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Government to conduct further tests on fire doors following Grenfell failure
Further tests will be carried out on fire doors following the news that front doors to flats in Grenfell Tower burned in just 15 minutes, housing secretary Sajid Javid has said.
However, he insisted that there is “no evidence that this is a systemic issue”.
The Metropolitan Police today revealed that tests on an undamaged fire door recovered from Grenfell Tower resisted flames for 15 minutes, despite being certified to provide 30 minutes’ protection as required by building regulations.
The force passed the information to the government, feeling it “might have wider implications for public safety”.
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Mr Javid told MPs in a statement to parliament today that the government’s expert panel on fire safety has concluded “that the risks to the public’s safety remain low” and that there is no change to fire safety advice.
He added: “I nevertheless fully appreciate that this news will be troubling for many people, not least all those affected by the Grenfell tragedy.
“That’s why based on expert advice we have begun the process of conducting further tests and will continue to consult with the expert panel to identify the implications of these further tests.
“I have made it clear that the necessary tests and assessments must be carried out thoroughly but at pace.”
Responding to the statement, shadow housing minister Tony Lloyd said the suggestion that the issue is not systemic “ring[s] a little incredible”.
Mr Javid did not reveal the company responsible for manufacturing the door, but said it was a glazed door made five years ago.
A press release from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the company is no longer trading. The front doors under investigation are from a batch manufactured in 2013.
Inside Housing has asked the government and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to confirm the manufacturer and the specific reason for the failure.
The doors will be subjected to BS476-22 fire resistance tests, which test 30-minute fire resistance.
MHCLG has committed to provide an update on the fire door tests at the end of April.
“It is of course concerning to hear that a tested fire door did not operate as it was supposed to,” said David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation.
“We will continue to closely follow the investigation and work with the government and broader sector to take action where necessary.”
A 2012 fire risk assessment of Grenfell Tower, seen by Inside Housing, noted that some fire doors did not have smoke seals as this was not a requirement of building regulations when they were installed.
However, this was before the refurbishment of the building and was not the most up-to-date assessment of the tower which has not been released publicly.
