Grenfell Tower was turned into a death trap by “dishonest” construction firms, architects and negligent politicians who ignored fire safety for decades, a public inquiry has found.
Seventy-two residents lost their lives when fire engulfed the west London tower block on June 14, 2017, in one of the worst disasters in modern British history.
In an utterly damning report, Inquiry chair Sir Martin Moore-Bick concluded that architects, companies involving in the disastrous refubishment, and the local council in Kensington and Chelsea are to blame.
Here are 12 key findings, including some of the companies, people and organisations the report says are to blame:
1. Architect Studio E
Architect Studio E was responsible for the design of the external wall and choice of the materials used in its construction.
“Its failure to recognise that ACM (cladding) was dangerous and to warn the TMO (Tenant Management Organisation) against its use represented a failure to act in accordance with the standard of a reasonably competent architect,” the report said.
“Studio E...bears a very significant degree of responsibility for the disaster.”
2. Principal contractor Rydon
“We consider that the principal contractor, Rydon, also bears considerable responsibility for the fire,” the report said.
“It gave inadequate thought to fire safety, to which it displayed a casual attitude throughout the project.”
3. Cladding sub-contractor Harley
“Harley itself failed in many respects to meet the standards to be expected of a reasonably competent cladding contractor and it too bears a significant degree of responsibility for the fire,” the report said.
4. Exova
Exova was instructed by architect Studio E to prepare a fire safety strategy for the building in its refurbished form.
“A draft was prepared but never completed,” the report said.
“Exova also bears considerable responsibility for the fact that Grenfell Tower was in a dangerous condition on completion of the refurbishment.”
5. Arconic Architectural Products
Arconic Architectural Products manufactured and sold the Reynobond 55 PE rainscreen cladding panels used in the external walls of Grenfell Tower
“From 2005 until after the Grenfell Tower fire, Arconic deliberately concealed from the market the true extent of the danger of using Reynobond 55 PE in cassette form, particularly on high-rise buildings,” the report said.
6. Celotex
Celotex manufactured RS5000, the principal insulation product used on Grenfell Tower.
“In an attempt to break into the market for insulation suitable for use on high-rise buildings...Celotex embarked on a dishonest scheme to mislead its customers and the wider market,” the report said.
7. Kingspan K15
Kingspan K15 was one of the insulation products used on Grenfell Tower.
“From 2005 until after this inquiry had begun, Kingspan knowingly created a false market in insulation for use on buildings over 18 metres in height by claiming that K15 had been part of a system successfully tested under BS 8414,” the report said.
8. The Government
“In the years that followed the Lakanal House fire (2009), the government’s deregulatory agenda, enthusiastically supported by some junior ministers and the Secretary of State, dominated the department’s thinking to such an extent that even matters affecting the safety of life were ignored, delayed or disregarded,” the report said.
9. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
“RBKC’s building control department failed to perform its statutory function of ensuring that the design of the refurbishment complied with the Building Regulations. It therefore bears considerable responsibility for the dangerous condition of the building immediately on completion of the work,” the report said.
10. The Tenant Management Organisation
“The TMO mut also take a share of the blame for the disaster. As the client it failed to take sufficient care in its choice of architect and paid insufficient attention to matters affecting fire safety.
“Some, perhaps many, occupants of the tower regarded the TMO as an uncaring and bullying overlord,” the report said.
11. The London Fire Brigade
“Failures were attributable to a chronic lack of effective management and leadership, combined with an undue emphasis on process.”
12. Response to the tragedy
“Those who emerge from the events with the greatest credit, and whose contribution only emphasised the inadequacies of the official response, are the members of the local community.”
