Grenfell Tower blaze started in Hotpoint fridge-freezer, say police

The Grenfell Tower blaze started in a Hotpoint fridge-freezer and the building's insulation and cladding have failed safety tests, according to investigators.

The insulation was also found to be more flammable than the cladding tiles, police revealed.

They also said the Hotpoint FF175BP model had not been subject to any product recall and further tests were being carried out on the fridge.

The Government has ordered an immediate examination by experts of the model involved and Hotpoint said it is working with the authorities in order to assist in the investigation.

The inferno at the 24-storey building in Kensington left 79 dead or missing presumed dead.

Nine victims have so far been formally identified.

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In a statement, Hotpoint said: "Words cannot express our sorrow at this terrible tragedy."

And the company added: "We are addressing this as a matter of utmost urgency and assisting the authorities in any way we can."

Hotpoint is asking people with the fridge freezer model numbers FF175BP and FF175BG to call an emergency number: 0800 316 3826.

Checks on tower blocks across the country have revealed at least 14 have combustible cladding similar to that on Grenfell Tower.

Downing Street said the testing facility being used to check council and housing association buildings was also available to the owners of private blocks who were being encouraged to use it.

Premier Inn has said it is "concerned" about whether cladding on some of its hotels meets safety standards - but added that it is not the same material as that on Grenfell Tower.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack said the force will consider manslaughter charges as part of the investigation into the disaster.

Documents and materials had been seized from a "number of organisations", she added.

She said: "We are looking at every criminal offence from manslaughter onwards, we are looking at every health and safety and fire safety offence and we are reviewing every company at the moment involved in the building and refurbishment of Grenfell Tower."

Ms McCormack repeated calls for members of the public with information about people who may have been in the tower at the time of the fire to come forward.

She reassured people their immigration status would not be investigated.

She was also aware of illegal subletting and that there may be visitors unaccounted for.

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Ms McCormack said: "Every complete body has been removed from the building.

"What we are dealing with now, as you can imagine in the intense heat, is a very distressing scene.

"What we haven't got is a picture of how many people might have been in there.

"That's the number I'm really worried about, that there might have been other innocent people in there."

She added: "There is a terrible reality that we may not find or identify everyone who died due to the intense heat."

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Of the tests carried out on the tiles and insulation, Ms McCormack said: "All I can say at the moment is they (tiles and insulation) don't pass any safety tests.

"What we are being told at the moment by the Building Research Establishment is that the cladding and insulation failed all safety tests."

She added: "Such are our safety concerns on the outcome of those tests, we have shared our data with the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and we have ensured that information data has been shared with every council."

Premier Inn said a "detailed assessment" of its estate, carried out following the deadly Kensington fire, identifed three hotels in Maidenhead, Brentford and Tottenham that might not comply with government guidance for tall buildings.

However, a spokeswoman said the material was not the same as that used to clad Grenfell Tower.

She said: "Although we have concerns that the fire retardant cladding used may not adhere to recognised government guidance on compliance with the building regulations for use in high rise buildings, an independent fire expert has assured us that these hotels are safe and that they are entirely satisfied that there are robust fire safety measures and evacuation procedures in place to protect our guests and team members."