Grenfell Tower fire doors built to last 30 minutes destroyed in 15 by safety tests, say Met Police

'It’s time people lives are taken more seriously – and that includes everyone from every walk of life,' says survivor

(Getty)

Doors at Grenfell Tower designed to protect residents from fire for 30 minutes have failed basic safety tests, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Experts tested one fire door and found it resisted the flames for approximately 15 minutes – half as long as it was designed to.

The testing was carried out as part of an ongoing investigation into what caused the fire at the West London block that killed 71 people last June.

But Housing Secretary Sajid Javid said the findings were not “systemic” and risk to public safety remained low.

He told the Commons: “Conclusions should not be drawn about the nature of the cause of the Grenfell tragedy – that is a matter for a separate police investigation and it must be allowed to run its course.”

A spokesperson for Scotland Yard said: “The forensic examination and testing phase is ongoing and we are not able to comment on the potential impact or otherwise that any test result may have on the overall criminal investigation.”

Natasha Elcock, a survivor from the tower and a representative of the bereaved and survivors’ group Grenfell United said: “It’s shocking – first the cladding and insulation then the doors, who knows what else is putting people’s lives at risk. It’s time people’s lives are taken more seriously – and that includes everyone from every walk of life.

“People’s homes must be made absolutely safe for them and their children. The Government should have improved regulations after previous fires. We can’t listen to anymore excuses.

“Grenfell United will not stop campaigning until the lessons of Grenfell are learnt. Nothing can bring our loved ones back but we must make sure a fire like this never happens again.”

A letter sent to families from Matt Bonner, a senior investigating officer from the Metropolitan Police (MPS), outlined the developments, adding: “Independent experts have advised that the risk to public safety is low, and that evidence from the suspected issue does not change this assessment.

“The MPS has committed to share information with bereaved families and survivors as soon as possible and this latest communication is a continuance of our efforts to fulfill that commitment.”

However a spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) said the door testing results are “as yet inconclusive”, adding that the Government is moving as quickly as possible to provide “clarity about the situation”.

“We understand that tests organised by the Government have found that three fire doors from the same company provided less protection than guidelines recommend, but test results are as yet inconclusive,” RBKC said in a statement.

“Alongside hundreds of councils and landlords across the country, we are seeking further information from the Government on what this means for our residents.

“As soon as we have clear advice from the Government about the safety implications of these tests, we will write to our residents about what this means for them.

“We understand this news will be of particular concern to residents in this borough, which is why we are urging the Government to move as quickly as it can to give us clarity about the situation.”

Additional reporting by PA