London social housing News

Door From London’s Deadly Grenfell Tower Fails Fire Safety Test

Police say a door from a London high-rise that went up in flames, killing 71 people, has failed an expert fire safety test. The Metropolitan Police force said Thursday that an undamaged door from Grenfell Tower withstood flames for only …

UK Panel Review of Grenfell Tower Tragedy Calls for ‘Cultural Change’ Around Safety

An interim review into UK building regulations commissioned after the Grenfell Tower social housing block fire in London which killed 71 people in June, has called for a “culture change” in respect to fire safety. The review, sponsored by the …

London Police Eye Criminal Charges Related to Grenfell Tower Disaster

London police are considering a variety of criminal charges related to the June fire at Grenfell Tower that killed 71 people. Police told an inquiry Monday [Dec. 11] that the possible charges include misconduct in public office, manslaughter, corporate manslaughter …

Grenfell Tower Insurer, Protector Forsikring, Raises Claims Estimate to $65M

The insurer of London’s Grenfell Tower, where at least 80 people died in a devastating fire, raised its estimate for property and liability insurance claims to 50 million pounds ($65 million) on Friday [July 7]. British police have said the …

Grenfell Tower Fire Puts Cloud over Energy Efficiency Industry’s Building Materials

The fire that killed at least 79 people in a residential tower in London earlier this month has delivered a blow to an often overlooked section of the green industry that’s crucial to delivering energy efficiency. Local authorities across the …

ABI Warned About Risks of Modern Building Materials Before Grenfell Tower Fire

“External cladding, made from combustible material can often cause significant fire spread upwards and between buildings, which is a particular concern for areas of high building density.” This now sadly prophetic statement was the Association of British Insurers’ response in …

Arconic Stops Selling Cladding for High-Rises After Grenfell Tower Tragedy

Arconic Inc. said on Monday it will stop global sales of plastic-filled aluminum cladding panels for use in high-rise buildings after a fire in London’s Grenfell Tower, which used those Arconic panels, killed at least 79 people. Shares of the …

Whirlpool Fridge Started London’s Grenfell Tower Fire that Killed at Least 79

A deadly fire that killed at least 79 people in a London tower block started in a Whirlpool Corp. fridge and spread at “unexpected speed” through the building’s exterior cladding, police said, indicating they’ll pursue charges if criminal offenses are …

Norway’s Protector Forsikring Insured Grenfell Tower Fire; Price Tag Debated

Olso-based Protector Forsikring is the insurer of Grenfell Tower, the residential block that was destroyed last week by a raging fire that killed 79 people. “Based on the information we have as of now, the damage is estimated at more …

London Blaze-Tower Built with Cladding Used Across England

About 600 high-rise apartment blocks in England have been fitted with cladding similar to that used on the London tower in which 79 people died in a devastating fire last week, Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said. Tests are being …