Botched renovations have been blamed for fuelling the Grenfell Tower fire, with a leaked report revealing there would have been “little opportunity” for flames to spread if the structure had not been renovated with combustible material.

According to the Metropolitan police report, the 2014-16 refurbishment of the building failed to meet fire safety standards and “deficiencies” in the new facade helped the fire to spread up the building’s exterior.

The fire, which started in a fridge-freezer in a fourth floor flat, travelled through a nearby open window before spreading via the external cladding.

The fire damage was so severe that had the tower been built to the less stringent requirements of existing building regulations “it is likely the tower would have collapsed”, the report allegedly said.

A total of 71 people died in the west London tower block fire on 14 June last year.

The report, by fire investigation experts BRE Global, was quoted as saying: “Grenfell Tower, as originally built, appears to have been designed on the premise of providing very high levels of passive fire protection.

“The original facade of Grenfell Tower, comprising exposed concrete and, given its age, likely timber or metal frame windows, would not have provided a medium for fire spread up the external surface.

“In BRE’s opinion … there would have been little opportunity for a fire in a flat of Grenfell Tower to spread to any neighbouring flats.”

The report dated 31 January was prepared as part of the police investigation into the fatal blaze. The document also identified flaws with the cavity barriers, window frames, “door closers” and flammable insulation and cladding.

Cavity barriers were installed back to front or upside down and were “insufficient” to bridge the gap between the surface of the building and the cladding, creating a chimney-like effect that aided the spread of flames.

Window frames were narrower than the gap they were placed in, meaning fire could spread around the frame, onto the building’s facade and back into other flats.

There was also a lack of “door closers”, meaning that when residents fled their flat doors stayed open, allowing the fire to spread into the lobby.

The absence of a sprinkler system and the narrow single internal stairwell also breached building regulations.

The report noted the waste chute rooms, located on every floor, were “largely undamaged” as fire doors protected them from the blaze. </s> There would have been "little opportunity" for a fire at Grenfell Tower to spread with such devastating consequences as it did if the outside of the building had not been renovated with "combustible" material, according to a report seen by the Evening Standard .

The draft report from January this year - said to have been prepared by fire investigation experts BRE Global as part of the police investigation into the tragic blaze last June - also said the fire damage was so severe that if the building had been constructed to less stringent current safety regulations "it is likely the tower would have collapsed, whether fully or partially".

According to the Evening Standard , the leaked report said: “Grenfell Tower, as originally built, appears to have been designed on the premise of providing very high levels of passive fire protection."

And the report added: “In BRE’s opinion… there would have been little opportunity for a fire in a flat of Grenfell Tower to spread to any neighbouring flats.”

However, it found alleged “deficiencies” in the construction of a new facade during refurbishment of the tower block from 2014 to 2016 , which were said to have helped the flames spread up and down the building's exterior.

The Evening Standard's report refers to the investigation saying the fire would not have spread from a fridge freezer in a fourth floor kitchen had the building not been re-clad.

It also identified flaws with wall cavity barriers, window frames, 'door closers' and flammable insulation and cladding, the paper said.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said the force was "disappointed that an interim draft report appears to have been leaked", adding it would not "confirm specifics of the ongoing investigation".

She said the police investigation into the fire was looking at the original construction of the building and any changes such as the recent refurbishment - "that includes not just the cladding system, but all the fire doors, windows, building management, and how all of those elements reacted together."

The police spokeswoman added: “Our aim is to carry out an investigation that has integrity and if it uncovers evidence that any individual or organisation is criminally culpable, we want that evidence to be tested through the judicial system.

"The heart of our investigation is and will continue to be the families of those who lost their lives, those for whom Grenfell Tower was home and the local community so impacted by events that night."

A spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea Council commented: “We think the public inquiry and the police investigation are the right places for testing all the evidence as a whole.

"We hope full disclosure of all the evidence, tested by the inquiry judge, will deliver the answers to ensure this never happens again."

Grenfell United, the main group supporting survivors and bereaved families of the fire , described the apparent findings of the report as "shocking".

BRE Global said it would not be commenting.

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Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android . </s> The Grenfell Tower fire that claimed 71 lives would not have spread beyond a single flat if it had started before a refurbishment that saw it clad in flammable materials, a leaked report has revealed.

The findings by fire investigation experts BRE Global, uncovered by the London Evening Standard, reveal serious deficiencies in the installation of the windows, cavity barriers and cladding system, and their failure to meet building regulations.

It states that the fire would have remained confined to Flat 16 — the flat of origin — and would not have claimed even a single life if the original facade of the building had not been re-clad between 2014 and 2016.

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The draft report, dated 31 January 2018, was submitted to the Metropolitan Police Service as part of its investigation.

It finds not only that the cladding material and insulation was combustible, but also serious deficiencies in the design and installation of the windows and cavity barriers, which are critical in preventing a chimney-like effect in the event of a fire.

The leaked document reads: “Grenfell Tower, as originally built, appears to have been designed on the premise of providing very high levels of passive fire protection.

“The original facade of Grenfell Tower, comprising exposed concrete and, given its age, likely timber or metal frame windows, would not have provided a medium for fire spread up the external surface.

“In BRE’s opinion…there would have been little opportunity for a fire in a flat of Grenfell Tower to spread to any neighbouring flats.”

Responding to the report, John Healey MP, Labour’s shadow secretary of state for housing, said: “The terrible fire at Grenfell Tower exposed a breakdown in our system of fire-safety checks and controls. It demands a national response from government to make sure it never happens again.

“Ten months on, it is shameful that only seven other tower blocks with dangerous cladding have had it replaced. Ministers need to stop sitting on their hands, and act urgently to help fund essential fire safety work in tower blocks that they know are dangerous.”

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Green Party Councillor Sian Berry, who has been trying to get to the bottom of a similarly botched refurbishment at the Chalcots estate in Camden, meanwhile urged that parties needed to show a clear commitment to action in order to ensure that a tragedy similar to the Grenfell Tower fire never happens again.

“The residents of Grenfell were failed by many people - those who chose the materials, planned and carried out the work on their homes, but also by the council and the TMO who were responsible for overseeing the works," she said.

"All of this needs to come out in the inquiry and the people responsible must be fully held to account. Justice for Grenfell cannot just remain a campaign slogan."

In a statement, the Met Police said the force was “disappointed” that an interim draft report appeared to have been leaked and published, adding that to protect the integrity of the investigation they would not confirm specifics of the ongoing probe.

“We have made it clear from the outset that this is a wide-ranging criminal investigation that will examine all possible offences and breaches of regulations. That includes a detailed and thorough examination of how the fire started, and how and why it spread,” it read.

“The investigation focuses upon the original construction of the building, all the changes made over the decades and the most recent refurbishment.”

It explained that this included “not just the cladding system, but all the fire doors, windows, building management, and how all of those elements reacted together”, adding that the force was using a range of specialists and experts to provide the detailed analysis needed as part of the “robust” investigation.

Shape Created with Sketch. In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Show all 51 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire 1/51 Police have released images from inside the tower where at least 58 people have died Metropolitan Police 2/51 A still from a video shared by polices what appears to be a stationary bicycle sitting among the ashes 3/51 A still from a video shared by police shows the remnants of a burnt-out bathroom 4/51 Picture showing the lifts on an unknown floor Metropolitan Police 5/51 Emergency crews outside the front entrance to the tower Metropolitan Police 6/51 Fire crews inspecting flats in the burnt out tower London Metropolitan Police 7/51 Grenfell Tower is seen in the distance PA 8/51 A drone flies near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 9/51 'Theresa May Stay Away' message written on the messages of support at Latymer Community Church for those affected by the fire Ray Tang/REX 10/51 An aerial view of the area surrounding Grenfall tower Getty 11/51 Donated shoes sit in the Westway Sports Centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images 12/51 Messages of support for those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower are displayed on a well near the tower in London AP 13/51 A local resident stands on her balcony by the gutted Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road Getty Images 14/51 Messages of condolence are left at a relief centre close to the scene of the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower, EPA 15/51 A police officer stands by a security cordon outside Latimer Road station Getty Images 16/51 Firemen examine the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London on a huge ladder AP 17/51 A search dog is led through the rubble of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP 18/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comforts a local resident (name not given) at St Clement's Church in west London where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower David Mirzoeff/PA 19/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hugs councillor Mushtaq Lasharie as he arrives at St Clement's Church in Latimer Road, where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower Getty Images 20/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meeting staff and volunteers at St Clementís Church in Latimer Road David Mirzoeff/PA 21/51 Firefighters with a dog walk around the base of the Grenfell Tower REUTERS/Peter Nicholls 22/51 Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images 23/51 Debris hangs from the blackened exterior of Grenfell Tower Getty Images 24/51 A woman speaks to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire 25/51 A woman holds a missing person posters near the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 26/51 Sadiq Khan speaking with a resident James Gourley/REX 27/51 Ken Livingstone walks near the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images 28/51 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is confronted by Kai Ramos, 7, near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire 29/51 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to a woman outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Yui Mok/PA Wire 30/51 Volunteers distribute aid near Grenfell Tower Getty Images 31/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA 32/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA 33/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA 34/51 People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images 35/51 People gather to observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images 36/51 People light candles as they observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images 37/51 People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images 38/51 A man distributes food from the back of a van near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett 39/51 A firefighter is cheered near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett 40/51 A T-shirt with a written message from the London Fire Brigade hangs from a fence near The Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 41/51 A young girl on her way to lay flowers near Grenfell Tower Getty Images 42/51 The remains of residential tower block Grenfell Tower are seen from Dixon House a nearby tower block Getty 43/51 Volunteers prepare supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block which was destroyed in a fire REUTERS/Neil Hall 44/51 Volunteers move a car to make space for a lorry picking up supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 45/51 People distribute boxes of food near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower bloc REUTERS/Paul Hackett 46/51 A woman touches a missing poster for 12-year-old Jessica Urbano on a tribute wall after laying flowers on the side of Latymer Community Church next to the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower AP 47/51 A man looks at messages written on a wall near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett 48/51 Candles and messages of condolence near where the fire broke out at Grenfell Tower EPA 49/51 Police carry a stretcher towards Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire 50/51 Emergency services at Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire 51/51 Police carry out a body from Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Rick Findler/PA Wire 1/51 Police have released images from inside the tower where at least 58 people have died Metropolitan Police 2/51 A still from a video shared by polices what appears to be a stationary bicycle sitting among the ashes 3/51 A still from a video shared by police shows the remnants of a burnt-out bathroom 4/51 Picture showing the lifts on an unknown floor Metropolitan Police 5/51 Emergency crews outside the front entrance to the tower Metropolitan Police 6/51 Fire crews inspecting flats in the burnt out tower London Metropolitan Police 7/51 Grenfell Tower is seen in the distance PA 8/51 A drone flies near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 9/51 'Theresa May Stay Away' message written on the messages of support at Latymer Community Church for those affected by the fire Ray Tang/REX 10/51 An aerial view of the area surrounding Grenfall tower Getty 11/51 Donated shoes sit in the Westway Sports Centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images 12/51 Messages of support for those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower are displayed on a well near the tower in London AP 13/51 A local resident stands on her balcony by the gutted Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road Getty Images 14/51 Messages of condolence are left at a relief centre close to the scene of the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower, EPA 15/51 A police officer stands by a security cordon outside Latimer Road station Getty Images 16/51 Firemen examine the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London on a huge ladder AP 17/51 A search dog is led through the rubble of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP 18/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comforts a local resident (name not given) at St Clement's Church in west London where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower David Mirzoeff/PA 19/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hugs councillor Mushtaq Lasharie as he arrives at St Clement's Church in Latimer Road, where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower Getty Images 20/51 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meeting staff and volunteers at St Clementís Church in Latimer Road David Mirzoeff/PA 21/51 Firefighters with a dog walk around the base of the Grenfell Tower REUTERS/Peter Nicholls 22/51 Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images 23/51 Debris hangs from the blackened exterior of Grenfell Tower Getty Images 24/51 A woman speaks to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire 25/51 A woman holds a missing person posters near the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 26/51 Sadiq Khan speaking with a resident James Gourley/REX 27/51 Ken Livingstone walks near the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images 28/51 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is confronted by Kai Ramos, 7, near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire 29/51 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to a woman outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Yui Mok/PA Wire 30/51 Volunteers distribute aid near Grenfell Tower Getty Images 31/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA 32/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA 33/51 Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA 34/51 People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images 35/51 People gather to observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images 36/51 People light candles as they observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images 37/51 People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images 38/51 A man distributes food from the back of a van near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett 39/51 A firefighter is cheered near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett 40/51 A T-shirt with a written message from the London Fire Brigade hangs from a fence near The Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 41/51 A young girl on her way to lay flowers near Grenfell Tower Getty Images 42/51 The remains of residential tower block Grenfell Tower are seen from Dixon House a nearby tower block Getty 43/51 Volunteers prepare supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block which was destroyed in a fire REUTERS/Neil Hall 44/51 Volunteers move a car to make space for a lorry picking up supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth 45/51 People distribute boxes of food near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower bloc REUTERS/Paul Hackett 46/51 A woman touches a missing poster for 12-year-old Jessica Urbano on a tribute wall after laying flowers on the side of Latymer Community Church next to the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower AP 47/51 A man looks at messages written on a wall near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett 48/51 Candles and messages of condolence near where the fire broke out at Grenfell Tower EPA 49/51 Police carry a stretcher towards Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire 50/51 Emergency services at Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire 51/51 Police carry out a body from Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Rick Findler/PA Wire

It added: “Our aim is to carry out an investigation that has integrity and if it uncovers evidence that any individual or organisation is criminally culpable we want that evidence to be tested through the judicial system.”

A Kensington and Chelsea Council spokesperson said: “We think the public inquiry and the police investigation are the right places for testing all the evidence as a whole.

“The council is clear – we have handed over thousands of documents – we are committed to finding the truth. We hope full disclosure of all the evidence, tested by the inquiry judge, will deliver the answers to ensure this never happens again.” </s> A damning report into the Grenfell Tower fire has revealed that 'nobody wold have died had the building not been re-clad'.

A 210-page report into the fatal inferno in west London states the fire would have had "little opportunity" to spread from the flat it started in if the exterior of the tower had not been renovated with combustible material.

According to the report, seen by the Evening Standard , the 2014-2016 refurbishment of the tower block failed to meet fire safety standards and "deficiencies" in the new facade helped the fire to spread up the building's exterior.

The report, by fire investigation experts BRE Global, was prepared as part of the police investigation into the June 14 fire at the 24-storey block.

It also identified flaws with the cavity barriers, window frames, "door closers" and flammable insulation and cladding, the paper said.

The horrifying fire at Grenfell Tower in June last year killed 71 people.

The report goes into detail on how the concrete building was turned into a tinderbox due to the refurbishment.

According to the Evening Standard the first conclusion of the report is that the fire would not have spread beyond Flat 16 — the flat of origin — and would not have claimed even a single life if the original facade of the building had not been re-clad.

The Standard say the report, which is dated January 31 2018, says: “Grenfell Tower, as originally built, appears to have been designed on the premise of providing very high levels of passive fire protection.

“The original facade of Grenfell Tower, comprising exposed concrete and, given its age, likely timber or metal frame windows, would not have provided a medium for fire spread up the external surface.

"In BRE’s opinion … there would have been little opportunity for a fire in a flat of Grenfell Tower to spread to any neighbouring flats.”

Colourful panels designed to improve insulation and soften the look of the brutalist concrete block were fitted to the tower in Kensington as part of a £9million refurb which was completed in May 2017.

BRE was asked to achieve three aims:
• “To establish the circumstances surrounding as many deaths resulting from the fire as possible;”
• “To establish any failings of duty of care owed to victims of the fire, both fatalities and surviving residents;”
• “To provide expert witness support in relation to any criminal prosecution, public inquiry or inquest.”

More than 200 tower blocks were found to have similar cladding to Grenfell in the months after the fire. </s> Survivor groups have reacted with anger after a leaked report into the Grenfell Tower fire revealed the blaze would have had “little opportunity” to spread beyond the flat it started in, had the building not been renovated with combustible material.

The 210-page report, which has been prepared as part of the Metropolitan Police Service investigation, concludes that the fire would not have spread beyond flat 16 - where the fire originated on the fourth floor - if the original facade of the building had not been re-clad.

The interim document, leaked to the Evening Standard, was authored by fire investigation experts BRE Global.

In addition to the cladding, the installation of the windows and cavity barriers were also deficient, the report reveals.

Experts found that if the original building had been built to less stringent modern safety standards of fire resistance “it is likely the Tower would have collapsed, whether fully or partially”.

Grenfell United, the main group for survivors and bereaved families of the fire, said that the report was “shocking but it is not surprising to those of us that lived in the tower”.

It has been a little over ten months since the fire tore through the 24-storey building in west London last summer killing 71 people.

According to the Standard, the report reveals that the original concrete building was turned from a safe structure into a tinderbox by the refurbishment between 2014 and 2016.

In the immediate aftermath of the blaze residents from the estate where Grenfell Tower sat blamed the new cladding for the pace at which the fire spread.

While survivors and relatives of those who died in the blaze have expressed concerns about the tower’s refurbishment, the leaked report shows for the first time how it fell short of building regulations, the Standard reports.

The police investigation into the blaze is running concurrently to the public inquiry.

The frames were “significantly narrower than the gap between the concrete surfaces of the columns, 150mm narrower”. This meant that large gaps were left at either end, which were then filled by a rubberised membrane, rigid foam insulation and uPVC lightweight plastic panels. Yet none of these materials used were able to provide 30 minutes fire resistance. This meant that a direct route was created which allowed the fire to spread “into the cavity of the facade … and from the facade back into flats”. The BRE report states that the construction of the window “did not provide any substantial barrier to fire taking hold on the facade outside”. The report states that the insulation used was “combustible” and “provided a medium for fire spread up, across and within sections of the facade”. The manufacturer of the insulation foam was not clearly identified on the beams. These were of “insufficient size specification” to fulfil their role of expanding and sealing the gap between the concrete surface of the building and the cladding insulation. According to the report, some of the cavity barriers were installed “upside down” or “back to front”, thereby hindering their effectiveness. As a result of these failings, a chimney-like effect was created in between the cladding and the concrete surface which provided a route for fire to spread. The aluminium composite material used in the facade had a polyethylene (plastic) core that “appears to be highly combustible” and “appears to have provided a medium for fire spread up and across the facade”. Contrary to building regulations, many front doors to the flats did not have door closers. As a result, a number of doors were inadvertently left open and the fire and smoke from each flat could travel more easily into communal areas. Facilities available to firefighters were “deficient” and they were hindered by poor access to the tower. Three sides of the tower were not accessible due to landscaping and on the east side of the tower there was only room for a single fire engine. A wet rising main had also not been installed, hindering the pressure and flow of water for firefighters. Critcisms were also made at the lack of a sprinkler system and the narrow width of the single stairwell. </s> A report into the causes of last year’s Grenfell Tower fire by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) has alleged substantial and significant shortcomings in the building’s 2016 refurbishment.

Not only was the cladding chosen badly, the design and installation of windows and cavity barriers was also flawed, turning what had originally been a safe structure into a tinderbox.

The 210-page report produced by BRE Global for the Metropolitan Police’s criminal investigation into the fire has been seen by London’s Evening Standard newspaper, which carries a full report on the findings.

In summary, it says that windows, cavity barriers and the cladding system all failed to meet building regulations.

The fire started in a fridge-freezer in a flat on the fourth floor on 14th June 2017. Flames escaped through an open window, took hold in the cladding. All 24 storeys were rapidly consumed, killing 71 residents.

The first conclusion of the report is that had the building not been re-clad, the fire would not have gone beyond the first flat.

Grenfell Tower was built in 1974 and underwent an £8.6m refurbishment. This was completed only in May 2016. The refurbishment included recladding the building in panels of Arconic's Reynolux coated aluminium sheets with a Reynobond polyethylene (PE) core. Celotex supplied RS5000 insulation.

The refurbishment was carried out by Rydon Maintenance for Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation and approved by Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea building control.

According to the Evening Standard, the BRE report says: “Grenfell Tower, as originally built, appears to have been designed on the premise of providing very high levels of passive fire protection.

“The original facade of Grenfell Tower, comprising exposed concrete and, given its age, likely timber or metal frame windows, would not have provided a medium for fire spread up the external surface. In BRE’s opinion … there would have been little opportunity for a fire in a flat of Grenfell Tower to spread to any neighbouring flats.”

The BRE identified five significant breaches of building regulations that appear directly implicated in the loss of life:

1. The cavity barriers, which in the event of fire are meant to expand and seal the gap between the concrete surface of the building and the cladding insulation, were of “insufficient size specification” to be effective. Some cavity barriers were installed upside down or back to front, further retarding their effectiveness. The chosen cavity barriers were designed to close a gap of 25mm but the actual gap was up to 50mm. This failure provided a route for fire to spread.

2. The window frames were 150mm narrower than the gap between the concrete surfaces of the columns. Spaces were filled by a rubberised membrane, rigid foam insulation and uPVC lightweight plastic panels incapable of providing 30 minutes fire resistance, providing fuel for, rather than a barrier to, the fire.

3. The insulation used was combustible and provided a medium for fire spread up, across and within sections of the facade.

4. The aluminium composite material used in the facade had a highly combustible polyethylene core.

5. Many flats had no door closers on their front doors so as residents fled, doors remained opened, further encouraging fire to spread.
• Click here to return to the previous page
• Buy & Sell Construction Plant Machinery online with TCiTrader.co.uk. Find new, used & reconditioned Construction Equipment. Click here to view Construction Equipment Classifieds. </s> The 210-page interim document undertaken on behalf of fire investigation experts BRE Global, dated January 31, has allegedly uncovered five major failures caused by below-standard building work at the 24-story tower block in London. The inferno broke out on June 14 when flames from an exploding fridge engulfed the building within minutes, with the fire fanned due to ‘gaps’ in the building’s newly installed cladding and windows. The fire would not have spread beyond its source and that nobody would have died if the buildings outside had not been re-clad, according to the report leaked to the Evening Standard. The report said: “Grenfell Tower, as originally built, appears to have been designed on the premise of providing very high levels of passive fire protection. “The original facade of Grenfell Tower, comprising exposed concrete and, given its age, likely timber or metal frame windows, would not have provided a medium for fire spread up the external surface. “In BRE's opinion ... there would have been little opportunity for a fire in a flat of Grenfell Tower to spread to any neighbouring flats.'
• The fire escalated further because the insulation used in the refurbishment, which was carried out between 2014 and 2016, was actually flammable
• Only a fifth of the building’s fire doors worked properly, thus accelerating the speed at which smoke and flames spread through the core
• Firefighting facilities were below standard, with no ‘wet rising main’ pipe that meant fire fighting water could not be easily fired on all 24 floors
• New landscaping at the base of the building also meant that just one fire engine could park there, with the only real benefit of the refurbishment being that it did stop the tower collapsing
• The refurbishment, which was completed a year earlier, had failed to meet fire safety standards and ‘deficiencies’ in the new facade helped the fire spread up the building’s exterior
• Cavity barriers were actually found to have been installed back to front or upside down and were “insufficient” to bridge the gap between the surface of the building and the cladding, helping to spread the flames
• Window frames were also narrower than the gap they were placed in, meaning the fire could spread around the frame, onto the tower’s facade and back into other flats
• When residents attempted to flee the fire, many of their flat doors stayed open, enabling the fire to spread into the lobby, while the absence of a sprinkler system and the narrow single internal stairwell also breached building regulations Grenfell United, a group for survivors and bereaved families, said in a statement: “The report is shocking but it is not surprising to those of us that lived in the tower. It was clear to us the refurbishment was shoddy and second rate. “We raised concerns time and time again - we were not just ignored but bullied to keep quiet.' “It's an industry that is broken. It's also an industry that has been allowed to get away with this behaviour. </s> At least 25 tower blocks have the same tinder-box cladding that helped engulf Grenfall Tower in 15 minutes, it was revealed today.

Thousands of residents are living in blocks in London, Manchester, Plymouth and Portsmouth encased in panels blamed for the devastating blaze that claimed the lives of at least 79 people last week.

Theresa May has said they will not be forced to stay in 'unsafe homes' but with councils facing what could be one of Britain's biggest peacetime evacuations they have so far told residents they will not be rehoused.

Today Premier Inn admitted it has 'serious concerns' about cladding on three hotels - including one in Mrs May's Maidenhead constituency.

Up to 30,000 buildings including more hotels, hospitals, GP surgeries, student flats and office blocks will also have to be tested to see if they are also 'combustible'.

The increasing safety concerns for all high-rise British buildings has reached a watershed since the devastating blaze at Grenfell, whose cladding and insulation failed all safety tests, police said today.

Scotland Yard has confirmed it has launched a manslaughter inquiry, which will see Kensington and Council Council and the contractors who refurbished the block for £8.6million last year.

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack documents and materials had been seized from a 'number of organisations'.

She said: 'We are looking at every criminal offence from manslaughter onwards. We are looking at every health and safety and fire safety offences and we are reviewing every company at the moment involved in the building and refurbishment of Grenfell Tower'.

The forensic search of Grenfell is not likely to be completed until the end of the year - but she said there are 'no hidden victims'.

Commenting on the investigation into the blaze, DSI McCormack said: 'What we are being told at the moment by the Building Research Establishment is that the cladding and insulation failed all safety tests.'

Describing how the investigation was proceeding, DSI McCormack added: 'We have been in Grenfell Tower, from top to bottom, last week.

'Next week we will be installing a lift to the outside of the building to assist. But our forensic search may not be complete until the end of the year.'

As part of the investigation, teams listened to some 600 distressed 999 calls with 'terribly harrowing content' - suggesting that some operators may have kept talking to victims until their deaths.

DSI McCormack added: 'Every complete body has been removed from the building. What we are dealing with now, as you can imagine in the intense heat, is a very distressing scene.

'What we haven't got is a picture of how many people might have been in there. That's the number in really worried about, that there might have been other innocent people in there.'

With Britain facing its biggest housing safety scare for decades, it has emerged:
• None At least 14 buildings across eight local authority areas in England have been found to have flammable cladding, But at least 25 are believed to have aluminium composite cladding, like that which was fixed to Grenfell. 600 are being tested at a rate of 100 per day
• None Police say there are 'no hidden victims' inside Grenfell - but not all the bodies of the 79 have been removed
• None Hotel chain Premier Inn said it has 'concerns' that cladding used on some of its buildings may not meet safety regulations, particularly hotels in Maidenhead, Brentford and Tottenham.
• None The Charity Commission announced an initial £20,000 will be given to the families of each person who has died or is declared missing presumed dead, from the money raised from numerous appeals.
• None It was confirmed a total of 151 homes were destroyed in the blaze, including 129 in the tower itself and 22 from nearby Grenfell Walk.
• None 363 households have been placed in hotel accommodation in or as near to the Royal Borough as possible, 213 of which are from the cordon area which surrounds the tower.

Thousands of people who own a model of fridge-freezer which started the Grenfell Tower blaze are being urged to contact Hotpoint as the number of buildings found to be covered in potentially flammable cladding continues to rise.

The government ordered an urgent investigation into Hotpoint's FF175BP after police revealed it was the model which started the blaze which killed at least 79 people in west London.

Hotpoint's FF175BP model had not been subject to any product recall, but will now be examined by safety experts as part of a government-ordered review.

Consumer group Which? says the machines should be recalled to tackle the concerns of the hundreds of terrified families who may still have one.

Scotland Yard said today it will consider 'every criminal offence from manslaughter onwards' and have seized documents and materials from a 'number of organisations'.

Towers in Camden, Manchester and Plymouth are among the at-risk buildings, Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid said in a letter to MPs yesterday.

It has since emerged that blocks in Portsmouth and the London boroughs of Brent, Islington and Hounslow are also a risk.

Islington Council today said cladding was to be removed from its Braithwaite House, one of eight blocks tested, after it was found to have aluminium composite material.

Test results from the other blocks, Harvist Estate and Brunswick Estate, are yet to be returned, a spokesman said.

Councillor Diarmaid Ward said: 'Last night we received results of tests on cladding on the side of Braithwaite House, and they have confirmed the presence of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM).

'We're arranging to have the cladding, which is only on the sides of the building, removed as soon as we possibly can by a specialist contractor.'

Work is also being carried out to strip material from a residential block in the Village 135 development in Wythenshawe, Manchester after concerns were raised about the cladding.

Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG), which runs the block, said it was taking no chances and work to remove the material began yesterday afternoon.

In a statement WCHG said: 'Following the tragic events from the Grenfell Fire, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, working with the Greater Manchester Fire service, has conducted a comprehensive review of all ten tower blocks within Wythenshawe.

'We can confirm following early fire safety actions taken we have been able to detect that our Village 135 scheme has been identified as having 78 feature panels which are located in a small area of the overall development, works to remove these panels will commence today.'

Cladding at two high-rise buildings in Portsmouth - Horatia House and Leamington House - is being removed as a precaution after tests revealed a fire risk, Portsmouth City Council said.

Letters were being sent to residents living in the two blocks explaining the measures being taken. The city council's deputy leader Luke Stubbs said no other blocks were affected.

Mr Stubbs said: 'Like all councils, we have been working with the Government and fire service to review our buildings.

'As a precaution we submitted some cladding for testing and the results that came back said the cladding on Horatia House and Leamington House was a fire risk.

'As a result we are removing the cladding from those buildings. Protection of Portsmouth's residents is our number one priority and we will not comprise on safety standards.

'We will be removing the cladding as quickly as we can. In the meantime, we would like to reassure residents we have conducted a full assessment of the buildings, with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the buildings are safe to stay in with all of the existing safety measures still in place.'

In every fire that has broken out in city council tower blocks in the past few years, the blaze has been contained within the property where the fire broke out, he added.

Mr Stubbs went on: 'As an extra precaution council staff will be present in the two buildings 24 hours a day, for as long as necessary.'

Three high-rise tower blocks in Plymouth, Devon, have also been found to be clad in the same combustible material to the Grenfell Tower in London.

Occupants of the 16-storey Lynher, Tamar and Tavy buildings in Devonport, Plymouth were told of the potential fire risk to their buildings. The towers will now be monitored round the clock by security teams.

Other councils across the UK have been ordered to provide samples of the cladding used on high-rises by Monday and these will be tested at a rate of 100 per day.

Barnet Council has warned that inspectors have found that three of its blocks have similar metal panels as the ill-fated Grenfell Tower, but say they are not combustible.

Residents at the 22-storey River Apartments in Tottenham, north London, have been sent an email saying the building has the same cladding as Grenfell Tower, it has emerged. The building is now being tested.

Meanwhile, Salford City Council has confirmed that nine of its tower blocks have cladding that is similar to the material used on Grenfell Tower.

Aluminium composite material is used on the recently refurbished buildings in Pendleton, with tests currently being carried out to check whether it is combustible.

Camden Council has already begun removing cladding from five towers of up to 23-storeys on its giant Chalcot Estate over fears they are potentially dangerous.

But residents in the 721 flats will not be moved and fire wardens will be put there 24 hours a day to reassure locals and help in the event of a blaze.

The north London council looks set to sue contractor Rydon, who also carried out the Grenfell work, claiming 'the panels that were fitted were not to the standard that we had commissioned'.

Councils across Britain race to test their tower cladding Burnham residential tower on the Chalcots Estate, Camden, where cladding is being removed The council is due to urgently remove cladding from five tower blocks on Chalcots Estate. The cladding was tested this week and, although different to that used in Grenfell, was found to be made up of 'aluminium panels with a polyethylene core'. The council has since said it will seek legal advice and accused contractors of fitting flammable materials below the commissioned standard. It also pledged round-the-clock fire safety patrols on the estate's corridors. Three high-rise tower blocks in Devon have been found to be clad in the same combustible material to the Grenfell Tower in London. Occupants of the 16-storey Lynher, Tamar and Tavy buildings in Plymouth were told of the potential fire risk to their buildings yesterday (Wed). Fire precautions at the buildings were checked urgently and the towers will now be monitored round the clock by security teams. Wythenshawe Community Housing Group said 78 panels were being removed from a small area of the Village 135 development. Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) said: 'We can confirm following early fire safety actions taken we have been able to detect that our Village 135 scheme has been identified as having 78 feature panels which are located in a small area of the overall development, works to remove these panels will commence today.' Islington Council said cladding was to be removed from Braithwaite House, one of eight blocks tested, after it was found to have aluminium composite material. Test results from the other blocks, Harvist Estate and Brunswick Estate, are yet to be returned, a spokesman said. Councillor Diarmaid Ward said: 'Last night we received results of tests on cladding on the side of Braithwaite House, and they have confirmed the presence of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM). 'We're arranging to have the cladding, which is only on the sides of the building, removed as soon as we possibly can by a specialist contractor. Cladding at two high-rise buildings in Portsmouth - Horatia House and Leamington House - is being removed as a precaution after tests revealed a fire risk, Portsmouth City Council said. Letters were being sent to residents living in the two blocks explaining the measures being taken. The city council's deputy leader Luke Stubbs said no other blocks were affected. Cladding at a tower in Clements Court, Hounslow, failed the fire-safety test and will be removed 'as soon as possible', the borough's council said. Leader of Hounslow Council Steve Curran said in a statement: 'We were informed late last night by the DCLG that the sample of the outer 'Aluminium Composite Material' (ACM) cladding used on Clements Court tower has failed the Building Research Establishment combustion test. A fire watch patrol will be set up by the authority and safety tests will be carried out on homes, he added. Brent North MP Barry Gardiner has said that the local council's chief excutive has informed him that Elizabeth House in Wembley has 'failed' a fire safety test, according the Evening Standard Barnet Homes, the council-owned company which runs 24 high-rise blocks in the borough, is reviewing safety in 10 blocks. Three blocks - Granville Point, Harpenmead Point and Templemead point - were reclad in 2012 and have similar panels to Grenfell Tower. They were inspected on Monday and the insulation materials were found to be non-combustible. The other seven blocks have different cladding to Grenfell but are being inspected as a 'precautionary' measure, the council said. Tests are being carried out on the cladding at Durham House, in the city centre, to see if it is a fire risk. Following the Grenfell disaster, it is understood a review of 33 Housing Executive high rise buildings and 19 owned by housing associations, was carried out. One of those buildings, Durham House - which is made up of one and two bedroom flats - has been found to have similar cladding to that on Grenfell Tower. Tests on the cladding will determine if it is a security risk. Radius Housing Association, which owns Durham House said the safety and well being of their residents "is of paramount importance". Three of the borough's 88 tall buildings have so-called ACM cladding which could be a fire risk. The cladding on these three buildings is now being tested. A spokesman for the council said: 'Once the results are known, we will take whatever action is necessary to ensure our residents are safe. Rivers Apartments in Tottenham, north London, where a review is being carried out of the cladding 'We have already written to tenants and leaseholders in the three blocks explaining what is going on and will keep them informed of all developments.' The London Borough of Haringey owns 54 blocks over six storeys high. None of our blocks have the Reynobond aluminium cladding system that was used on Grenfell Tower. Rivers Apartments, a 22-storey block owned by a Housing Association, is being tested over fears it has the same cladding as Grenfell Tower. The council has eight blocks in its borough - the highest of which is 16 storeys - and has pledged to undergo a 'comprehensive review of fire safety'. Two blocks have cladding but using different materials than what was used in Grenfell. Harley Facades, who refurbished Grenfell Tower, supplied the over-cladding at six tower blocks on the Little Venice estate, but the type of cladding used is different, with non-flammable insulation. As a precaution, urgent checks are being carried out on the cladding system and the way it was installed. The local authority has visited all 41 of its tower blocks to review their fire evacuation plans. The council has no tower blocks which are higher than 14 storeys. Inspections are being carried out on the other blocks they have in the borough. The council says nine of its tower blocks have cladding that is similar to the material used on Grenfell Tower. Tests are being carried out to check whether it is combustible. Harold Lambert Court in the Park Hill area of the city is being checked by the management firm, Together Housing, with cladding samples sent off for analysis. Three blocks in Lower Mixenden, a village outside Halifax, are being checked by independent contractors. Together Housing, which manages the properties, Jumples Court, Mixenden Court and Wheatley Court, say they are submitting samples of the cladding but an initial visual inspection suggests it is not the same type as that used on the Grenfell Tower. There are four blocks in the borough which have cladding, but the council said it is not the same type as used on Grenfell Tower. 16 cladded blocks have been found not to have been clad with the same materials as Grenfell Tower. However, they are being tested as a precaution. The council said that none of the 105 high-rise buildings in Greenwich are clad in the same way as Grenfell Tower. Grenfell's fire has led to councils across the UK testing if their cladding is dangerous The council owns three tower blocks which have cladding, but the materials used are different to Grenfell Tower. The council has two 15-storey blocks which have both been recently over-clad with fire resistant cladding. There are three blocks in the borough with cladding. The council is carrying out tests but officers are confident they are safe. Cladding different but 'capping' under windowsills is the same, so they are being checked and tests urgently taken. Statement from St Leger Homes: 'The cladding system we have used in Doncaster is an External Wall Insulation (EWI) Render System which is not the same as was used at Grenfell Tower. The core cladding system we have used is different to that used in Grenfell Tower. 'However, we are aware that a small capping detail under the windows of Silverwood House is similar to that used on Grenfell Tower. Whilst this minor capping work (not the window frames or external cladding) is a different make and supplier to that used in London, we are seeking expert advice and ensuring that extensive further testing is urgently undertaken.' Your Homes Newcastle, which manages 38 high rise blocks on behalf of the Newcastle City Council, has reassured tenants that the type of cladding used on the Grenfell Tower has not been used on any of its buildings. The council said it is still reviewing building regulation records for existing high rise residential buildings over 18m in height. They said the priority was 'to identify buildings which have been retrofitted with external cladding and to check if the cladding specified is 'aluminium composite material'.' The council said there are 22 blocks with cladding but none are made from flammable material They have 13 blocks, none of which use aluminium cladding Council said it is still investigating whether privately owned properties have the cladding – the council does not have any housing stock itself There is only one block, but it has no external cladding There is only one council block, owned by social housing provide 13. Investigations are taking place to see what the situation is with the cladding None of the 2 high rise blocks – managed by company WDH - are clad with the aluminium panels. Statement said: 'Only five have had external wall insulation, which is not a cosmetic treatment and is fixed directly to the super structure, rendered with no air gap, is non-combustible and we have the relevant manufacturer's guarantees confirming the safety of all products used.' </s> London: An incompetent refurbishment of Grenfell Tower turned the previously safe building into a tinderbox, according to an expert report commissioned by London police and leaked to London’s Evening Standard .

A total of 71 people died in the inferno of June 14 last year, when the apartment building in London’s west went up like a torch in the early hours of the morning.

The fire began in a malfunctioning fridge-freezer near a kitchen window in a fourth floor flat and quickly spread to envelop almost the entire tower, with fire crews helpless to stop the blaze or reach many trapped residents.

The draft report by fire investigation experts BRE Global found that new cladding and insulation made the outside of the building highly combustible, and exposed other areas of incompetence in the design, installation and maintenance of windows, doors and other features.

It revealed that the building came perilously close to collapse - and would have done if the original building had not been constructed well beyond modern standards of fire resistance.
A leaked draft report by fire investigators BRS Global for the Metropolitan Police reveals new details of mistakes in the construction and refurbishment of Grenfell Tower in London. As well as flammable cladding the report finds errors in window and cavity installation. It concludes the fire would have not spread beyond a single flat and all 71 victims would have survived had refurbishment not been performed, and that victims may also have survived had they sought refuge behind fire doors protecting waste chute rooms on each floor.