The Metropolitan Police has drafted in 250 officers and specialist investigators following the Grenfell Tower fire and have revealed the cladding and insulation used in the refurbishment have failed safety tests carried out in the last few days.
It is now considering manslaughter, health and safety and fire safety charges after the cause of the initial fire was confirmed as a faulty fridge freezer.
Seventy-nine people are feared dead after the blaze destroyed 151 homes in the Kensington tower block. The government has ordered immediate testing of the Hotpoint fridge freezer that was involved, although it is not subjecvt to a product recall.
Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack who is overseeing the investigation into the fire at Grenfell Tower said: "The Met has drawn together a huge team in response to this incident and since the weekend around 250 specialist investigators have been working hard on all aspects of this investigation and our response.
"We now have expert evidence that the fire was not started deliberately - the fire started in a fridge freezer - the make and model is a Hotpoint FF175BP.
"We are working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy who are talking to the manufacturer of the fridge freezer. But we do know that that this model has not been subject to any product recall. Further testing on the fridge freezer is being carried out by the manufacturer.
"Our investigation is seeking to establish how the fire started and the speed that it spread as it took hold of the building.
"We have been told the speed it spread at was unexpected, so importantly we will establish why this happened.
"This investigation will be exhaustive and, as we learn more, the scope and scale may well grow. We will examine the construction of the building including the refurbishment.
"Whilst of course we are examining, with experts, the aluminium panelling we are also looking at the entire exterior of the building.
"What that means is the aluminium composite tiles, the insulation behind it, how the tiles were fixed to the building as well as how it was installed.
"Our tests will look at each aspect individually as well as how they how all worked together as part of the building's cladding. Preliminary tests show the insulation samples collected from Grenfell Tower combusted soon after the test started. The initial tests on equivalent aluminium composite tiles failed the safety tests.
"Such are the safety concerns with the outcome of these tests we have immediately shared the data with the Department for Communities and Local Government who are already sharing that information with local councils throughout the country.
"The shocking images from that night clearly show just how quickly and ferociously the fire spread across the external surface of the building.
"As an absolute priority - and I completely understand the high public concern about safety - we will share any concerns about public safety with the relevant agencies.
"We will identify and investigate any criminal offence and, of course, given the deaths of so many people we are considering manslaughter, as well as criminal offences and breaches of legislation and regulations.
"We will seek to understand what happened to each and every person who died in that fire.
"Today I am appealing to those people for whom Grenfell Tower was their home or to anyone who has previously lived there. If you have previously reported concerns or safety issues about the building then please get in touch with us - we want to hear from you and what you reported. Importantly, if you did have concerns but did not, for whatever reason, raise them before please tell us now.
"The Crown Prosecution Service is advising the police investigation and their expertise will be used at every stage of our investigation.
"So far we have seized CCTV and received over 70 images and moving footage following our appeal - thank you - if there are people who still have images please let us know.
"We have started to take statements from those who were within Grenfell Tower that night and that work will continue.
"In terms of seizing relevant material from a number of organisations - I can confirm that that work is already underway.
"I want to be as transparent as I can but I must protect the integrity of the investigation because, if we find that there are individuals or organisations that have committed offences, we must be able to prosecute without prejudice to any proceedings. I will not speculate on our investigation and would urge others not to.
"Our search of Grenfell Tower to recover all those inside and return them to their loved ones continues. Specially trained disaster victim identification teams, supported by our new urban search and rescue trained dog teams, continue their work. The working conditions are difficult and distressing for those teams - I have spoken to them personally and understand their commitment to returning those inside the Grenfell Tower back to their families and loved ones.
"However, we have been through Grenfell Tower from top to bottom - a full visual search was completed last week.
"The painstaking search continues - we will use a number of different searching techniques - including a full fingertip search in the areas of the building where we need to.
"Next week we will be installing a lift to the outside of the building to assist the recovery process. Such is the devastation inside, our forensic search and recovery may not be complete by the end of the year. There is a terrible reality that we may not find or indentify all those who died due to the intense heat of the fire. But we will do absolutely everything we can with utmost sensitivity and dignity.
"Given the catastrophic damage caused to the building we have to do work to ensure the building is safe for all agencies to work in.
"It is impossible to learn about what happened that night without feeling the true tragedy and the human cost of this terrible, terrible incident. What we are determined to do is fully and impartially go where the evidence takes us.
"We want to provide the best possible answers for all those who have been so deeply affected by this tragedy."
