Money or life –

Avoidable catastrophe: the manufacturer knew that the facade elements on the Grenfell Tower were dangerous. (Screenshot: jn, Source: SkyNews Grenfell: The Fire of London)

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Avoidable catastrophe: the manufacturer knew that the facade elements on the Grenfell Tower were dangerous. (Screenshot: jn, Source: SkyNews Grenfell: The Fire of London)

As part of the investigation of the Grenfell Tower fire, further facts have come to light that reveal that economic interests outweighed serious security concerns. Ten years before the accident, the seller of the facade panels was well aware of the danger of such elements. A manager of the Arconic company took part in a seminar in Norway in 2007, at which the risk of fire and the responsibility of the manufacturer were discussed. Startled by what he heard, the company employee wrote a memorandum in which he pointed out the dangers and even made an initial estimate of 60 to 70 fatalities in the event of a fire. 72 people left their lives in the flames in Grenfell Tower.

One possibility would have been to sell only those with a fire-retardant core instead of the dangerous panels in the future. However, this was not implemented. Although such improved panels were developed, the distribution of the old ones was maintained. In 2011, the manufacturer warned a Spanish customer against buying the dangerous products because of the low fire resistance class E – which, according to the customer, is “close to spontaneous combustion”. Nevertheless, they came to be used in England on the basis of a British Fire Safety Certificate which suggested the materials were rated B. However, the certificate actually referred to one similar Product from the same manufacturer.

At about the same time as the order for the panels for Grenfell Tower was being processed, executives at the supplier exchanged technical reports documenting over ten high-rise fires in different parts of the world with similar siding panels and warning of the dangers. Among other things, a facade fire in the Lacrosse building in Melbourne from 2014 was documented, in which the fire grew from the eighth to the 21st floor in just 15 minutes and was able to penetrate the rooms on each floor. The course of the fire is very similar to that in London.

Comments from the recipients make it clear that the danger was obvious and clearly recognizable for everyone: After another documented case in January 2016 about a fire in Dubai, one of those responsible wrote: «I hope that PE [der eingesetzte Dämmstoff] is gradually excluded from the facade cladding. ”

Grenfell Tower in London was on fire 17 months after these reports were sent out.