Tests after Grenfell Tower fire reveal cladding on 600 UK buildings ‘combustible’
Flames spread rapidly up the 24-storey residential tower block last week, trapping people inside, in what was Britain’s worst blaze since the second world war.
Tests on exterior building materials in other high-rise buildings conducted after the devastating west London fire has shown that some of the panels submitted were combustible.
“Shortly before I came to the chamber, I was informed that a number of these tests have come back as combustible,” she said.
“The relevant local authorities and local fire services have been informed, and, as I speak, they are taking all possible steps to ensure buildings are safe and to inform affected residents.”
A spokeswoman for May later said an estimated 600 buildings in England have cladding similar to that used at the Grenfell Tower block.
“We are obviously in touch with all the local authorities to encourage them to urgently send us the samples and then we will carry out the checks that we need,” she said.
