Tower fire tests ignore ‘combustible’ insulation
Labour deputy leader accused of ‘irresponsibly’ politicising tragedy with Glastonbury outburst
INSULATION that fuelled the Grenfell inferno might be fitted in tower blocks around the country but it is not being tested for by the Government, it has emerged.
Councils and landlords have been told to carry out their own examinations of the potentially combustible material behind cladding panels, despite police highlighting the speed at which it burned on the west London tower.
The Government, which is pushing through official tests on the cladding panels, has been accused of looking for a “quick fix”.
Police have formally identified 18 victims of the Grenfell fire, with a further 61 people missing, presumed dead.
Samples of aluminium composite material used in the cladding from 75 high-rise buildings in 26 local authority areas have been subjected to safety tests by the Department for Communities and Local Government and every single one has failed. Hospitals and schools will also be tested. However, it was warned that the Government is focusing on one element of danger while other safety measures go unchecked.
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that while both the cladding and the insulation on Grenfell failed safety tests, it was “the insulation that burnt so quickly”. The insulation is not being tested by the Government.
Matthew Needham-laing, an architect who is head of construction at Katten Law UK, said: “I think that they have got to look at the whole construction of the cladding zone.
“If the insulation catches light, the rain screen could be completely incombustible but you still would have the same problem with the fire catching the outside of the building.”
He added: “There is no real quick fix answer, it is much more complicated than that.”
When asked what was being done about the insulation which had been flagged by the police, Sajid Javid, the Communities and Local Government Secretary, said they have “updated the advice going to councils and are looking at the best way to respond to that”.
JOHN MCDONNELL has been accused of risking the integrity of any future criminal prosecution over the Grenfell Tower tragedy by claiming its victims were “murdered by political decisions”.
The shadow chancellor said cuts to the numbers of firemen had “contributed” to the 79 deaths, despite London Fire Brigade assurances there was no shortage of resources or staff when it tackled the fire.
Police are considering manslaughter charges against anyone found culpable, but by referring to the more serious crime of murder, Mr Mcdonnell risks prejudicing any future prosecution.
Last night Bob Neill, a Tory MP who was chairman of the justice committee before the election and is standing again, told The Daily Telegraph: “To use such language is grossly irresponsible.
“Only a court can decide that, after hearing proper evidence. To prejudge the issue to get cheap publicity actually risks prejudicing a successful prosecution if the evidence were to support it, as it makes a fair trial harder.”
He added: “Politicians should keep out of legal processes.”
Andrew Bridgen, the Tory MP, said: “The term murderer is deeply emotive and is politicising a tragedy. This language could prejudice any future prosecution. It is irresponsible. It is using the victims of this awful tragedy as political pawns. But the ends always justify the means for the hard-left.”
Robert Buckland, the Solicitor General, who oversees the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “It is a test of politicians to see how responsibly they speak and act at serious and solemn times like this. John Mcdonnell has failed this test.”
Dominic Grieve, the former attorney general, said: “Where there has been a great tragedy, the use of moderate language is always desirable. Mcdonnell’s immoderate language shows clearly his unfitness for high office.”
Mr Mcdonnell made the provocative comments at Glastonbury festival, where he took part in a debate in front of a 1,000-strong audience. As well as blaming fire service cuts, he also suggested the public sector pay freeze had contributed to the tragedy.
It emerged yesterday that the Government was told last year by its own investigators that tower blocks were covered in flammable material, but was also told that existing building regulations were “adequate”. The advice was given by BRE, formerly the government-owned Building Research Establishment, which is now testing panels from all 600 tower blocks in England.
The documents warn of “an increase in the volume of potential combustible materials being applied. A number of significant fires … have demonstrated the potential risks”, Sky News reported.
Sam Webb, a fire safety expert and retired architect who sits on the Parliamentary Fire Safety & Rescue Group, said the use of flammable materials on tower blocks is “the biggest failure in the construction industry in British history”.
Manufacturer Arconic has stopped global sales of Grenfell Tower’s Reynobond PE cladding for tall buildings, citing concerns about the “inconsistency of building codes across the world”.
The Government said that £1.5million has been paid out to families affected by the fire, made up of £500 cash and £5,000 to their bank accounts. The Charity Commission has said every family that suffered a loss will receive £20,000 from public donations.
SIR – John Mcdonnell’s description of the tragic deaths of residents of Grenfell Tower as “murder” is reprehensible and irresponsible. The idea that this man could be a key member of a future Labour government is, frankly, terrifying.
At this moment it would be refreshing and reassuring to see politicians from all parties working together, to try and resolve a major national problem where all political parties have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the public.
Instead we have Mr Mcdonnell trying to stir up anger and protest – typical of his extreme Left-wing approach.
The public has no appetite at the moment for partisan political pointscoring. Leading figures from all parties should recognise this. David Kidd Petersfield, Hampshire
SIR – John Mcdonnell’s inaccurate, insensitive distortions concerning the Grenfell Tower tragedy raise, for me, deep concern rather than outrage. He is not speaking to me; he is speaking to those looking for a new belief and prepared to let emotion override common sense and rational thought.
He is gathering support for his army, people perhaps who will take to the streets in the hope that the end will justify the means, democratic or not.
John Mcdonnell is an old-style Marxist, needing the support of the well-meaning to reach his goal, his revolution. Should he ever reach this goal, I suspect it will be the worse for all of us, supporters and opponents alike. Rod Barrett Bromley, Kent
SIR – When the tragedy occurred at Grenfell Tower , the Corbynistas immediately blamed it on Kensington and Chelsea council.
Their argument was that the council, being Tory controlled, was only concerned for wealthy people.
Now similar cladding had been discovered in other boroughs, many of them Labour-controlled, no such argument is employed. Tony Hill Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire
SIR – Should the question not be asked as to what part global warming and green issues played in the decision to clad tower blocks in these insulating, but unfortunately flammable, panels? V J Hanlon Bodham, Norfolk
SIR – Of course, Britain’s fire regulations are governed by the EU, under BS EN 13501 (“Fire classification of construction products”).
Everyone seems to have been blamed for the Grenfell Tower inferno not the EU. Why not? Tim Bristow Ryde, Isle of Wight
SIR – We are told that 60 tower blocks around the country have so far failed fire safety tests – a 100 per cent failure rate. Presumably these tests are different from those that would have been required by our own legislation when the materials were used in the first place.
Why didn’t we have that different testing regime? Paul Richmond Godalming, Surrey
SIR – Countries such as Sweden have used elderly cruise liners to house refugees. Mooring two or three such vessels in the Thames would be a quick way of providing temporary accommodation for those who have been evicted from their tower-block homes pending removal of cladding. I R Berchem King’s Lynn, Norfolk
SIR – If another politician comes on the Today programme and prefaces every reply with “Let me be perfectly clear”, I fear I will lose the will to live.
As your readers will know, this is the prelude to yet more irritating evasion. John Taylor Purley, Surrey