CLADDING from every single high-rise building in England that has been examined in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy has failed a basic fire test.
The government said 75 buildings in 26 council areas had now failed the combustibility trial.
Sajid Javid, the Communities and Local Government Secretary, told the Commons yesterday that the English councils needed to be faster to submit samples for testing to avoid another “catastrophic failure” on the scale of the inferno in North Kensington that has left at least 79 dead.
The Minister told MPs: “I can inform the House that as of midday today the cladding from 75 high-rise buildings in 26 local authority areas has failed the combustibility test.”
He added: “The combustibility test has three categories rated one to three and it is judged that cladding material in categories two or three does not meet the requirements for limited combustibility in building regulations.
“I can also confirm to the House that, so far, on that basis, all samples of cladding tested have failed.
“The fact that all samples so far have failed underlines the value of the testing programme and the vital importance of submitting samples urgently.”
He added: “I am concerned about the speed at which samples are being submitted.
“I would urge all landlords to submit their samples immediately.”
Schools and authorities responsible for schools across the country have been contacted and ordered to carry out checks on their buildings.
Javid added: “Building regulations and the system for ensuring fire safety in buildings have been developed over many decades and until the Grenfell fire many experts would have claimed that that system had served us well.
“But now we have witnessed a catastrophic failure on a scale many thought impossible in 21st-century Britain.
“It is clear that failure must be understood, it must be rectified without delay and the government is determined to ensure that that happens.”
Landlords for all affected buildings have either already informed or are in the process of informing tenants, Javid said.
Residents of four tower blocks in Camden were told they were being evacuated on Friday evening amid fire safety fears, and Javid commended their “brave response to such a distressing situation”.
He told the Commons: “This tragedy must never be forgotten, it should weigh heavily on the consciousness of every person tasked with making decisions that ensure that it can never, ever happen again.”
The company that manufactures the cladding has pulled the material from sale around the world.
Arconic said it would no longer sell its Reynobond PE panels, which have already been banned for use on towers in countries including Germany and the US, but not the UK.
It said in a statement: “Arconic is discontinuing global sales of Reynobond PE for use in high-rise applications. We believe this is the right decision because of the inconsistency of building codes across the world and issues that have arisen in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy regarding code compliance of cladding systems in the context of buildings’ overall designs. We will continue to fully support the authorities as they investigate this tragedy.”
Meanwhile, a group of Scottish housing campaigners have urged the government north of the Border to test the cladding on all towers at the Building Research Establishment (BRE).
The Scottish Government has previously said no council or housing association high-rise domestic buildings has the type of cladding reported to have been used in Grenfell tower, and regulations here are stricter than down south.
But Sean Clerkin from the Scottish Tenants Association said the cladding on all buildings should be tested. He and others have “obtained” cladding being installed in a building in Glasgow and are paying for it to be tested at the BRE.
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