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11 July 2020

Grenfell Tower inquiry: Lead fire consultant ‘ignored’ cladding email
The lead fire safety consultant of the Grenfell Tower refurbishment ignored documents outlining proposed cladding and insulation materials.
Terry Ashton, of fire engineering company Exova, said he did not read an email from Studio E architects detailing a planned cladding system because he was not the “primary recipient”.
He also failed to read the architect’s progress report. The inquiry has concluded that cladding fuelled the 2017 fire in west London.
Grenfell Tower cladding – for top and bottom of the building, the principal cladding appears to be noted as ‘3’ (medium grey, ACM) and ‘5’ (white, rainscreen) in the top left key, ie ACM panels:

elevation courtesy of architects via planning portal
The email from architects Studio E on 23 October 2012 included attachments containing details and drawings of a planned cladding system.
Asked why, he told the hearing that people are often copied into emails on big projects in “a sort of scattergun approach”.
He also did not read the architect’s progress report which he was sent on 31 October 2012, and failed to mention plans t...