe following the Grenfell Tower fire.
A separate independent Public Inquiry will investigate what happened and who was responsible for the disaster. This expert panel will look at any immediate action that is required so the public can be confident everything possible is being done to make all public and private buildings safe as quickly as possible.
The Panel will be made up of a range of building and fire safety experts, and will be chaired by Sir Ken Knight, former London Fire Commissioner and former Government Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser.
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Posted 21.06.17
GOV UK: Article link
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has given the following statement regarding safety checks following the Grenfell Tower fire.
While the exact reasons for the speed of the spread of fire have yet to be determined, we have concluded that there are additional tests that can be undertaken with regard to the cladding.
We are therefore asking local authorities and other registered providers of social housing to identify whether any panels used in new build or refurbishment are a particular type of cladding made of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM).
More details on how to identify this cladding are being supplied in a technical note, and the Homes and Communities Agency can offer expert support in surveying properties if necessary.
It is important to stress that ACM cladding is not of itself dangerous, but it is important that the right type is used.
Note: As at 30.06.17, it has been reported that some 145 high rise blocks have failed 'cladding safety' inspections. It is also reported that none of those inspected so far have passed fire safety checks of the cladding used on them.
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Updated 21.06.17
GOV UK: Article link
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed that a government emergency scheme - the Bellwin scheme - will be activated to support the immediate response operation following the horrific incident at Grenfell Tower in London.
Under the scheme, financial assistance is available to local authorities to help with immediate costs following a disaster or emergency in their area that involves danger to life or property. They can apply to have 100% of their eligible costs above a threshold reimbursed.
Housing Minister Alok Sharma also confirmed today that working with Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the Government will guarantee that every single family from Grenfell Tower will be rehoused in the local area.
Information
A fire broke out at Grenfell Tower in the early hours of Wednesday 14th June. Witnesses have reported that a resident on the fourth floor discovered his fridge had "exploded" and caught fire.
At 00:54, emergency services received the first of many calls reporting the blaze. Firefighters reportedly arrived within six minutes, by which point the fire had already spread through the kitchen window to the external cladding.
Some residents left the building but many more followed guidance on fire notices to stay put until help arrived. This advice has been known to work in buildings that are well compartmentalised.
Within two hours, the fire had spread to both sides of the block, the flames wrapping themselves around the building via the cladding panels. Similar panels have been installed on hundreds of other buildings across Britain, prompting a series of urgent safety checks.
Key questions focus on the safety of the cladding, the absence of any sprinklers, the effectiveness of the fire alarm, the soundness of displayed advice to remain in the home if fire breaks out and concerns residents have had which were apparently ignored.
The Prime Minister, Theresa May made a private visit to the site of the Grenfell Tower the following day. She has been criticised for not meeting any members of the public.
The Prime Minister has set up a public inquiry into the fire.
Scotland Yard launched a criminal investigation (16.06.17) into the disaster after it emerged that cladding panels similar to those likely to have been used on the 24-storey building have been widely prohibited on tall buildings in the US since 2012.
Writing in the Observer, the Mayor of London said: "Nowadays, we would not dream of building towers to the standards of the 1970s, but their inhabitants still have to live with that legacy. It may well be the defining outcome of this tragedy that the worst mistakes of the 1960s and 1970s are systematically torn down."
As at 30.06.17, the official death toll stands at 80 but that could still rise.
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Updated 28.06.17