London Police considering manslaughter charges in Grenfell Tower fire

The Metropolitan Police in London announced on June 23 that they’re considering bringing manslaughter charges against those responsible for the catastrophic blaze that consumed and destroyed the 24-story London Grenfell Tower apartment building.  At last count, at least 79 people died in the June 14 inferno.  Investigators say that the fire started in a refrigerator freezer in one of the apartments and quickly spread to the rest of the building, according to CBS News.

Investigators are also blaming the rapid spread of the fire on the external building materials and said that the fire was not deliberately set.  Authorities in London are now trying to determine where else those same building materials may have been used in other buildings in the UK.

The siding or cladding used for the building’s exterior failed the fire investigator’s tests for safety and combustibility.  Authorities are aware of at least 11 other buildings that have that same cladding that will need to be removed.  According to CBS:

Known in the trade as aluminium composite material — or ACM — the cladding encases a polyethylene core that is flammable.

Fire tests have shown extreme heat can melt the cladding, allowing fire to ignite the polyethylene core underneath, and spreading flames quickly.

The material is banned in the U.S., and in some parts of Europe on any building higher than 40 feet, as firefighters can’t reach those extremities by ladder.

Police in London are trying to determine whether any individuals or businesses should be held accountable for the fire.

By: Ace Staff