London (AFP) – The US supplier of the cladding which encased London’s Grenfell Tower before it was destroyed by a devastating fire announced on Monday it is stopping sales of the material for high-rise buildings.
“Arconic is discontinuing global sales of Reynobond PE for use in high-rise applications,” a company spokesman told AFP.
The firm put the decision down to “issues that have arisen in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy” and differences in building regulations around the world.
The June 14 inferno left 79 people presumed dead after the fire spread rapidly up the 24-storey residential block in west London.
As emergency services continue to search through the ashes of the gutted building, suspicion has fallen on the recently installed cladding with allegations it may have contributed to the ferocity of the fire.
The Arconic spokesman said the company “will continue to fully support the authorities as they investigate this tragedy”.
Sales of the Reynobond PE cladding for use in low-rise buildings will continue.
An estimated 600 tower blocks in England believed to have similar cladding to that used at Grenfell are currently going through tests.
Samples taken from 75 high-rises tested so far have all failed safety tests, communities minister Sajid Javid told parliament on Monday.
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