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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Lizzie Dearden

Grenfell Tower fire was started by Hotpoint fridge-freezer and spread to 'combustible' cladding

The Grenfell Tower fire was started by a Hotpoint fridge-freezer before spreading to the building's “combustible” cladding, investigators have found.

Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack, from the Metropolitan Police, said the Hotpoint FF175BP model had not been subject to any product recall and work with the manufacturer was underway.

The Government has ordered an "immediate examination" of the unit to establish the cause of the fire and whether any further action is needed.

"At this stage there is no specific reason for consumers to switch off their fridge freezer pending further investigation," a spokesperson added.

Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, said the safety of consumers was "paramount", adding: " The device is being subject to im mediate and rigorous testing to establish the cause of the fire.

"I have made clear to the company that I will expect them to replace any item without delay if it is established that there is a risk in using them."

Witnesses at the scene of the 24-storey fire on 14 June said a resident told neighbours his fridge had “exploded” while alerting them to the initial blaze, which spread rapidly through the block.

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Det Supt McCormack said tests had been carried out on cladding installed on the outside of Grenfell Tower last year to improve insulation and the building's appearance.

Police are are working with experts to examine the aluminium cladding, the insulation behind it, how the tiles were fixed to the building and how it was installed.

“Preliminary tests on the insulation samples collected from Grenfell Tower showed that they combusted soon after the test started,” Det Supt McCormack said.

“The initial tests on the cladding tiles also failed the safety tests.”

The results have been shared with the Department for Communities and Local Government and will go to all councils in the UK amid urgent checks of other tower blocks.

Det Supt McCormack said two key points of the investigation were Grenfell Tower’s internal safety” and how the fire spread so quickly.

Police are looking at “every criminal offence from manslaughter onwards”, as well as health and safety regulations and investigating all companies involved in the building and refurbishment of Grenfell Tower.

Documents and materials had been seized from a “number of organisations”, Det Supt McCormack said.

The number of victims confirmed or presumed dead in the fire still stands at 79 but said efforts to confirm who was inside the building at the time continue.

She urged people to come forward with information about any missing friends and relatives, assuring them that the tragedy would not be used by the Home Office or police to check immigration status.

“I know that there is a fear the [death toll] is a lot higher and I do not want any hidden victims of this tragedy,” she added.

“Every complete body has been removed from the building.

"What we are dealing with now, as you can imagine in the intense heat, is a very distressing scene.

“What we haven't got is a picture of how many people might have been in there.

"That's the number in really worried about, that there might have been other innocent people in there.“

Volunteers have told The Independent they fear missing undocumented migrants and sub-letters may not "exist" on records, with relatives reportedly afraid to go to authorities over fears their immigration status will be checked.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, was among those calling for an amnesty on people who may have been living in the tower illegally.

Det Supt McCormack said officers are receiving CCTV, photos and footage from the fire, as well as “harrowing” phone calls made by victims trapped inside.

“On the night we received over 600 999 called and we have listened to every one of those to truly understand the fire and how it took hold that night,” she added.

“Some of these calls are over an hour long and truly harrowing in their content.”

The investigator warned that “distressing” and difficult investigations inside Grenfell Tower may not be complete until the end of the year, with a lift being installed on the outside on the building

"Such is the devastation [that] there is a terrible reality that we may not find or identify everyone who died in the fire,” she added. “We will do everything we can with the utmost sensitivity and dignity.

“We want to provide the best possible answers for all those who have been deeply affected by this tragedy.”

Protesters hold signs calling for justice for the victims of the Grenfell Disaster (Getty Images)

Theresa May has admitted that initial support for families was “not good enough”, with survivors left without belongings, shelter and basic information.

“That was a failure of the state, local and national, to help people when they needed it most,” she added.

“As Prime Minister, I apologise for that failure.”

The Government announced on Wednesday that many of the families who lost their homes in the fire will be housed in apartments in Kensington Row, around 1.5 miles from Grenfell Tower.

The Department for Work and Pensions has provided £5,000 grants from a £5 million discretionary fund, with the total amount paid so far around £500,000.

The response has been taken over by the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce, as the Charity Commission coordinates the distribution of thousands of pounds raised by public donations.

The department for business and energy is urging owners of Hotpoint fridge-freezers of models FF175BP (white) or FF175BG (grey) should call Whirlpool Corporation’s freephone hotline on 0800 316 3826 or visit its website to register for any updates.

People with concerns about product safety can also call the Citizens Advice consumer service line on 03454 04 05 06 or our helpline on 0300 123 1016.

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