A public inquiry into the devastating 2017 London Grenfell Tower fire on Wednesday blamed the disaster on failings by government, the construction industry and most of all the firms involved in fitting the exterior with flammable cladding. Seventy-two people died when the fire ripped through the 23-storey social housing block in one of the richest areas of west London during the early hours of June 14, 2017. It was Britain’s deadliest blaze in a residential building since World War II.
Flames then spread uncontrollably, mainly because the tower had been covered during a 2016 refurbishment with cladding — exterior panels designed to improve appearance and add insulation — made of flammable aluminum composite material that acted as a source of fuel.