The London Fire: What We Know

The London Fire: What We Know
In a post last November, the action group said that, despite a fire at another tower managed by the company, and power surges found to have been caused by faulty wiring at Grenfell Tower in 2013, residents had received no "proper safety instructions." The group predicted
that it would take a "catastrophic event" to spur the management company to action.
In a statement, the Rydon Group, the contractor that refurbished Grenfell Tower last year, said its work "met all required building control, fire regulation
and health and safety standards." "We will cooperate with the relevant authorities and emergency services and fully support their enquiries into the causes of this fire at the appropriate time," the company added.
The group said the management company had responded to the concerns by posting fire safety instructions
— including the "stay put" policy — at the building entrance and outside elevators on every floor.
In board meeting minutes last year, it said it would use the same approach on "all major works projects." The overhaul came after years of complaints by tenants,
and after a deficiency notice was issued by the London Fire Brigade last year relating to another building.
A 2014 residents’ newsletter defended this policy on the grounds
that the building had been designed to meet "rigorous fire safety standards." It said apartments had recently been fitted with front doors that could "withstand a fire for up to 30 minutes, which gives plenty of time for the fire brigade to arrive." Paul Munakr, a seventh-floor resident, told the BBC that alarms in the building had not gone off, leading to initial confusion as to whether there was a fire.
The Grenfell Action Group, a residents’ group, said it had raised alarms for years about the management of the building.