From the Liveblog of
Sunday, June 18, 2017
UK official says paneling on Grenfell Tower violated building codes
Britain’s trade minister says the exterior paneling used on the exterior of the London high-rise, in which dozens were killed in a fire, appears to have violated building rules.
Greg Hands tells Sky News that “my understanding is that the cladding that was reported was not in accordance with UK building regulations. We need to find out precisely what cladding was used and how it was attached.”
Is our health and safety worse than other countries? @GregHands responds to question about #GrenfellTower cladding #Ridge pic.twitter.com/VoxztsrjeH
— Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge (@SkyPoliticsHub) June 18, 2017
Experts say the cladding and the insulation it contained seems to have spread the flames quickly along the exterior of the building, overwhelming safety devices like fire doors.
Hands cautions that investigators still don’t know exactly what cladding was used when the building renovation was completed last year. The building was gutted by a fast-moving fire early Wednesday, claiming at least 58 lives.
