Responding to the findings of a BBC Panorama investigation about the insulation used on Grenfell Tower, Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “The findings outlined in the Panorama investigation are beyond shocking. The issues identified in the programme are matters for the police to urgently investigate. Those responsible for any criminal behaviour in relation to Grenfell should be held accountable and feel the full force of the law. But we must look at how a lax regulatory system created an environment where the Grenfell Tower disaster was allowed to happen. As this investigation proves the current regime of regulation and testing of materials used in the construction industry has been shown to be a complete and utter failure. A failure of that nature which results in 72 deaths as happened at Grenfell is in itself criminal. “The fire safety testing regime in this country has been easily gamed. A product can pass a fire safety test because the manufacturer is able to submit a version which is far more fire retardant compared to the product it actually intends to sell to customers. This is a shocking state of affairs. Residents living in affected blocks and firefighters who may be sent to fight fires, not knowing what they are facing, will be utterly outraged at what has been going on. “The same type of insulation created by Celotex has been used in hundreds of other buildings across the UK. That’s just one product. How many other types of material have managed to pass fire safety tests while posing a threat to life? It is not good enough to say that one manufacturer behaved illegally. The entire fire testing regime needs to be redesigned urgently if we are to avoid another Grenfell.” |