Stop hiding from questions, Grenfell cladding bosses told

CONSTRUCTION bosses who are refusing to attend the Grenfell Tower inquiry have been told to ‘step up to the plate’ instead of hiding behind an arcane French law.

Building safety minister Lord Greenhalgh urged them to attend the inquiry into the fire that killed 7 people in 017.

His comments were directed at two former bosses and one current chief of the French arm of US company Arconic, which made the cladding that spread the flames.

But Claude Wehrle, Peter Froehlich and current Arconic employee Gwenaelle Derrendinger are citing a 50year-old French blocking statute – which has been used only once – in their refusal to attend six days of cross-examination this month.

All three were involved in selling the combustible panels for use on Grenfell.

Survivors believe their evidence could be crucial to understanding the building’s fated refurbishment.

In particular, they want to hear from technical manager Mr Wehrle, who warned the cladding was dangerous years before the fire.

Survivors and families group Grenfell United has said: ‘There is no way Arconic staff should be dictating terms about what they are asked or not asked.’

French officials told The Times the law was not designed to ‘obstruct the emergence of truth or to guarantee immunity for French nationals’.

Arconic said it ‘continues to fully cooperate with the inquiry’.

A spokesman added: ‘The individuals who have declined to participate … have taken the advice of separate counsel and [the firm] does not have any influence on those decisions.’