AN urgent review of tower block safety was launched yesterday after cladding on Grenfell Tower was blamed for spreading the inferno.

Panels designed to improve energy efficiency were fitted to the block in a £9million refurb completed in May last year.

17 At least 12 are dead and scores are in hospital after the blaze that hit Ladbroke Grove's Grenfell Tower block Credit: Eyevine

17 Residents described how cladding on the outside of the building, fitted in 2015, had appeared to go up 'like matchsticks'

But they were filled with foam insulation that “went up like matchsticks” in the blaze.

Yet use of the materials is entirely legal and complies with all current building regulations.

And experts say the cladding now covers thousands of homes and offices across Britain.

17

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Arnold Tarling, 55, of the Association of Specialist Fire Protection, said: “This was an accident waiting to happen.

“They clad the concrete of this building with flammable insulation panels and rain screen cladding with a 30mm gap, which acted like a chimney.

“All the burning material falls down, starting more fires below, and the flames spread up and across searching for oxygen.

Danger across UK SIMILAR cladding to that used at Grenfell Tower has been fitted to high-rise blocks across Britain and the rest of the world. Numerous schemes have made use of the cheap insulation to get green energy ticks next to developments. Brightly coloured exterior panelling can be seen on new -builds and added to existing, crumbling estates. The Highwood, a 31-storey block, part of the redevelopment in Elephant and Castle, South London, is just one example. Five towers on the Chalcot Estate in Camden, North London, have been kitted out with the cladding by Rydon, the company behind the Grenfell refurb. Devastating consequences linked to the design craze have been seen in Dubai, where there have been several major blazes. On New Year’s Eve in 2015, a fire tore through the 63-storey Address Hotel. Fortunately no one was killed but it left the building in ruins. There were also fires at the 826ft Marina Torch residence in February 2015 and at the Tamweel Tower in November 2012. Experts say there are more examples of the cladding’s use in the Middle East and China.

17 Flames devour the Dubai Address Hotel in 2015 Credit: EPA

“Meanwhile, crews can’t tackle the fire effectively because their water just bounces off the rain covers.

“The cladding looks lovely, it’s cheap, complies with regulations and gives the building a high environmental rating. But it’s a silent killer.

“When this block was built, it complied with the old fire regulations. Had it been left alone it would never have burned like this.”

What we know so far:

17 Andrew Goldman admitted on Good Morning Britain he did not know what type of cladding was used Credit: Twitter

17 The fire started close to 1am and continued to burn on some storeys eight hours later Credit: Alamy

An industry watchdog warned of the cladding danger 18 months ago after panels caused fire to tear through a Dubai block in minutes.

When six people died in a 2009 fire at Lakanal House, a 14-storey block in Camberwell, South East London, exterior cladding panels ignited in four-and-a-half minutes.

Southwark Council was fined £570,000 for fire safety failings in February — but astonishingly not for the cladding.

17 The West London tower block looked like a scene from hell as a fire ripped through the building Credit: London News Pictures

17 A fire action sign inside a block near Grenfell advises residents to 'stay put' if the fire is not in their flat

Fire reg rap BRITISH fire regulations are ten years out of date and ignore major developments in construction. Southwark Council was prosecuted four months ago over a fire where cladding ignited, but only for technical breaches such as missed risk assessments. New-builds over ten storeys must have sprinklers fitted, but fire expert Dr Jim Glockling said: “When a significant redevelopment is made it should be updated to the latest building regulations.”

There were further questions last night over the possibility that fireproof insulation, removed to replace old pipes in the Grenfell refurb, was not put back.

If it wasn’t, that would have created channels of air allowing the flames to rapidly spread inside the building.

A surveyor involved with the project refused to comment last night.

Residents at Grenfell were also told to stay in their flats rather than flee because the staircase was not designed for a mass evacuation.

17 ACM cladding, which has been linked to a number of high-rise fires, had reportedly been fitted to the building

But the “stay put” policy was developed in an era when fires mostly stayed in the rooms they started in — and were not expected to spread so rapidly on the outside of blocks.

A source who works for Grenfell Tower’s fire maintenance system said alarms did go off — but might not have sounded.

He said: “We got a call this morning to say the alarms had activated and needed to be reset.

“When we get a notification like that it means the fire alarm must have gone off. I’ve heard residents’ reports that they didn’t sound. This is unusual but is possible.

17 A firefighter assesses the damage in the aftermath of the Grenfell blaze Credit: Getty Images

“We only manage the fire alarms in communal parts of the building.”

He added: “There are no sprinklers in the building. I know that because we would manage them if there were.

“When it was built it didn’t have to have sprinklers put in.

“Regulations were different in the 1970s. Even now it’s only a recommendation.

“Sprinklers are expensive. They cost about £3,500 per dwelling — a lot for a high-rise building.

But you should never put a limit on the price of safety of people’s lives.”

Dr Jim Glocking, of the Fire Protection Association, said his organisation had been crying out for a review of UK building regulations.

He said: “This is not a one-off. If it turns out that everything was to plan and absolutely appropriate, then that raises a horrific question that what is currently being done is wrong, or certainly not good enough.

17 A Londoner watches smoke billowing from Grenfell from a balcony

“We keep being promised a review, it keeps being delayed. The last regulations were ten years ago. We are building very different buildings now.

“We have been very concerned about the introduction of highly-combustible products into buildings.

“They are often being introduced on the back of the sustainability agenda, but it’s sometimes being done recklessly without consideration to the consequences. It’s not uncommon for buildings to have blocks of polystyrene up to 30cm deep on the outside, which is an extraordinary quantity of combustible material.”

Policing and Fire Minister Nick Hurd yesterday pledged to reassure people living in similarly-clad buildings as soon as possible.

17 One person was killed and six injured when the Mermoz Tower in Roubaix, France, went up in flames in 2012 Credit: Youtube

Studio E Architects, who oversaw the Grenfell refurb, said: “We are deeply shocked and distressed over news of the devastating fire. Our thoughts are with those affected.

“We will be assist the relevant authorities as and when required.”

According to planning documents, sub-contractors Harley were paid £2.6million to oversee the cladding installation.

17 The charred remains of the 24-storey building

A spokesman for Harley Facades told Sun Online: "Harley Facades Limited completed the refurbishment work to Grenfell Tower. This included the installation of exterior cladding.



"The Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) panels are a commonly used product in the refurbishment industry.

"Harley Facades Limited do not manufacture these panels."

He added: "This is an incredibly tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the residents and their families who have suffered such a personal loss.

"We will fully support and cooperate with the investigations into this fire.

"There will be many questions about this whole incident and so you will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for us to comment or for others to speculate on any aspect of fire or it causes in advance of these inquiries.

"At this time, we are not aware of any link between the fire and the exterior cladding to the tower."

Sun Online has contacted Rydon for comment.

Harley managing director Raymond Bailey and his wife Belinda had been director and secretary of Harley Curtain Wall, which was responsible for the cladding project at the tower block.

17 Melbourne's Lacrosse tower blaze also saw its facade catch light Credit: Melbourne Fire Services

The firm went bust in 2015, owing creditors more than £1million, before being bought up by Mr Bailey's other firm Harley Facades.

The 58-year-old boasts of more than 25 years “practical experience” as a specialist curtain walling contractor.

At their East Sussex home today Mrs Bailey, 56, denied any knowledge of Harley Curtain Wall or its work at Grenfell Tower.

The mum-of-three insisted there was “nothing to say”.

Mr and Mrs Bailey’s home is behind electric gates accessed from a private road, with a Porsche and Land Rover were parked outside.

17 The Harley Facades office was closed today after it emerged the firm completed refurbishment work at Grenfell Tower Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Witnesses to the blaze described how the material "went up like paper".

Another told Channel 4 news: "The fire was coming up really fast because of the cladding.

“The cladding was flammable."

Rydon had earlier insisted its work - which was completed on May 2016 - "met all required building control, fire regulation and health and safety standards."

A statement from the company on the “devastating” fire today read: “Rydon completed a refurbishment of the building in the summer of 2016 for KCTMO (Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation) on behalf of the council, which met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards.

17 Firefighters were this afternoon pictured inspecting the gutted tower block Credit: PA:Press Association

17 Around 200 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze Credit: London News Pictures

"We will co-operate with the relevant authorities and emergency services and fully support their inquiries into the causes of this fire at the appropriate time."

The building was last tested for fire safety shortly after the new cladding was fitted in December 2015.

Investigators are currently trying to establish the exact cause of the blaze, which left 69 injured.

Police said the death toll of 12 is likely to increase dramatically.

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