In 2017, the UK witnessed one of the worst fires in recent history, with the Grenfell Towers residential block engulfed in flames - claiming more than 70 lives. In the aftermath of the tragedy, public opinion has turned from grief to investigation, as revelations regarding culpability and cost-cutting spread through the British media.
As Scotland Yard and a public enquiry seek to bring those potentially responsible to justice, the government, fire service and local councils are looking at how such a tragedy can be avoided in the future. So, what lessons can be learned from the Grenfell Towers fire?
Understanding how the fire spread so quickly is paramount to learning from the tragedy. The fire started on the fourth floor, but spread to the rest of the building within minutes:
Many have suggested that the cladding used on the building was a major contributor to the spread, particularly in light of the news that the council rejected non-flammable aluminium boards during an earlier refurbishment in order to save money.
Had non-flammable panels been used during this refurbishment, the lives lost at Grenfell could almost certainly have been saved according to fire safety experts. A recent analysis of other tall buildings in the UK found the same type of cladding used in 300 other buildings in England, many of which failed subsequent fire safety tests.
In order to prevent such a tragedy occurring in future, it's crucial that local councils learn and apply the lessons of Grenfell, particularly in relation to the panels used to clad them, as well as the inclusion of sprinkler systems and fire-resistant doors and windows throughout the buildings.