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The student property in Bolton hit by a devastating fire on Friday night was clad with high-pressure laminate (HPL) panels, according to planning documents.
Students were evacuated from The Cube in Bolton after flames ripped through the upper floors of the building, apparently spreading via the external wall.
The fire brigade later confirmed that the material was not aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding, as used on Grenfell.
Planning documents indicate that Trespa Meteon, a brand of HPL, was used on the building – although it is possible that the material was substituted during construction. News outlets including the BBC have reported that the building was clad with HPL over the weekend.
Because of the building’s height, around 200 firefighters tackled the blaze, with 40 fire engines, three aerial platforms and other specialist appliances in use.
As student accommodation, the block was fitted with fire alarms and an evacuation plan was in place.
All 220 of the building’s occupants have now been accounted for.
The fire brigade confirmed that the fire occurred in ‘phase two’ of the accommodation, which is below 18m, meaning it is outside the scope of the current ban on combustibles.
Above: HPL cladding with combustible insulation during a fire test (picture: BRE)
However, a spokesperson for the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government told The Guardian: “Building owners must ensure their tenants can live safely in their homes and this means all cladding systems, including HPL, that do not conform to our strict building safety standards must be removed.”
However, this does not acknowledge the fact that the building in question is below 18m and is therefore outside the scope of the ban on combustibles.
It also contrasts with a statement in the summer that said HPL “could be safe” for a high-rise building if used with mineral wool insulation. The government has been asked to clarify the position.
Before Grenfell, HPL could have been used on high rises via a number of different routes in the official guidance – including justification through a desktop study, which MHCLG has previously described as a “well established and often necessary” part of the building regulation system.
It could also have been used if treated with fire retardant to reach the standard of ‘Class 0’ for external spread of flame.
Reacting to the fire, Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “My congratulations go to the crews on the ground who did amazing work in incredibly difficult circumstances. This terrible fire highlights the complete failure of the UK’s fire safety system.
“It’s deeply troubling to see fire spread rapidly up a building’s exterior again – a shocking indictment of the government’s shameful inaction after Grenfell. This is not how any building should react to a fire in the 21st century, let alone a building in which people live.”