UK to probe cladding use on highrises

Prime Minister Theresa May promised an investigation on Tuesday into the use of cladding on British high-rise buildings following the deadly Grenfell Tower fire after safety tests on 95 similar blocks recorded a 100-percent failure rate.

The government has also said the problem may not be exclusive to tall buildings or social housing, and announced it will carry out safety checks on all hospitals and a number of government buildings. External cladding installed during a recent renovation has been widely blamed for the June 14 blaze on the 24-storey tower in west London which left 79 people presumed dead, including a five-year-old boy. Around 600 tower blocks in England alone are believed to have similar tiling.

During a meeting of her Cabinet, May promised “a major national investigation” in how this had happened, her spokesman said. The probe is expected to be part of a judge-led public inquiry already announced into the Grenfell blaze. “Ministers have said that the public inquiry might be expected to look at why this cladding had been fitted in different

Something has clearly gone wrong over a number of years and we need to find out what, why and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again

Theresa

parts of the country over a long number of years, and I’m confirming that,” the spokesman said.