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Grenfell Tower Inquiry diary week 21: ‘It’s there in black and white, isn’t it? We see a complete absence of any consideration of life safety’

The story of insulation giant Kingspan’s testing and marketing of its combustible insulation for high rises was unpacked in minute detail this week. Peter Apps reports

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The story of insulation giant Kingspan’s testing and marketing of its combustible insulation for high rises was unpacked in minute detail this week. Peter Apps reports #UKhousing

The Kingspan witnesses who gave evidence this week were walked through much of the evidence of last week, before going on to some substantial new disclosures.

We will pick the story up from 2008 – but to do so, it is necessary to provide some brief background. At this point, Kingspan was selling its Kooltherm K15 insulation for use on high-rise buildings based on a ‘large-scale test’ pass from 2005 and subsequent authentication from respected certifying body the British Board of Agremént (BBA).

But there were two problems. First, the test result only justified the very precise mock wall build-up, which had been tested, but K15 was being sold for use in a much wider variety of systems.

And second, the product had actually changed. In 2006, new technology had introduced a new chemical composition and perforations to the foil facing of the product. When retested in 2007 and 2008 it failed dramatically, with the tests described internally as a “raging inferno” and the insulation “burning on its own steam”.

This product change was kept a secret, even from other arms of the Kingspan business. But the suitability of the product for high rises was still raising concern in the industry.


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Key government official warned over use of Kingspan insulation on high rises in 2014Key government official warned over use of Kingspan insulation on high rises in 2014
Grenfell Tower Inquiry diary week 20: ‘We were outed by a consultant who we then had to fabricate a story to’Grenfell Tower Inquiry diary week 20: ‘We were outed by a consultant who we then had to fabricate a story to’
Kingspan claims about suitability of its insulation for high rises ‘a house of cards’, inquiry hearsKingspan claims about suitability of its insulation for high rises ‘a house of cards’, inquiry hears

‘They are getting me confused with someone who gives a damn’

‘They are getting me confused with someone who gives a damn’

The inquiry was shown multiple instances of clients questioning the suitability of K15 for high rises.

The most shocking example came in October 2008 when contractor Bowmer and Kirkland emailed Kingspan’s Phil Heath (pictured above) to query whether the insulation could be used in a project with what was described as "ceramic stone" cladding.

The contractor noted that Kingspan had “not substantiated” why K15 was suitable for a high-rise building and “[appeared] to be relying wholly” on the single 2005 Building Research Establishment (BRE) test.

“He is absolutely right, isn’t he, in what he says there?” asked Kate Grange, counsel to the inquiry.

“He is, yes,” Mr Heath replied.

But Mr Heath forwarded the email to a friend, writing: “I think Bowmer & Kirkland… are getting me confused with someone who gives a dam [sic].

“I’m trying to think of a way out of this one, imagine a fire running up this tower !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Any ideas…?”

Mr Heath told the inquiry that this friend was terminally ill and he was “in a dark place” as a result.

The contractor then asked a specialist, Wintech, for an opinion. “Kingspan keep repeating that the product has been tested to BS8414 and therefore is suitable for use in buildings over 18 metres. What they fail to say is that it is suitable for use only in the configuration as tested,” a consultant wrote.

This email was forwarded to Mr Heath.

This time, he wrote internally: “Wintech can go f*ck themselves, and if they are not careful we’ll sue the arse [off] them.”

He apologised for this “unprofessional” language when questioned.

All of this left Kingspan with a problem. It needed further justification of its claim that the product was suitable for high rises to shut down the concerns. But it also appeared to be unable to pass further tests.

‘We can be very convincing when we need to be’

‘We can be very convincing when we need to be’

What it did was seek further certification, to add to its BBA certificate.

In 2009, it approached the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) seeking a certificate. This group was the representative body for council building control inspectors, but also had a line in getting its members to write certificates for the use of various products, which other inspectors would rely on.

This certificate, issued in May 2009 by inspectors at Hereford Council, went much further than the BBA had. It said the product “can be considered a material of limited combustibility” and as a result was suitable in all situations “including those parts of a building more than 18m above ground”.

This was seriously wrong. Limited combustibility really means non-combustible – or at least close to it. Only insulations spun from rock or glass wool or the more pricey cellular glass can meet it. Plastics like Kingspan never can.

But Kingspan’s team did not seek a correction.

“GREAT NEWS!” Mr Heath wrote in an internal email, announcing the certificate. He called the line on limited combustibility the “highlight”.

Dr Malcolm Rochefort (pictured above), former technical director at Kingspan, who also gave evidence this week, emailed Mr Heath to ask what evidence had been submitted to the LABC to support this claim.

(Dr Rochefort is a crucial figure in Kingspan's history - a chemist who holds the patent to its phenolic foam insulation).

“We can be very convincing when we need to be,” he replied. “We threw every bit of fire test data we could at him, we probably blocked his server. In the end I think the LABC convinced themselves Kooltherm is the best thing since sliced bread. We didn’t even have to get any real ale down him!”

Questioned about this, Mr Heath confirmed that the only real test data Kingspan had sent to the LABC was the 2005 test.

Both witnesses claimed the line that the product could be “considered” a material of limited combustibility referred only to the system it was tested in. But Ms Grange said it clearly went further than this.

“I’m suggesting to you that you knew at the time that the certificate was utterly misleading,” she said to Mr Heath.

“At the time, I don’t believe it was, but on reflection and reading it now, I can see that, yes,” he replied.

So happy were the team with the certificate, they decided to stop testing the insulation and rely entirely on the certificate to win work.

“At in excess of £15k/test, both the sales and business development teams should be adept enough to use their tool kit to the full,” Mr Heath wrote in an email.

The LABC certificate would later be described as “garbage” by inspectors at another building control firm, the National House Building Council (NHBC). “Hereford LABC didn’t know what they were talking about,” an NHBC email from 2014 said.

‘Wintech will have no alternative but to make public our concerns to the industry at large’

These questions quietened down once the certificate from the LABC was obtained, but concerns began to bubble up again in 2013.

By October 2013, Wintech was once more raising concerns about the use of K15. Discussions were held and the firm asked Kingspan to carry out more testing to justify the use of the insulation in high rises within six months.

Wintech said if this did not happen it would “have no alternative but to make public our concerns to the industry at large”.

This threat triggered Kingspan recommencing testing for the first time in seven years to try to satisfy Wintech that its product was compliant.

Pressure was also mounting from NHBC, the country’s largest private inspector, which also wanted to see more testing to justify the continued use of the product.

This testing would begin in January 2014, but once more it would not be quite what it seemed.

‘Surely we risk making fools of ourselves?’

‘Surely we risk making fools of ourselves?’

The first test, which paired K15 with high-pressure laminate cladding, failed. A second test in March on a similar system also came up short. But this time, Kingspan did not think it should have.

The test was stopped after flames breached the top of the rig within the 60-minute duration of the test. This was a failure – but only under recently published pass/fail criteria, replacing prior rules that would have considered only the first 30 minutes.

Kingspan decided to dispute this result with the BRE.

“Surely we risk making fools of ourselves?” wrote one member of the team in an internal email.

Tony Millichap, head of technical (pictured above), did not think so. He noted in an email that the firm intended to “sow some seeds to influence that result”, adding that “in the event we do not get what we want, stronger tactics will be employed”.

So it proved. The firm copied in its lawyer into an email to the BRE that said: “We would interpret this as a positive result… and should this be interpreted any other way by yourselves we would intend to appeal the result formally.”

The BRE did not back down and the test was deemed a failure.

The next test was in July with terracotta tile cladding. This time, finally, it passed.

“F*cking happy days!” wrote one Kingspan employee internally. “I think we have just pissed over [rival manufacturers] Knauf, Xtratherm and Rockwool!”

But something was amiss. The insulation tested was not the same as the K15 that Kingspan had been selling for almost a decade. Instead it was a new research and development product that had a foil facer double the thickness of the one on the market and a different chemical thought to improve the fire performance.

Nonetheless, without hesitation, Kingspan began writing to contractors to promote the news of its result to the market, declining to mention that it was on a substantially altered product from the one they were selling. The technical team were told to respond to client queries within 48 hours with the new test data.

One run of internal emails suggested that Mr Millichap may have had some qualms about this. A colleague complained that “slap head Millichap” felt that the new testing “wasn’t a compelling story”, while another wrote “what planet is he on”.

“I had pointed out that if we were moving to that product, which was fully the intention, then obviously that product needs to be identified as a different product,” Mr Millichap said when questioned.

But this was not to be. Kingspan would eventually drop the new trial product, but continue to use the test evidence to sell the old K15.

Asked whether this was appropriate, Mr Millichap repeatedly said the firm had genuinely intended to switch to the new trial product eventually.

“But how could you justify that interim period of carrying on selling standard K15?” Ms Grange asked.
“Only on the basis that, you know, we would be supporting new specifications that would be satisfied with the new product, but I appreciate there is a risk that that wouldn’t be the case,” he replied.

‘It was a deliberate lie, all of this’

‘It was a deliberate lie, all of this’

Shortly after this test pass, the situation surrounding NHBC’s concerns about Kingspan escalated.

Brian Martin, a government official responsible for the building regulations covering fire safety, wrote to the NHBC saying he had recently been warned about the use of combustible insulation on high rises (apparently a reference to an industry summit for which Inside Housing obtained the minutes in 2018).

“Allegedly – several buildings have been erected where PIR insulation has been used in cladding panels well over 18m in height. Apparently people are under the impression that PIR is a material of limited combustibility (which it isn’t). Again, allegedly, many of these buildings are blocks of flats,” he wrote, describing the email as a “friendly warning” to the NHBC not to sign off these towers as safe.

Steve Evans, head of technical operations at the NHBC, replied: “The issue is in respect of the use of Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board in buildings over 18m in height.

“The confusion has arisen from Kingspan’s statement that their product is acceptable for use in a building >18m. However, the product is made from a generic type of polyurethane foam which is, by nature, combustible.”

Mr Evans forwarded this email to Kingspan and it fell to Mr Millichap’s team to respond. Mr Millichap said internally that he was briefing the company’s solicitor.

There was something wrong in Mr Evans email - Kingspan's product is phenolic not polyurethane. But apart from that, as Mr Millichap accepted, it was entirely correct.

Nonetheless a letter was drafted back to the NHBC complaining about inaccuracies. It read: “Our significant test portfolio alongside many precedents in gaining approval, standards lobbying and extended involvement with fire consultants over many years has afforded Kingspan with a deep understanding of the regulatory framework in this area.”

He then said the firm had completed “two successful [large-scale] tests this year”. This was a reference to the March and July tests – both done on the new trial product and one that had in fact been a failure.

“What I’m going to suggest to you is that actually it was a deliberate lie, all of this. It wasn’t just inadvertent – it was a deliberate strategy on the part of Kingspan to deceive not only the NHBC and other professionals, but by now potentially DCLG in giving the response you have just given,” said Ms Grange (pictured above).

“That was never my intention,” replied Mr Millichap.

‘The use of highly combustible materials in residential buildings is now simply an accident waiting to happen’

‘The use of highly combustible materials in residential buildings is now simply an accident waiting to happen’

The NHBC’s concerns did not diminish following this letter. In October 2014 Kingspan told the NHBC it would seek the help of fire consultants at Arup to vouch for the safety of its product.

This turned out to be Dr Barbara Lane (pictured above), now an inquiry expert. Kingspan requested she write “something to satisfy the NHBC that we are meeting and trying to move towards a situation where we can jointly put together a set of rules for the safe use of our material at height”.

Dr Lane declined. While she was happy to say they were meeting, she added: “I do not want you to be under any impression that we may agree or support anything you may have on the table.”

Separately, she wrote to the NHBC and said: “Arup are actually deeply concerned about the lack of understanding of assemblies and the ongoing incorrect use of test reports… The use of highly combustible materials in residential buildings is now simply an accident waiting to happen.”

The NHBC’s concern mounted. It sent an email to Kingspan outlining the risks in blocks of flats (sleeping risk, stay put strategy and more).

And then in February 2015, its patience ran out. It wrote to Mr Millichap, copying in Kingspan’s chief executive Gene Murtagh.

It said it was going to start rejecting K15 for high rises unless builders could provide separate justification and would “inform our builder customers of our concerns at the earliest opportunity”.

Kingspan’s response came directly from its solicitors. It warned that the NHBC’s action would cause Kingspan “very significant financial loss” and “constitute negligent misstatement and defamation”.

The letter referred to the test passes in 2005 and July 2014 – neither of which had been conducted on the K15 actually sold. Asked why this was not made clear, Mr Millichap said the letter “was compiled with reference from lots of colleagues at the time”. He claimed that Kingspan was still “continuing to try and work collaboratively [with the NHBC] to reach an agreement”.

“Is the reality that you were just in too deep by this point?” Ms Grange asked. “K15 was on too many tall buildings and you had defended its position for so long, it was simply inconceivable that you would change tack?”

“No, I don’t believe it is,” said Mr Millichap. “We were working with good intentions towards a product that was suitable.”

Towards the end of Mr Heath’s evidence, Ms Grange asked him why all of the emails showed such little concern for the most fundamental matter: life safety.

“It’s there in black and white, isn’t it?” she said. “We see a complete absence of any consideration of life safety; that’s right, isn’t it?”

“I don’t believe that was the mindset of Kingspan at that time, but on reflection I can see why you think that, yes,” replied Mr Heath.

The inquiry continues with further Kingspan witnesses next week.

Week 21 headlines

Week 21 headlines

(Picture: Dr Barbara Lane/Grenfell Tower Inquiry)

Key government official warned over use of Kingspan insulation on high rises in 2014

Government officials were warned in summer 2014 that combustible Kingspan insulation was being used on high rises despite the fact testing did not confirm its safety, emails disclosed by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry show

Kingspan claims about suitability of its insulation ‘a house of cards’, inquiry hears

Kingspan’s assertion that its combustible insulation product could be used on high-rise buildings was a “house of cards” based on a single test from 2005 which has now been withdrawn

Kingspan relied on trial product test to keep selling insulation for high rises, inquiry hears

Kingspan relied on fire tests run on a new trial product to continue selling its combustible insulation product for high rises after being challenged over its use in 2013

Kingspan manager said professionals raising fire safety concerns could go f*ck themselves, inquiry hears

A Kingspan manager said that professionals raising fire safety concerns relating to the company’s insulation could “go fuck themselves” or the firm would “sue the arse [off] them” in an email disclosed by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry

Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase two: weekly diaries

Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase two: weekly diaries

Module one: the refurbishment

Week one: A vivid picture of a broken industry

After a week of damning revelations at the opening of phase two of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Peter Apps recaps the key points

Click here to read the full story

Week two: What is the significance of the immunity application?

Sir Martin Moore-Bick has written to the attorney general requesting protection for those set to give evidence at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Peter Apps explains what the move means

Click here to read the full story

Week three: Architects of misfortune

This week saw the lead architects for the Grenfell Tower refurbishment give evidence to the inquiry. Peter Apps runs through the key points

Click here to read the full story

Week four: ‘I didn’t have any perception that it was the monster it’s become’

The architects continued to give evidence this week, outlining a lack of understanding of the fire risk posed by the cladding materials and its design. Nathaniel Barker reports

Click here to read the full story

Week five: ‘No adverse effect in relation to external fire spread’

As the Grenfell Tower Inquiry returns from its long absence, Peter Apps recaps the key points from a week of important evidence from the fire consultants to the refurbishment

Click here to read the full story

Week six: ‘I can’t recall any instance where I discussed the materials with building control’

Nathaniel Barker summarises what we learned from fire engineers Exova, architects Studio E and the early evidence from contractor Rydon

Click here to read the full story

Week seven: ‘I do not think I have ever worked with a contractor operating with this level of nonchalance’

Two key witnesses from contractor Rydon gave evidence this week. Peter Apps recaps some of the key points from a revealing week of evidence

Click here to read the full story

Week eight: ‘It haunts me that it wasn't challenged’

Four witnesses from contractor Rydon gave evidence this week. Lucie Heath recaps what we learned on the last week of evidence before the inquiry breaks for five weeks

Click here to read the full story

Week nine: ‘All I can say is you will be taken out for a very nice meal very soon’

This week the inquiry heard evidence from witnesses at Harley Facades, the sub-contractor responsible for Grenfell Tower’s cladding. Peter Apps recaps the key points

Click here to read the full story

Week 10: ‘As we all know, ACM will be gone rather quickly in a fire!’

As the Grenfell Tower Inquiry entered its 10th week, Jack Simpson recaps the key points from a week of important evidence from the refurbishment’s cladding contractor

Click here to read the full story

Week 11: ‘Did you get the impression Grenfell Tower was a guinea pig for this insulation?’

With witnesses from the cladding subcontractor, the firm which cut the deadly panels to shape and the clerk of works which inspected the job giving evidence this was week full of revelations. Peter Apps recaps the key points

Click here to read the full story

Week 12: ‘Would you accept that was a serious failing on your part?’

With the surveyor who inspected Grenfell Tower for compliance giving evidence, this was a crucial week from the inquiry. Dominic Brady and Peter Apps report

Click here to read the full story

Week 13: ‘Value for money is to be regarded as the key driver for this project’

With consultants to Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) giving evidence, attention at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry turned for this first time to the actions of the TMO and the council. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 14: ‘Did it not occur to you at this point that your budget was simply too low?’

This week, for the first time in phase two, the inquiry heard from Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, the landlord that oversaw the fatal refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. Lucie Heath reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 15: ‘Have you ever informed the police that you destroyed documents relevant to their investigation?’

Witnesses from the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) gave evidence for a second week, which began with a shocking revelation about withheld and destroyed evidence. Peter Apps recaps

Click here to read the full story

Week 16: ‘I conclude this was very serious evidence of professional negligence’

This week saw members of Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation finish giving evidence, before the inquiry’s expert witnesses took the stand to make some highly critical assessments of the work they had seen before and during the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. Jack Simpson recaps

Click here to read the full story

Grenfell Tower: a timeline of the refurbishment

Following the conclusion of module one of the Grenfell Inquiry’s second phase, Peter Apps presents a timeline of the key moments during the fatal refurbishment of the west London tower block

Click here to read the full story

Module two: the cladding products

Week 17: ‘It’s hard to make a note about this because we are not clean’

The start of the second module of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase two came with some huge revelations about the companies that sold the products used in the cladding system. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 18: ‘It was just reckless optimism wasn't it?’

As the inquiry began cross-examining witnesses for the second module of its phase two work, the picture surrounding just how Grenfell Tower ended up wrapped in such dangerous materials became a little clearer. Nathaniel Barker was keeping an eye on proceedings

Click here to read the full story

Week 19: ‘And that was intentional, deliberate, dishonest?’

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry this week heard the shocking story of how the insulation manufacturer “manipulated” official testing and marketed its product “dishonestly”. Peter Apps tells the story

Click here to read the full story

Week 20: ‘We were outed by a consultant who we then had to fabricate a story to’

This week the inquiry investigated the actions of Kingspan – the manufacturer of one of the insulation products used in the tower’s cladding system. Dominic Brady reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 21: ‘It’s there in black and white isn't it? We see a complete absence of any consideration of life safety’

The story of insulation giant Kingspan’s testing and marketing of its combustible insulation for high rises was unpacked in minute detail this week. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 22: ‘All we do is lie in here’

In the third week of evidence from insulation giant Kingspan, the inquiry continued to uncover shocking details about the firm’s behaviour both before and after the Grenfell Tower fire. Lucie Heath reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 23: ‘That would have come as an earthquake to you at the time, would it not?’

This week the inquiry took its deepest dive yet into the inner workings of the cladding manufacturer whose product has been blamed for the terrible spread of fire up Grenfell Tower. Nathaniel Barker reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 24: ‘Do you accept that Test 5B was Arconic's deadly secret’

The president of the firm that made and sold the cladding panels installed on Grenfell Tower was asked to account for the apparent concealment of “disastrous” fire tests on the product this week. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 25: ‘This is quite an incredible list of omissions and missed instances, isn’t it?’

This week the Grenfell Tower Inquiry heard its first witnesses from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) - the testing house which carried out key fire tests on the Kingspan and Celotex insulation products which were later used on Grenfell Tower. Peter Apps reports.

Click here to read the full story

Week 26: 'You were taking an enormous risk, weren't you?'

Week 26 at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry was a key moment in understanding how dangerous products used on the tower came to be accepted by industry professionals. Dominic Brady reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 27: ‘What will happen if one building made out [of] PE core is in fire and will kill 60 to 70 persons?’

The most explosive evidence this week at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry came from those who did not attend, as the evidence which would have been presented to Arconic witnesses was displayed in their absence. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 28: ‘This is a serious safety matter’

This week the Grenfell Tower Inquiry zeroed in on the British Board of Agrément, the body that produced “misleading” certificates which inspired trust in both the cladding and insulation used on the tower. Lucie Heath reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 29:  ‘Is it true that Kingspan’s position… was to do its best to ensure that science was secretly perverted for financial gain?’

The final week in this section of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry primarily examined the attempts by insulation manufacturer Kingspan to lobby government after the fire. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

How the products used in Grenfell Tower's cladding system were tested and sold

As the section of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry examining how the products used in the cladding system were tested, marketed and sold comes to a close, Peter Apps summarises what we have learned about each of the products included in the system

Click here to read the full story

Module Three: the management of the tower

Week 30: ‘There is certainly a high probability that in the event of a fire the whole building can become an inferno’

The focus of the inquiry shifted this week to the actions of the social housing providers responsible for maintaining Grenfell Tower. Pete Apps recaps what we learned

Click here to read the full story

Week 31: ‘If we cannot get out people will die’

This week saw the former residents of Grenfell Tower enter the witness box to tell of their experiences attempting to raise complaints with the council and its managing agent. Pete Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 32: ‘Let's hope our luck holds and there isn't a fire’

This week saw the return of the landlord of Grenfell Tower, Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), as senior staff members attempted to explain how vital fire safety protections at the block were allowed to fall into disrepair. Lucie Heath reports

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Week 33: ‘Isn't that a serious gap in the scope of a policy meant to safeguard vulnerable people?’

A slightly disjointed week at the Grenfell Tower inquiry saw further evidence from staff at building manager Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) interspersed with the views of a cladding expert. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 34: ‘Some members of the community are doing their best to spread false information’

Jack Simpson covers all the major revelations from the past week of evidence at the Grenfell Inquiry, including evidence from Laura Johnson, director of housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Click here to read the full story  

Week 35: ‘I really didn’t like the champagne’ 

This week the Grenfell Tower Inquiry saw council witnesses, including former deputy leader Rock Feilding-Mellen and leader Nicholas Paget-Brown, questioned about their role in the story for the first time. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 36: ‘Is that not a very incurious approach for a fire risk assessor?’

This week the Grenfell Tower Inquiry scrutinised the work of Carl Stokes, the man hired to carry out fire risk assessments for the block. Nathaniel Barker reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 37: ‘In giving that advice, weren’t you acting beyond your knowledge and expertise?’

A curtailed week at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry saw fire risk assessor Carl Stokes grilled over advice he gave regarding the tower’s cladding. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 38: ‘Well it’s a bit more than that, isn’t it. He’s suggesting that you tell the LFB a lie’

The inquiry heard the mammoth cross-examination of KCTMO’s health and safety manager Janice Wray this week. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 39: ‘What you said there was a grotesque understatement’

This week the inquiry continued to hear from former employees of Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, as well as two employees from the London Fire Brigade. Lucie Heath reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 40: ‘An exercise in concealment and half-truth’

Former KCTMO chief executive Robert Black gave his evidence to the inquiry this week and was asked to account for the various failures described over the previous six weeks. Peter Apps and Nathaniel Barker report.

Click here to read the full story

Week 41: ‘We should do nothing. This is not the sort of website we should be responding to’

This week saw the return of Robert Black, chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), before the inquiry turned its attention to the defective smoke control system in the tower. Dominic Brady reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 42:‘They would leak as much as they leaked. They were what they were’

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry continued its in-depth investigation of the tower’s non-compliant smoke control system this week, with evidence from the various contractors involved in delivering it. Pete Apps reports 

Click here to read the full story

Week 43:‘Contractors at the time were not generally aware of the importance of leaving holes unsealed’

This week the inquiry focused on two of the more overlooked areas of the Grenfell Tower fire, with evidence focusing on the gas pipelines and lifts within the west London block. It was a packed week, with five witnesses giving evidence. Jack Simpson reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 44:‘I've never seen a fully compliant firefighting lift in any local authority building, to this day actually’

This week the inquiry turn the focus onto the building’s defective lifts, with evidence from an expert, contractors who worked on them and a former engineer at KCTMO. Pete Apps reports. 

Click here to read the full story

Week 45: ‘Don’t you find all this rather a surprising debate, given that the Equality Act was passed in 2010?’

The inquiry heard from expert witness Colin Todd this week, who gave his views about the work of risk assessor Carl Stokes as well as answered questions about his own guidance. Peter Apps and Nathaniel Barker report

Click here to read the full story

Week 46: ‘I think I've been very, very clear that is completely wrong’

This week the inquiry heard further expert evidence about fire risk assessor Carl Stokes’ actions, as the section of its work covering the management and maintenance of the tower concluded. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Six key failures in the way Grenfell Tower was managed before the fire

Peter Apps recaps some of what we have learned about the actions of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) in the years before the fire.

Module one and two closing statements

Week 47: ‘An unedifying spectacle’

After a week of closing statements from the core participants involved in modules one and two, Lucie Heath recaps the key arguments of each group

Click here to read the full story

Module five: the fire brigade

Week 48: ‘They knew, and lives could and should have been saved’

The phase of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry examining the actions of the London Fire Brigade in the years before the fire kicked off this week with some major revelations. Peter Apps reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 49: ‘I'm not sure we've always taken every opportunity to learn as an organisation’

How the London Fire Brigade acted upon lessons from incidents in the years before the Grenfell Tower disaster came under the microscope this week at the public inquiry. Nathaniel Barker reports

Click here to read the full story

Week 50: ‘There is a culture in LFB that is very conservative. I think there is great comfort in what is familiar’

This week the inquiry heard how the London Fire Brigade (LFB) elected not to issue warnings about dangerous cladding before Grenfell and a detailed examination of its policy for checking high risk buildings. Pete Apps reports. 

Click here to read the full story

Week 51:‘We teach firefighters to expect building failure’

An unusually brief week of evidence at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry explored how a fire service neighbouring London was taking a different approach to tackling blazes in high rises. Nathaniel Barker reports

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Week 52: ‘I actually think that there is a measure of incompetence at all levels’

Expert evidence concluded the current section of the inquiry with some stinging criticism of the London Fire Brigade (LFB). Pete Apps and Grainne Cuffe report. 

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Module six: fire services

Week 53: ‘They make for chilling reading and harrowing listening’

The inquiry’s investigation into central government began this week with lawyers setting out their view on how and why firefighting policies failed. Peter Apps and Lucie Heath report

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Week 54: ‘Our consideration of evacuation at this time was something of a blind spot’

The development of policy on ‘stay put’, both nationally and for London, occupied the attention of the inquiry this week. Peter Apps reports

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Week 55: ‘My review is pretty scathing!’

In a week that included the 200th day of evidence in phase two of the inquiry, attention turned to the London Fire Brigade’s control room. Lucie Heath reports

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Week 56: ‘Why didn't we thump the table harder’

This week, the control room at the London Fire Brigade was examined further – both before and after the fire. Pete Apps and Lucie Heath report

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Week 57: ‘It was worse than slow, it was sluggish’

Former London Fire Brigade (LFB) commissioner Dany Cotton was the star witness this week, as the inquiry continued to delve into the brigade’s knowledge and training before the Grenfell Tower fire. Jack Simpson, Grainne Cuffe and Pete Apps report

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Week 58: ‘I don't think we deserve to ask for trust until we demonstrate different outcomes’

A current and former commissioner of the London Fire Brigade (LFB) wrapped up the inquiry’s investigation into the actions of the brigade before the fire. Grainne Cuffe and Peter Apps report.

Module six: testing and government 

One of the major scandals of our time: key revelations as the Grenfell Tower Inquiry turns to government

The government was accused of “covering up” the risks of dangerous cladding as its “unbridled passion for deregulation” left it a “junior party” to the construction industry as the latest phase of the public inquiry opened today. Peter Apps summarises some of the main points

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Week 59: ‘Recent tests have apparently shown it continued to burn for 20 minutes after the flame was taken away’

After shocking opening statements, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry turned its attention to the work of Local Authority Building Control. Pete Apps reports

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Week 60: ‘You could have an exact repeat of the Dubai fire in any number of buildings in London’

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry turned its attention to the work of the National House Building Council this week, with shocking revelations about the extent of the warnings issued to central government before the fire. Peter Apps reports

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Week 61: ‘Mistakes are meant for learning, not repeating’

In the first hearings of the new year, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry heard closing statements from the firefighting section of phase two. Lucie Heath reports

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Week 62: Did it ever occur to you that this act of collaboration was, in one sense, corrupting?

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry returned to the work of the National House Building Council (NHBC) this week, with a new shocking revelation about the government’s actions in the immediate aftermath of the fire. Peter Apps reports

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Week 63: ‘It came after the general move to deregulation. So more regulation was not welcome’

The government’s focus on deregulation before the Grenfell Tower fire was placed in the spotlight this week with a series of shocking revelations about its failure to amend fire safety guidance. Pete Apps and Grainne Cuffe report

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Week 64: ‘I didn’t think ACM would be suitable for use in any high-rise buildings. I don’t think anyone did’

This week, the Building Research Establishment’s Dr Sarah Colwell gave more than three days of evidence, with some huge revelations about what was known about the dangers of aluminium composite material years before the fire and the mass confusion over the government’s building regulations. Peter Apps and Jack Simpson report

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Week 65: ‘Unless the government does something now about ACM panels, people will die’

Further evidence from the Building Research Establishment and the first government witnesses added new depth to our understanding of how warnings were missed before the Grenfell Tower fire. Peter Apps reports 

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Week 66: ‘Was there a cover-up?’

The latest evidence from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry tracked the government’s failure to act on fire safety warnings right up until the months before the fire. Peter Apps and Grainne Cuffe report

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Week 67: ‘When exposed to a fire, the aluminium melts away and exposes the polyethylene. Whoosh!’

This week the inquiry heard disturbing new evidence about the failure of senior government officials to act on warnings about dangerous cladding in the years before the Grenfell Tower fire. Peter Apps reports

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Week 68: ‘Can we agree that was a pretty dangerous thing to have, all this falling on one man’s shoulders?’

Three senior civil servants gave evidence this week, including the official who had responsibility for building regulations guidance on fire safety in the years before Grenfell. Peter Apps, Lucie Heath, Stephen Delahunty and Grainne Cuffe report

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Week 69: ‘It was just unthinkable. You had the makings here of a crisis you could not comprehend’

This week, civil servant Brian Martin gave his long-awaited evidence to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Peter Apps reports

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Week 70: ‘Show me the bodies’

An important week at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry saw a dramatic conclusion to the mammoth cross-examination of civil servant Brian Martin, as well as the first politicians. Peter Apps and Lucie Heath report

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Week 71: ‘I have changed my schedule to fit this in. I do have an extremely busy day meeting people’

Three politicians who were responsible for building regulations before Grenfell appeared before the inquiry this week, including the former communities secretary Eric Pickles, who responded to the coroner’s letter following the Lakanal House fire. Peter Apps and Lucie Heath report

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Module Four: aftermath

Week 72: 'The system isn't broken. It was built this way'

This week the inquiry turned to the shocking story of the lack of support for bereaved and survivors in the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire. Peter Apps, Lucie Heath, Grainne Cuffe and Jack Simpson report

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Week 73: ‘Most people would regard that as hopeless’

This week, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry heard about the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s chaotic response in the immediate aftermath of the blaze, from the staff responsible for it. Pete AppsStephen Delahunty and Grainne Cuffe report

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Week 74: ‘Do you agree that RBKC was ill-prepared and incapable to meet its duties’

This week, Nicholas Holgate, former chief executive of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, was grilled on his failure to hand over control of the aftermath of the fire, despite the borough’s lack of capacity. Peter Apps reports

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Week 75: ‘It still shocks me to the core that that’s how we treat our citizens in this country’

This week the inquiry heard witnesses from the housing management body discuss their role in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, followed by a range of witnesses from other organisations which supported the response. Peter Apps and Grainne Cuffe report

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Week 76: ‘I fear this will become our New Orleans’

This week the inquiry heard from central government figures and members of the London-wide emergency response arrangements. Peter Apps and Grainne Cuffe report

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Week 77: ‘The planning wasn’t done and there was nothing for us to be drawing on’

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s examination of the aftermath of the fire concluded with witnesses from central government. Peter Apps reports

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Module seven: expert evidence and closing statements

Week 78: ‘The abandonment of the ‘stay put’ strategy for high-rise residential buildings is essential’

This week the Grenfell Tower Inquiry heard a range of expert witnesses discuss their reports. Peter Apps and Grainne Cuffe report

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Week 79: ‘You could argue the system was created to enable people to circumvent the rules’

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry continued to hear expert evidence this week, with two senior figures in the world of fire safety academia criticising the government’s approach before and after the blaze. Peter Apps and Grainne Cuffe report 

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Week 80: ‘The evidence points to wilful blindness and complacency towards safety’

As the inquiry moves into its final stages, lawyers for the key players gave statements about the evidence surrounding central government. Peter Apps reports

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Week 81: ‘This is Islamophobia. It’s racism. It is the elephant staring back at us in the room’

This week, closing statements covering the aftermath of the fire delivered a shocking new revelation and an expert toxicologist gave his views on the causes of the deaths. Peter Apps reports

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Module eight: further evidence relating to the deceased

Week 82: ‘Their chance to hear about the circumstances in which their loved ones died is the culmination of five years of waiting’

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry moved into its final module this week, with evidence relating to the circumstances in which the victims died. Peter Apps reports

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Week 83: ‘They died together as they lived: caring for one another’

A second week of evidence relating to the circumstances in which the victims of the fire died delivered more heartbreaking stories about their final moments. Peter Apps recaps

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Week 84: ‘Every decision affects someone who is an adored child, a beloved sister, a respected uncle, a needed mother’

The final week of oral evidence for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s second phase contained more heartbreaking evidence about the deaths in the tower. Peter Apps reports

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Closing statements

Week 85: ‘The merry-go-round turns still, the notes of its melody clearly audible in the last few days’

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry returned this week for closing statements from lawyers representing the bereaved and survivors and the various parties under scrutiny for the fire. Pete Apps reports.  

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