Flames and smoke billow as firefighters deal with a fire in the Grenfell Tower apartment block in West London, Britain, June 14, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File photo

BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Britain announced on Sunday that it is banning the use of combustible materials on the outside of high-rise buildings in response to the Grenfell Tower fire that killed 71 people.

“I will change the building regulations to ban the use of combustible cladding for all high rise residential buildings, hospitals, care homes and student accommodation and bring about a change in culture on building safety,” housing minister James Brokenshire said in a statement.

The ban will apply to buildings over 18 meters (19.69 yards)tall.

The government had previously indicated it wanted to implement a ban following the Grenfell Tower fire, Britain’s deadliest on domestic premises since World War Two.