Industry News


Refurbishment of Grenfell Tower breached Building Regulations


before the fire, the high-rise tower block was not compliant with Building Regulations. Sir Martin Moore-Bick said the main reason for


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the spread of the fire were the cladding panels, manufactured by Arconic, “with polyethylene cores, which had high calorific value, melted and acted as a source of fuel for the growing fire”. He found the external walls “did not resist the spread of fire, they promoted it.” The unexpected finding from phase one


of the inquiry was that ACM cladding panels with a polyethylene core were the major cause of the fire spreading upwards through the cladding and then horizontally via the architectural crown, fuelled by other combustibles. This matter was not expected to feature until phase two of the inquiry. The design of the refurbishment, overseen by


Studio E Architects, as well as the insulation materials made by Celotex and Kingspan, also contributed, he said. This is despite the refurbishment works being visited on multiple occasions and signed off by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s building control department.


shocking finding from the Grenfell inquiry was that as a result of the £10 million refurbishment completed just months


The unexpected finding from phase one of the inquiry was that ACM cladding panels with a polyethylene core were the major cause of the fire spreading upwards through the cladding and then horizontally via the architectural crown, fuelled by other combustibles. This matter was not expected to feature until phase two of the inquiry


This matter will be looked at in greater detail


during the second phase of the inquiry, when Sir Martin is expected to focus specifically on the design, the materials used and the construction methods employed in more detail. Sir Martin said the council’s emergency plan for


dealing with such a serious incident depended on information provided by the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, whose own emergency plan was 15 years out of date. Neither plan reflected changes to the building


after its 2014-16 refurbishment, which had changed the layout of parts of the building. There were no procedures for evacuating disabled residents, many


of who were housed on the upper floors and there were delays in the fire brigade being provided with information by both the council and the TMO. The residents and survivors group Grenfell


United, say that the council and TMO still “have serious questions to answer ... as do each of the corporates involved including Arconic, Celotex and Rydon among others ... [it] adds to our determination to see criminal charges brought against those responsible for turning our homes into a ‘death trap’”. They added: “All of this will be further


investigated, but for now the report is a vindication of the experiences of survivors on the night.”


Fire at student block raises further cladding safety fears


block of student accommodation in Bolton town centre. HPL cladding is believed to be used


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on thousands of homes and it has already been the subject of intensive lobbying by tenants, landlords, homeowners and fire safety experts, who want it removed from all residential buildings. So far the Government has focussed its efforts on


getting aluminium composite material cladding (the type used on Grenfell Tower) removed and it has resisted calls to extend its financial assistance to removing other forms of cladding. Instead it has


oncerns about the safety of high- pressure laminate cladding have intensified after fire ravaged a six-storey


urged property owners to ensure their properties are safe. Although all of the residents of The Cube


building in Bolton managed to escape the fire, the way the fire spread quickly up and around the exterior of the building was very reminiscent of the Grenfell Tower fire. Dozens of students were evacuated in the Bolton


fire with just two people requiring treatment from paramedics at the scene. Some 40 fire engines and appliances and around 200 firefighters from across Greater Manchester attended at the height of the blaze. Earlier this year experts, led by Roy Wilsher,


chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said that following fire tests it had become clear that many


6 | HMM December/January 2020 | www.housingmmonline.co.uk


Dozens of students were evacuated in the Bolton fire with just two people requiring treatment from paramedics at the scene. Some 40 fire engines and appliances and around 200 firefighters from across Greater Manchester attended at the height of the blaze


HPL panels were “very unlikely to adequately resist the spread of fire”. “Building owners with these systems should


immediately take action,” the fire safety panel said. “Action to remediate unsafe HPL should be carried out as soon as possible.”


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