Fire chiefs in call for ban on plasticfridges
Grenfell Tower blaze started in a fridge freezer Appliances with plastic backs ‘very flammable’
FIRE chiefs have long called for a ban on plastic fridge-freezer backs because they burst into flames so rapidly that kitchens can be engulfed in seconds.
And now it is suspected that one of the dangerous devices sparked the Grenfell Tower inferno that killed 79 people and left scores of others injured and homeless.
It comes as police revealed that cladding and insulation on the high-rise block in North Kensington, west London, failed all safety tests.
Detectives said they were considering manslaughter charges and looking into every company involved in the original building and recent refurbishment.
The fridge-freezer involved was a Hotpoint FF175BP. Ministers have launched an investigation and could order a product recall.
The machines are packed with highly flammable insulation and shocking footage revealed how quickly the ones with combustible plastic backs can go up in flames.
In similar metal-backed ones, the fire did not spread and burned itself out in about 20 minutes.
London Fire Brigade’s Andy Vaughan-Davies said: “Once a spark ignites in the compressor which powers the freezer, it can be as little as 90 seconds before the whole kitchen is engulfed in flames.
“The foam used to insulate them is highly flammable – the equivalent to having four gallons of petrol around your freezer.
“Once ignited, it produces an intense heat three times that of a large bonfire. This is the cause of some of the worst home fires we have had.
“Once they catch fire, they burn extremely quickly, producing thick smoke and intense heat. This has been going on for several years, which is the frustrating part.”
Fire experts consider fridge freezers to be the most dangerous electrical appliance in the home.
They are one of the few electrical items always left on and fires in them pose an even greater risk if they start when people are sleeping.
They have been linked to one fire a week in the capital alone.
Since 2015, London Fire Brigade have asked the Government to ensure the backs of fridge freezers are made of non-combustible or fire retardant materials as standard.
In the UK, where cheap plasticbacked fridges are common, 20 per cent of fridge fires cause casualties.
In the US, where the lawsuit culture means metal-backed machines are used, fires result in casualties in just three per cent of cases. Safety regulation there is largely driven by powerful claims industry body the Underwriters Laboratory.
In Europe, standards are controlled and set by large manufacturers.
Vaughan-Davies added: “In the US, fridge freezers are built safer with a metal back and they don’t have the same problems with fire. This should be a win-win situation.
“Manufacturers should get smaller claims and fewer people should suffer serious fires, injuries or even death, not to mention the deep psychological impact of having a fire in their home.”
The FF175BP had not been recalled due to faults in the past but Hotpoint said they were doing further tests.
Whirlpool, who own Hotpoint, refused to say whether the affected machines feature the plastic backing.
There have been calls for government reform of the product recall system since 2015, when
Whirlpool admitted selling 5.3million faulty tumble dryers over a decade.
Consumer champion Lynn FauldsWood carried out an independent review for the Government in 2016 but they have so far failed to act on any of her proposals.
She called for a single national product recall database for consumers to check whether they have a faulty device, plus improved funding and training for authorities such as Trading Standards.
She said: “It’s disgusting that a Government department can have so little interest in an issue that has killed people and caused so much misery.”
Whirlpool told customers who own affected models FF175BP or FF175BG (in grey graphite) to phone 0800 316 3826 or visit hotpointservice.co.uk/ fridgefreezer to register their details.
A spokesman said: “Words cannot express our sorrow at this terrible tragedy. We offer our condolences to the victims, those who have lost loved ones, homes, and possessions, and to their friends and families.
“We are working with the authorities to obtain access to the appliance so we can assist with the ongoing investigations. We are unable to speculate on further details.
“We are addressing this as a matter of utmost urgency and assisting the authorities in any way we can. We will provide additional updates as our investigations progress.”
Met Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack is leading the team investigating last week’s blaze. She said documents and materials had been seized from a “number of organisations”.
She added: “We are looking at every criminal offence from manslaughter onwards, we are looking at every health and safety and fire safety offence and we are reviewing every company involved in the building and refurbishment of Grenfell Tower.
“The scientists are actually pulling burnt bits off the tower bock itself.
“The insulation was more flammable than the cladding.”
McCormack also warned the Grenfell death toll could yet rise as there may be people missing who have not yet been reported because of fears over immigration status.
Action group Radical Housing Network, who includ the Grenfell Action Group, said: “Today’s initial verdict from investigators, which could lead to criminal charges, is beyond damning.
“It is an indictment of a broken housing model where council housing is systematically run down and tenants are treated with contempt.
“People need and deserve safe, decent, genuinely affordable housing run for the public good, not for profit.” dgdgdgddgd dgdgdgdgddgdgdgdgddgdgd