September 5th 2024.
Yesterday, the final report was released, revealing a shocking truth about the construction industry. It exposed a culture of deceit and incompetence within construction firms, which ultimately led to the use of highly flammable cladding on a 24-storey block of flats. This discovery comes as a devastating revelation in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed the lives of 72 people. Despite being held responsible for this tragedy, those at fault have continued to rake in millions of pounds.
The fire, which started as a simple kitchen fire on June 14, 2017, quickly spread throughout the tower, trapping hundreds of people in unbearable 1,000C heat. In the following public inquiry, it was found that almost every organization involved in the construction and refurbishment of the building had played a part in the disaster. The report also highlighted the construction companies' blatant disregard for fire safety regulations. Shockingly, it was revealed that 10 bosses who were involved in building the ill-fated tower had collectively earned over £300 million since the fire occurred.
One of the main culprits identified in the inquiry was Arconic, a French construction company. The report stated that the company had deliberately taken advantage of the weak regulations in the UK. It was also revealed that Arconic was aware of the extreme danger posed by the cladding panels with a polyethylene core, which they had sold for the exterior of Grenfell Tower. Firefighters even compared the material to petrol, stating that it made it impossible to control the fire and save lives. The inquiry's chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, declared that these panels were the primary reason for the rapid spread of the fire.
In the latest London news, the police are seeking information on individuals believed to be involved in the murder of a chef during the Notting Hill Carnival. Passengers are also facing delays due to disruptions at a major London station. In another shocking incident, a US firm is threatening legal action against a company in Brixton for using the word "Brixton" in its name. For more updates on the capital, visit The Agency's London news hub.
The report also highlighted the failure of the Reynobond PE panels, which failed a fire test but did not disclose this information when obtaining a certificate from the British Board of Agrément. During his testimony, Arconic's president Claude Schmidt admitted that the company's staff had misled and lied to customers. Despite this, the bosses have continued to profit, with the chief executive Tim Myers earning £22.3 million from share sales and £23.9 million in pay since the Grenfell fire.
The confirmed death toll of 72 victims from the Grenfell Tower fire is a constant reminder of the tragedy. However, the company's chief financial officer Erick Asmussen and chief commercial officer Mark Vrablec have earned £9.2 million each from share sales and an additional £9.2 million in pay. The company has also managed to recoup most of its legal expenses from their insurers, as stated in their accounts. In response to the tragedy, Arconic stated that they remember the victims and their families and have made financial contributions towards settlements and restorative justice.
They also denied any claims of selling an unsafe product and concealing information from customers or the public. Another manufacturer, Celotex, which supplied the majority of the insulation boards, was also found to have been dishonest. However, this did not stop the company's chief executive, Pierre-André de Chalendar, from earning £11.7 million, while former senior vice president Benoit Bazin earned £15.8 million. The inquiry found that the company had manipulated testing on the material, which released toxic gases, including hydrogen cyanide during the fire.
To pass safety testing, the company added fire-resistant boards to a test rig in 2014, which they concealed in official reports and marketing materials. Former technical services officer at Celotex, Jamie Hayes, confessed to coming up with this plan but denied knowledge of the company's intention to hide it. He admitted that it was a failure of moral responsibility that prevented him from challenging the company after learning the truth. In a damning email from 2013, an employee wrote, "Do we take the view that our product realistically shouldn't be used behind most cladding panels because in the event of a fire, it would burn?" This revelation only adds to the shocking truth about the dishonesty and incompetence within the construction industry.
A report released yesterday shed light on the shocking truth behind the devastating Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed the lives of 72 people. It revealed a culture of deceit and incompetence within construction firms, leading to the use of highly flammable cladding on the 24-storey block of flats. What started as a simple kitchen fire on June 14, 2017, quickly engulfed the entire building, leaving hundreds of people trapped in unbearable 1,000 degree heat.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, a public inquiry was launched which found that nearly every organization involved in the construction and refurbishment of the building shared responsibility for the disaster. It also uncovered a disturbing attitude of indifference towards fire safety among construction companies. Despite this, it was later revealed that 10 bosses who were involved in the construction of Grenfell Tower had pocketed over £300 million since the fire occurred.
One of the main culprits, Arconic, was found to have exploited weak regulation in the UK, according to the inquiry. The French construction company, which sold the highly flammable cladding panels for the exterior of Grenfell Tower, knew full well the dangerous nature of the material. Firefighters described the panels as being akin to "petrol," making it impossible for them to control the spread of the fire and save lives. Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who chaired the inquiry, confirmed that these panels were the primary reason for the rapid spread of the fire.
In the latest London news, police are seeking individuals in connection to a murder at Notting Hill Carnival, passengers are facing delays due to disruptions at a major London station, and a US company is threatening a local business in Brixton for using the area's name. Visit The Agency's London news hub for all the latest updates from the capital.
The panels used by Arconic, known as Reynobond PE panels, failed a fire test when they were bent to hang from a wall. However, the company did not disclose this information when obtaining a certificate from the British Board of Agrément. During his testimony at the inquiry, Arconic's president Claude Schmidt admitted that his staff had misled and lied to customers. Despite this, the company's top executives have continued to profit, with chief executive Tim Myers raking in £22.3 million in share sales and £23.9 million in pay since the tragedy.
The confirmed death toll of 72 victims serves as a constant reminder of the horrific events that took place at Grenfell Tower. Meanwhile, Arconic's chief financial officer Erick Asmussen and chief commercial officer Mark Vrablec made a further £9.2 million from share sales and £9.2 million in pay. Shockingly, the company has managed to recoup most of their legal expenses related to Grenfell from their insurers, as revealed in their accounts. In a statement, Arconic expressed their condolences for the lives lost and stated that they have made financial contributions to settlements for those affected by the tragedy.
The company also rejected claims that they sold an unsafe product and denied concealing information or misleading any certification body, customer, or the public. Another manufacturer, Celotex, which supplied the majority of the insulation boards used in Grenfell Tower, was also found to have been dishonest. The company's chief executive Pierre-André de Chalendar earned £11.7 million, while former senior vice president Benoit Bazin made £15.8 million, according to The Times. The inquiry uncovered evidence of manipulation in the testing of the material used by Celotex, which released toxic gases including hydrogen cyanide when it burned.
In order to pass safety testing, Celotex added fire-resistant boards to a test rig in 2014, which they later concealed in official reports and marketing materials. A former technical services officer at Celotex, Jamie Hayes, admitted to coming up with the plan but denied knowing that the company would try to conceal it. He acknowledged that it was a "failure of moral fiber" on his part to not challenge the company after becoming aware of their actions. In a damning email from 2013, one employee wrote: "Do we take the view that our product realistically shouldn't be used behind most cladding panels because in the event of a fire it would burn?"
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