UK: Final Grenfell Tower report blames fire on failings by the government and businesses; incl. co. comments
"Grenfell Tower fire inquiry blames deaths on incompetence and greed," 5 September 2024
A public inquiry into the devastating 2017 London Grenfell Tower blaze that killed 72 people blamed the disaster on failings by the government, construction industry and, most of all, the firms involved in fitting the exterior with flammable cladding... The inquiry laid most responsibility for the disaster on the companies involved in the maintenance and refit of the apartment tower, as well as companies that it said had dishonestly marketed combustible cladding materials as safe.
It also criticized the then-government, the local authority of Kensington and Chelsea, the industry, regulatory groups, specific individuals and an ill-prepared fire brigade for years of inaction over fire safety in high-rise blocks...
Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologised to the relatives of victims and survivors on behalf of the British state, saying they had been failed for years.
"It should never have happened. The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty, to protect you and your loved ones," he said in parliament, where some bereaved relatives watched on. "Today is a long awaited day of truth, but it must now lead to a day of justice."...
There was also condemnation of those firms which made and sold the cladding or its foam insulation... [including] Kingspan, and Arconic Architectural Products, the French subsidiary of U.S. company Arconic...
Arconic said it rejected any claim it had sold an unsafe product or tried to conceal information about tests of its materials. Kingspan said it had "long acknowledged the wholly unacceptable historical failings" but said these did not cause the tragedy....
Kingspan's full statement on the report can be found here.
Arconic's full statement on the report can be found here.