‘Tower blaze fast as petrol’

THE cladding on Grenfell Tower could have burned as quickly as petrol, a fire safety expert has said.

It combined with the insulation to be “optimum for vertical fire spread”, according to research by Dr Roth Phylaktou. The Leeds University expert added: “Polyethylene in the cladding would have burnt as quickly as petrol.”

Inquests into the deaths in Kensington, West London, heard 39 victims had been identified with “many more” to come.