Insulation is real inferno threat, warn safety experts

Patrick Sawer, Robert Mendick

Laura Donnelly

THE Government admitted last night that it had failed to order compulsory testing of insulation material used in tower blocks, in an oversight described as “ludicrous” by safety experts.

It came as cladding samples from 34 high-rise buildings in 17 local authorities were found to have failed safety tests in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster which killed at least 79 people. The Government added that this was every single sample of cladding tested so far.

Experts said that perhaps of even greater concern is the failure to order the testing of the insulating material which lies behind the panels and is potentially even more flammable.

The danger of insulating material was confirmed by early tests on the panels used to clad Grenfell Tower ordered by the Metropolitan Police, as part of their criminal investigation into

‘It seem ludicrous to me that you’re only testing the outer covering and not the insulating material’

the disaster. Detective Chief Superintendent Fiona McCormack, who is leading the inquiry, said preliminary tests showed the insulation proved “more flammable than the cladding”.

The failure to test the insulation means tower blocks could pass safety tests based on cladding while retaining potentially combustible material.

Fire safety experts expressed dismay that this insulating material was not part of the mandatory testing of panels ordered by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Russ Timpson, a former firefighter and founder of the Tall Buildings Fire Safety Network, said: “It seems ludicrous to me that you’re only testing the outer covering and not the insulating material. That material should be removed from those buildings.”

Ian Leahair, of the London Fire Brigade Union, called for mandatory testing of insulation.

The DCLG said last night: “There is no mandatory testing of the insulation.” A spokesman added: “This is

where we stand at the moment. This is a fast-moving situation.”

Last night it emerged that NHS leaders have been asked to arrange urgent fire safety inspections of all inpatient accommodation this weekend. Jim Mackey, the NHS Improvement chief executive, wrote to trust chief executives and chief operating officers yesterday afternoon asking trusts to contact local fire and rescue services “by close of play tomorrow evening”.

The department’s announcement that panels from every one of the more than two dozen tower blocks tested have failed was made amid a national operation to identify buildings with aluminium composite material cladding similar to that used on Grenfell Tower, in north Kensington. A total of 600 council blocks have been fitted with cladding that needs to undergo testing, leaving thousands of residents waiting to find out if their homes are safe.

Portsmouth and Brent were named along with Camden, Manchester, Plymouth and Hounslow as among the local authorities with buildings that failed tests. That raises the prospect that thousands of people may have to be evacuated from their homes if they are thought to be unsafe.

Four tower blocks housing around 3,000 people on Camden’s Chalcots Estate were evacuated on Friday night over fire safety concerns involving both cladding and interior fittings such as fire doors and gas pipes.

Refurbishment of the Chalcots Estate was overseen by Rydon, the company involved in the refit of Grenfell Tower, according to the firm’s website.

Georgia Gould, the Camden council leader, said it could take between two and four weeks to make safe the four evacuated buildings. Responding to chaotic scenes as bewildered residents were moved from their homes, Ms Gould said the council hopes that by today half of the evacuees will have been accommodated in the borough using student halls, social housing and hotels.

Wandsworth is removing cladding from one of its tower blocks but insisted it was still safe for residents.