Opening Statements (4 June 2018 - Pt 1 of 2)

Full transcript

00:02:33 well good morning everyone and welcome to this stage of our proceedings this week we're going to hear opening statements first from counsels inquiry and then from counsel for the various

00:02:46 and then from counsel for the various core participants all these those who wish to make one before I invite mr. millet to address us I just need to have a quick word with a lady shorthand

00:02:57 a quick word with a lady shorthand writers do you need a break during the morning is five minutes enough mr. millet you may have heard that exchange

00:03:10 millet you may have heard that exchange with the shorthand writers they would like a break during the morning so could I invite you to find a time that's convenient to you between about half 11:15 and 11:30 when we could all leave the room for a few minutes thank you

00:03:23 the room for a few minutes thank you very much

00:03:49 mr. chairman mr. and Madame assesses Grenfell tower is a residential high-rise block of flats built in 1974

00:04:01 high-rise block of flats built in 1974 it is located in the Lancaster West estate in North Kensington West 11 in the early hours of Wednesday the 14th of

00:04:12 the early hours of Wednesday the 14th of June 2017 a fire broke out within the kitchen a flat 16 on the fourth floor of Grenfell Tower the fire soon broke out

00:04:25 Grenfell Tower the fire soon broke out of the flat which was on the East elevation and took hold in the exterior cladding on the building through which it spread rapidly upwards around and

00:04:38 it spread rapidly upwards around and back into the building within a matter of hours the majority of the tower was substantially destroyed by fire with the

00:04:49 substantially destroyed by fire with the tragic loss of 71 lives on that night it bears repeating that the fire at Grenfell tower was the largest loss of

00:05:01 Grenfell tower was the largest loss of human life to fire in the United Kingdom since the Piper Alpha disaster of July 1988 and the worst loss of life to fire in domestic premises since the Second

00:05:14 in domestic premises since the Second World War on the 15th of June 2017 the Prime Minister announced a public inquiry into the causes of and circumstances surrounding the fire on

00:05:27 circumstances surrounding the fire on the 15th of August 2017 and after public consultation conducted by the chairman personally the terms of reference were approved by the prime minister as the

00:05:39 approved by the prime minister as the sponsoring minister and the inquiry was at that point formally established on the 21st of May this year the inquiry

00:05:50 the 21st of May this year the inquiry opened with seven days of commemorations of the 71 lives of those who died in the fire at grenfell tower and also of the

00:06:01 fire at grenfell tower and also of the life of Maria del

00:06:02 del Pilar Burton or pili who died in January this year we have all heard and been deeply moved by the stories of the

00:06:13 deeply moved by the stories of the families left behind by their loved ones who perished that Grenfell and of the lives that were lost today is day 8 of the hearings of phase 1 of the public

00:06:26 the hearings of phase 1 of the public inquiry well when we turn to opening statements by counsel I plan to address you for today followed by counsel for the core participants or CPS as I will refer to

00:06:39 participants or CPS as I will refer to them

00:06:39 them beginning with the Metropolitan Police Service and then following the order circulated among the CPS last Friday

00:06:50 although my opening statement will be concerned with much technical other expert evidence the fundamental question which lies at the heart of our work is

00:07:02 which lies at the heart of our work is how in London in 2017 a domestic fire developed so quickly and so catastrophically that an entire high-rise block was

00:07:14 that an entire high-rise block was engulfed and how it was that 71 people lost their lives in a matter of hours leaving families and friends in shock

00:07:26 leaving families and friends in shock grief and bewilderment leaving hundreds without a home their possessions destroyed their precious mementos in ashes their families shattered their

00:07:41 ashes their families shattered their community devastated their lives permanently scarred and for an inheritance an abiding sense of injustice betrayal and marginalization

00:07:55 injustice betrayal and marginalization leading to an overwhelming question why this inquiry was established under and is proceeding under the inquiries act

00:08:07 is proceeding under the inquiries act 2005 and under the inquiry rules 2006 it is the largest public inquiry ever established at least in terms of numbers of CPS and

00:08:18 at least in terms of numbers of CPS and the issues are wide-ranging and complex the inquiry is also having to proceed at speed as fast as it reasonably can in

00:08:32 speed as fast as it reasonably can in light of the obvious risks to public safety posed by exterior fires on residential tower blocks the enquiry must also be conducted alongside the

00:08:45 must also be conducted alongside the police's continuing criminal investigation the parallel progress of the inquiry and the criminal investigation gives rise to particular challenges not least the needs to ensure

00:08:57 challenges not least the needs to ensure that the inquiries obligation to pursue its own full and fair investigation does not prejudice the police's work and vice versa

00:09:07 versa the inquiry has been very careful to avoid such a problem and it is grateful for the continued cooperation it has received and continues to receive from

00:09:18 received and continues to receive from the police I start by introducing the inquiry team I am the lead counsel to this inquiry and I am part of a large team whom I shall introduce shortly one

00:09:32 team whom I shall introduce shortly one of the primary roles of counsel to the inquiry is to assist with the assimilation and presentation of the evidence and the questioning of the witnesses and experts to the inquiry

00:09:44 witnesses and experts to the inquiry from whom we shall hear during the course of our work in essence our job is to help the Chairman and the Assessors and the other panel members in due

00:09:56 and the other panel members in due course in Phase two to lay bare the truth about what happened in order to answer the questions in the terms of reference we have a duty to the

00:10:09 reference we have a duty to the independent objective fair-minded and the rigorous with me today and my inquiry team of Queen's Counsel Bernhard Richmond QC who is in the

00:10:22 Bernhard Richmond QC who is in the livestream room today Kate Grange QC and Andrew Kinnear QC plus a supporting team of junior barristers Bilal Rohit Rose Grogan

00:10:33 barristers Bilal Rohit Rose Grogan Haller Curtin Alex Bostick Chloe Campbell Samantha Jones Zeenat Islam Emma Hines Rachel Sullivan shanty

00:10:44 Emma Hines Rachel Sullivan shanty sivakumar and scarlet Milligan and Daniel laking we are all supported by Caroline Featherston the inquiry solicitor and her team comprising Kathy

00:10:55 solicitor and her team comprising Kathy Kennedy Chafee NASA Ross Howarth Julia Dickens Polly Waldron Thomas would Anna venturi know and Victoria O'Brien in all

00:11:07 venturi know and Victoria O'Brien in all its work the inquiry is supported by its secretary Marc Fisher daleney Daniel silver a tanam is the deputy secretary and head of External Affairs her team includes Jim nari and George Austen

00:11:20 includes Jim nari and George Austen Webster Julianne Fletcher is currently taking over from Amanda Jeffrey in charge of operational and policy matters and that clean team includes Tom Blackburn and Paul Eden's I should also

00:11:34 Blackburn and Paul Eden's I should also mention that behind the scenes we have a large document review team headed by barristers Samantha Jones Scarlett Milligan and Daniel laking and comprising ten junior barristers and 15

00:11:46 comprising ten junior barristers and 15 paralegals constantly at work so far as the numbers of core participants are concerned I should update you there are 533 individuals of whom 21 are

00:12:03 there are 533 individuals of whom 21 are children under the age of 18 the names of the children have not been published and there are two CPS who have been anonymized as CCC and DDD there are 29

00:12:16 anonymized as CCC and DDD there are 29 organizations of which 19 are commercial a two public bodies and two or trades unions representing and present on behalf of the various CPS or groups of

00:12:27 behalf of the various CPS or groups of CPS today are for the police Jeremy Johnson QC and Amy Clarke for the London Fire Brigade or lfb Steven Wolfe Q's

00:12:39 Fire Brigade or lfb Steven Wolfe Q's and Sara Lefevre for bereaved survivors and residents the group of four solicitors G for Danny Friedman QC Stephanie bar wise QC Liz Davis rad si

00:12:54 Stephanie bar wise QC Liz Davis rad si and Jesse Nichols for bereaved survivors and residents the group of 10 solicitors Michael Mansfield QC Allison Monroe and Phillip Dale for bereaved survived and

00:13:08 Phillip Dale for bereaved survived and residents also the group of 10 solicitors tree called G 10 Leslie Thomas QC Thalia Mara and Jamie Burton for bereaved survivors and residents the

00:13:19 for bereaved survivors and residents the group of three solicitors g3 Sam Steen QC Pete weather vqc mark Henderson and Fiona Murphy for bereaved survivors and

00:13:30 Fiona Murphy for bereaved survivors and residents

00:13:30 residents Imran Khan partners for mister the hey Luca BD the tenant of flat 16 rajiv men on QC for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea James Maxwell

00:13:41 Kensington and Chelsea James Maxwell Scott QC and Katherine sage for the TMO James agarose QC for our Connick Stephen Hockman QC for PSB UK Shoesmith for CS

00:13:54 Hockman QC for PSB UK Shoesmith for CS Stokes James Leonard facilitates Charles Gibson QC for the MSC MH CLG Jason beer QC for the mayor and stud QC for the fbu

00:14:05 QC for the mayor and stud QC for the fbu Martin C word and for the FO a Louis Brown QC ridin at CEP max Fordham Thames Water cadent gas and Whirlpool

00:14:16 Water cadent gas and Whirlpool Corporation have put in written submissions but have told us that they do not wish to address you I have been asked to read Harley facades written opening into the record at the end of my

00:14:27 opening into the record at the end of my opening and I will do that

00:14:34 what now follows in my opening statement is intended by way of broad introduction to cover some seven things the first is

00:14:45 to cover some seven things the first is the nature and the scope of the phase one issues the program the second is the program for phase one issues and associated points third an update on the

00:14:58 associated points third an update on the progress of the expert evidence of phase one fourth the necessary background to the fire comprising the building and the

00:15:09 the fire comprising the building and the basic elements of the 2016 refurbishment the active and passive fire safety systems relevant to Grenville tower and the principal events of the night in

00:15:22 the principal events of the night in each case to the extent that these issues are clear from the evidence which has already emerged fifth the response

00:15:33 has already emerged fifth the response of the emergency services sixth emerging themes and seventh phase to much of what I'm going to say today will be very

00:15:45 I'm going to say today will be very familiar to the core participants one of the benefits of CP status is that you get confidential access to the material that the inquiry has obtained and

00:15:57 that the inquiry has obtained and discloses before the public gets to see it our job is to lay bare the truth not only to the CPS but also to the general public so while my opening will contain

00:16:09 public so while my opening will contain little that is new to the CPS much of it will be new to the public I now turn to the nature and scope of the phase 1

00:16:20 the nature and scope of the phase 1 issues in his opening statement on the 14th of September 2017 the Chairman indicated that phase 1 would concentrate

00:16:31 indicated that phase 1 would concentrate on what happened on the night of the 14th of June 2017 and would seek to establish where and how the fire occurred how it spread so rapidly to the

00:16:44 occurred how it spread so rapidly to the whole of the building and how the interior of the building became progressively affected by the development and spread of smoke the

00:16:55 development and spread of smoke the chairman indicated that he intended to publish an interim report at the end of phase one with such recommendations as it was possible to make at that stage in

00:17:06 it was possible to make at that stage in detail the issues for phase 1 are by reference to the updated list of issues which is on the inquiries website paragraph 3a what modifications were

00:17:17 paragraph 3a what modifications were made to the inside of the building paragraph 11 a and B a what was the cause and seat of the fire B how did the fire progress and what contribution to

00:17:29 fire progress and what contribution to its progress was made by one the construction of the exterior walls and surfaces openings to them and internal structures abutting them to the internal

00:17:40 structures abutting them to the internal structure and condition of the building including for example stairwells shafts vents cavities fire stopping and pipe work or three other factors including

00:17:51 work or three other factors including the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of fire safety measures paragraphs 12 a B C and D a what plans

00:18:02 paragraphs 12 a B C and D a what plans and strategies did the Fire and Rescue Service have for dealing with a major fire in a high-rise residential building what training and equipment did fire officers have for dealing with a major

00:18:13 officers have for dealing with a major fire in a high-rise residential building C did the fire service have adequate access to the building D what actions were taken on the night of the 14th of

00:18:25 were taken on the night of the 14th of June 2017 to fight the fire including one first calls and responses to assembly of strategy command and control three coordination with occupants of

00:18:38 three coordination with occupants of Grenville tower and other services during and immediately after the fire including the establishment of radio communication channels for the

00:18:50 communication channels for the application of any state policy and any change to a get out and stay out policy and then fire the methods of rescuing individual residents and as far as relevant to

00:19:03 residents and as far as relevant to those issues paragraph one a of the list of issues what was the building's design construction and Composition paragraph 4b the list of issues what was the

00:19:14 4b the list of issues what was the design manufacture composition her method of fixing of the exterior cladding to the building and other aspects of the refurbishment paragraph

00:19:25 aspects of the refurbishment paragraph 5a what were the fire resistant prevention mitigation evacuation and other fire safety measures in place at the time of the fire and paragraph 5 i

00:19:36 the time of the fire and paragraph 5 i in what ways was the building intended to be resistant to the spread of the fire it's so far as they are relevant to the spread of the fire and smoke

00:19:47 the spread of the fire and smoke throughout the building we will also be considering at phase 1 paragraph 9a of the list of issues what advice was given to the residents about fire precautions

00:19:58 to the residents about fire precautions paragraph 9b how was that advice communicated and by whom and paragraph 9 H were there any evacuation plans in

00:20:09 H were there any evacuation plans in place and if so what were they this means that the focus of phase 1 will be the events of the night of the 14th of June 2017 and in particular the state of

00:20:26 June 2017 and in particular the state of the building at the time of the fire including the existing fire safety and prevention measures at Grenfell tower where and how the fire started the

00:20:39 where and how the fire started the development of the fire and smoke how the fire and smoke spread from its original seat to other parts of the building the chain of events before the

00:20:53 building the chain of events before the fire was finally extinguished and the circumstances of the residents and others present in the tower including those who evacuated the tower as the

00:21:05 those who evacuated the tower as the chairman has said in the past it would be sensible to retain a significant degree of flexibility in relation to the scope of the different phases I will return to the

00:21:16 different phases I will return to the question of scope when they come to the particular issues of firefighting and evacuation on the night of the fire there are of course many other questions

00:21:29 there are of course many other questions which have been raised by the BS ARS of bereaved survivors and residents in their written opening submissions which we've received how the building came to be as it was how come the rain screen

00:21:41 be as it was how come the rain screen and insulation contained combustible materials was the relevant product literature robust and reliable was it

00:21:52 literature robust and reliable was it accurate was the testing regime robust and reliable what did the professionals know and do in respect of the cladding and the active and passive fire safety

00:22:05 and the active and passive fire safety systems more generally in the building how did so many people sign this building office safe while saving money put before saving lives

00:22:18 put before saving lives to those who were bereaved or survived the fire these questions are vitally important however before we can start to answer these questions as fully and as

00:22:31 answer these questions as fully and as exhaustively as possible our investigation must start with the events on the night of the 14th of June as we will in this phase one once those

00:22:44 as we will in this phase one once those events have been examined and the chairman has made his fact findings Phase two will deal with the vital questions as to why the fire happened

00:22:55 questions as to why the fire happened and who is responsible you might ask why does the inquiry need to hear so much technical and seemingly obscure detail I

00:23:07 technical and seemingly obscure detail I would answer that the detail is essential because only a thorough examination of the detail can answer all of the questions and allow the world and

00:23:18 of the questions and allow the world and future generations to understand exactly where the responsibility for such a devastating tragedy lay and its importance in knowing how to prevent it

00:23:30 knowing how to prevent it again the acquirer is grateful for the assistance that has been provided by all the CPS thus far it is however right to

00:23:42 the CPS thus far it is however right to say that the inquiry reasonably anticipated that CPS who were directly involved in the minutiae of the refurbishment and who know how the

00:23:53 refurbishment and who know how the building came to be as it was and in particular the active and passive fire prevention measures in place would have used the opportunities presented by the opening statements to set out their

00:24:05 opening statements to set out their knowledge in detail it would have been put of particular assistance to the inquiry if some of these CPS have positively engaged with the phase 1 issues and crucially the

00:24:17 the phase 1 issues and crucially the preliminary opinions of the inquiry experts on phase 1 issues as to the active and passive fire safety features of the building and the potential

00:24:29 of the building and the potential candidates for the cause exit and spread of the fire we may of course hear more when the CPS Council or some of them come to address you later

00:24:41 some of them come to address you later this week at the moment all I need to note is that some CPS have missed something of an opportunity to advance the inquiries knowledge on vital

00:24:52 the inquiries knowledge on vital questions I will come back to what we should do about it later in this opening in terms of how

00:25:03 later in this opening in terms of how and to what extent the inquiry will play a role in discharging the state's responsibility under article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights you

00:25:15 European Convention on Human Rights you the Chairman addressed that matter in your previous rulings of the 20th of December 2017 and the 21st of March 2018

00:25:26 December 2017 and the 21st of March 2018 as you made clear there is considerable force in the submission that this inquiry should do all it can to make findings of the kind made for example

00:25:39 findings of the kind made for example by Lord Cullen in the piper alpha report which may be sufficient to meet the requirements of an investigation that complies with article 2 the inquiry has not made an independent assessment of

00:25:53 not made an independent assessment of the number of people who died in the fire

00:25:56 fire details of the deceased have been agreed and provided by the police and the coroner this number stands at 71

00:26:07 coroner this number stands at 71 although pilly Burton survived the fire she sadly died in January 2018 and the inquiry honored her memory at the

00:26:18 inquiry honored her memory at the commemoration hearings alongside those who died in June 2017 we welcome the offers of assistance which have been

00:26:29 offers of assistance which have been made by the legal representatives of the deceased s-- to provide support to the inquiry team in obtaining and presenting the evidence that is required for that

00:26:40 the evidence that is required for that particular task we remain hopeful that it will prove possible to make sufficient findings of fact about where when and how the deceased came about

00:26:53 when and how the deceased came about their deaths without imposing an unreasonable burden on all those involved or any undue delay to the progress of the inquiry I turn now to

00:27:11 progress of the inquiry I turn now to the phase 1 program sitting arrangements and programming at first of all sitting arrangements the inquiry will sit here

00:27:23 arrangements the inquiry will sit here at home and bars on four days a week Monday to Thursday starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m. there will be a

00:27:35 and ending at 4:30 p.m. there will be a break for one hour for lunch and or prayers and a short break in the morning and afternoon that is the general proposal it may be that exceptionally

00:27:48 proposal it may be that exceptionally circumstances will require us to sit earlier

00:27:52 earlier or later have longer breaks perhaps or sit some or all over Friday this week we are going to break at 12:45 for prayers and for lunch for those who wish to take

00:28:05 and for lunch for those who wish to take it the inquiry hearings will be live streamed to the inquiry website and to the Notting Hill Methodist Church as they have been before an official

00:28:18 they have been before an official transcript will be taken of each day and will be made available on the inquiries website each evening the rings on this

00:28:29 website each evening the rings on this floor here at home and bars which is the second floor have all now been made available for the purposes of those attending the hearings all are clearly marked

00:28:39 marked but please do ask the ushers or inquiry team if you would like some help we have two breakout rooms for the bereaved survivors and residents and their legal

00:28:50 survivors and residents and their legal teams at the end of the corridor and you can watch the proceedings from one of those rooms if you would like some time away from the main hearing room in here

00:29:02 away from the main hearing room in here the other room will be a quiet space away from the proceedings we also have a prayer room and two waiting rooms for

00:29:13 prayer room and two waiting rooms for those who are going to be giving evidence to the inquiry the final room will be used by the NHS and Hestia outreach and counseling teams who some

00:29:25 outreach and counseling teams who some of you may recognize from the commemoration hearings that we've had they will be identified by their blue and HS lanyards or green and orange scarves the Hoban bars fire alarm is

00:29:40 scarves the Hoban bars fire alarm is routinely tested at 4:45 p.m. every Wednesday it is clear when the alarm sounds that this is a test but we

00:29:51 alarm sounds that this is a test but we will rise in plenty of time before that happens this Wednesday to allow people time to leave the building we are not expecting any other fire

00:30:04 expecting any other fire tests today all this week if the alarm does sound we will evacuate immediately the security team and the ushers here along with the Devere staff on site will

00:30:18 along with the Devere staff on site will be on hand to help everyone leave the building safely can I now turn to the phase 1 program the program for phase 1

00:30:31 phase 1 program the program for phase 1 will proceed as follows from the 4th to the 7th of June this week we have oral

00:30:44 the 7th of June this week we have oral opening statements I'm going to open for today and it probably won't be all day the following two days have been

00:30:56 the following two days have been allocated to counsel for the bereaved survivors and residents all participants to be divided up between them as they see fit counsel for the various groups

00:31:08 see fit counsel for the various groups of bereaved survivors and residents have distributed the issues between themselves in order to achieve a minimum of overlap and to maximize the efficient

00:31:19 of overlap and to maximize the efficient use of time the remaining day or so will be allocated to Council for the remaining cps who have chosen to address the inquiry

00:31:31 who have chosen to address the inquiry at this stage all council who are to speak have helpfully provided the inquiry with written submissions and those would be circulated among the cps

00:31:45 those would be circulated among the cps next week in the week commencing Monday the 11th of June and ending on Friday the 15th of June there will be no sittings this is to allow the bereaved and the survivors and

00:31:58 allow the bereaved and the survivors and the grenfell community at large the time and a space in which to remember and to reflect upon their lost ones at the distressing time of the first

00:32:10 distressing time of the first anniversary of the fire

00:32:14 in the period 18th to the 20th of June Monday to wednesday certain of the inquiries phase 1 experts namely dr.

00:32:25 inquiries phase 1 experts namely dr. Lane professor Nick Dade and professor Bisbee will make oral and visual presentations likely in that order I should emphasize that these

00:32:38 I should emphasize that these presentations are for the purposes of setting the context for the evidence to be called in phase 1 and in particular in order to explain the physical

00:32:49 in order to explain the physical features and layout of the building they will give their formal evidence and answer questions later in the phase 1 process on Thursday the 21st of June but

00:33:05 process on Thursday the 21st of June but it is hoped the Chairman will start receiving factual evidence and the present intention is to begin with the evidence relevant to the flat of fire origin namely flat 16 on the fourth

00:33:19 origin namely flat 16 on the fourth floor of Grenfell tower and the circumstances surrounding the initial outbreak of fire it is estimated that no

00:33:30 outbreak of fire it is estimated that no more than one day would be needed to hear that evidence our intention is to read the evidence of the occupants of flat 16 into the inquiry record at this

00:33:42 flat 16 into the inquiry record at this stage and then if necessary call mr. Kirby D who was the tenant in September with all the other the Reid survivors and residents who will be giving oral

00:33:55 and residents who will be giving oral evidence I'll come back to say a little bit more about that in due course on Monday the 25th of June the present intention is to call firefighter

00:34:08 intention is to call firefighter witnesses and to do so in a broadly chronological order of arrival on the night starting with the crew of the first appliances on the scene the first

00:34:20 first appliances on the scene the first firefighter will be watch manager Mike Dowden the inquiry would aim to complete the evidence from the lfv firefighters if possible by Wednesday the 1st of August 2018 the

00:34:35 Wednesday the 1st of August 2018 the inquiry estimates that a total of some 52 firefighter witnesses will be called to give oral evidence that number includes numerous firefighters who

00:34:48 includes numerous firefighters who undertook active firefighting and search and rescue it includes lfb control room staff and commanders at various stages who were responsible for the decisions

00:35:01 who were responsible for the decisions taken at various points on the night the inquiry will give careful consideration to the need to call additional live

00:35:13 to the need to call additional live evidence from lfb witnesses as the evidence progresses the inquiry has also identified some 74 lfb witnesses who's

00:35:26 identified some 74 lfb witnesses who's written witness statements or at least the relevant extracts from those statements we presently intend to read into the record this list is necessarily

00:35:38 into the record this list is necessarily provisional and it may be supplemented as the phase 1 hearings precede the inquiry circulated a provisional list

00:35:50 inquiry circulated a provisional list and order of such witnesses in mid-may to all core participants and it has kept updated the list as matters have progressed the inquiry has also asked

00:36:05 progressed the inquiry has also asked for evidence from the police and from the London Ambulance Service regarding their respective roles and experiences on the night if this evidence is to be

00:36:16 on the night if this evidence is to be called then the inquiry anticipates that it will be on Thursday the second of August so far as August is concerned there will be no oral evidence taken

00:36:28 there will be no oral evidence taken during that month after the second of August

00:36:31 August however the month can and I hope will be valuable used in programming the of the evidence that we are going to pull from the bereaved survivors and

00:36:44 pull from the bereaved survivors and residents when we come to September on the provisional assumption and it is provisional that we conclude the oral evidence of the firefighters on the 2nd

00:36:56 evidence of the firefighters on the 2nd of August we will resume hearings on Monday on Wednesday these I'm sorry on the Wednesday the 5th of September with any further phase one witnesses we can

00:37:08 any further phase one witnesses we can program in before we start with the first of the BSR witnesses we have picked that date to allow the BS ARS bereaved survivors and residents time to get their children back to school

00:37:20 to get their children back to school that week the Chairman will hear their evidence throughout September 2018 as matters currently stand the inquiry has

00:37:31 matters currently stand the inquiry has received a total of 135 riffing witness statements from bereaved survivors and residents 60 from survivors who escaped

00:37:42 residents 60 from survivors who escaped the tower and 75 from other witnesses including bereaved residents who were not present and observers as soon as

00:37:53 not present and observers as soon as possible the inquiry will provide details as to which bereaved survivors and residents who have provided written statements will be called to give oral

00:38:06 statements will be called to give oral evidence and in what order we would hope to be able to complete the bereaved survivors and residents evidence as I say by the end of September but this

00:38:18 say by the end of September but this time frame is necessarily provisional

00:38:23 after the bereaved survivors and residents have given their phase 1 oral evidence it may be necessary to allow a further week or so of hearings to accommodate any further factual evidence

00:38:35 accommodate any further factual evidence including from the police and the London ambulance services depending on how long the hearing of the factual evidence takes to complete the inquiry would aim

00:38:49 takes to complete the inquiry would aim to start hearing the expert evidence on or around Monday the first of October 2018 over a period provisionally again of 8 to 10 days up to about the 16th of

00:39:04 of 8 to 10 days up to about the 16th of October 2018 following the end of the oral evidence there will then be a break of 14 days also following which the

00:39:17 of 14 days also following which the hearings would resume on Wednesday the 31st of October 2018 with closing oral statements over five days the chairman has not yet decided whether to invite

00:39:29 has not yet decided whether to invite written closing statements and that question will be kept under review I now

00:39:40 question will be kept under review I now turn to give an update on the progress of expert evidence as part of phase one the inquiry and the core participants

00:39:53 the inquiry and the core participants have had the benefit of detailed preliminary reports from a number of the inquiries experts those experts reports have been available to core participants

00:40:04 have been available to core participants for a number of weeks subject to conditions of confidentiality now that the phase one hearings have commenced those expert reports will be made available today on the inquiries

00:40:16 made available today on the inquiries website in particular the following reports have been prepared for phase one and disclosed to two core participants a

00:40:27 and disclosed to two core participants a report from mr. Colin Todd he has reviewed the relevant regulatory regime as it applied to Grendel tower a report from Professor Neve Nick Dade

00:40:39 from Professor Neve Nick Dade she has considered the cause and origin of the fire they report from Professor Luke Bisbee he has considered the ignition of the facade materials and

00:40:51 ignition of the facade materials and reviewed the available evidence regarding the spread of the fire across the exterior of the tower we have a report from dr. dr. Barbara Lane she has

00:41:03 report from dr. dr. Barbara Lane she has covered a broad range of relating to fire safety engineering including identification of the active and passive fire safety measures in the

00:41:14 and passive fire safety measures in the building and the extent to which they failed on the night we have a report from Professor Jose torero he has considered the ignition of the

00:41:25 he has considered the ignition of the facade materials the fire spread to and onto the exterior of the tower and the spread of fire and smoke within the tower but these preliminary experts

00:41:40 tower but these preliminary experts reports reflect a significant amount of synthesis of the phase one evidence already gathered they will provide a vital forensic focus for the inquiries

00:41:53 vital forensic focus for the inquiries ongoing investigation and as I will outline later in this opening they identify a number of important lines of inquiry particularly as to how the

00:42:05 inquiry particularly as to how the building performed on the night and the aspects of the building which may have led to such significant spread of fire and smoke I must also emphasize that the

00:42:20 and smoke I must also emphasize that the experts reports are preliminary and in many respects a work in progress as the experts themselves are at pains to stress at this early stage and before

00:42:32 stress at this early stage and before all the evidence has been heard their reports can only provide provisional views and identify further lines of inquiry all of the experts will be

00:42:44 inquiry all of the experts will be carefully considering the evidence as it develops during the course of phase one if necessary the experts may serve supplemental reports in advance of the experts oral

00:42:57 reports in advance of the experts oral evidence to the extent that the evidence that they have heard all have read effects their written opinions which they have so far expressed they can also

00:43:08 they have so far expressed they can also provide updating evidence when they come to give oral evidence in we hope October it is at that point that their evidence will be thoroughly tested core participants members of the

00:43:21 tested core participants members of the public and the media are therefore urged to treat their opinions thus far expressed as necessarily provisional until that point it should also be

00:43:33 until that point it should also be emphasized that the expert opinions are just that they are expressions of their expert opinions it will be for you mr.

00:43:44 expert opinions it will be for you mr. chairman to decide what findings you should make in your phase 1 report having heard all of the factual evidence as well as hearing from the experts in person some of the core participants

00:43:56 person some of the core participants have highlighted certain differences of view or differences of emphasis as between the inquiries expert opinions on certain matters that there are such

00:44:08 certain matters that there are such differences is wholly unsurprising given the complexity of some of the technical issues and given the fact that the experts have different areas of expertise and different backgrounds we

00:44:22 expertise and different backgrounds we consider that it is in the public interest to receive a range of professional views from relevant experts and the inquiry welcomes that in order

00:44:34 and the inquiry welcomes that in order better to understand the shape of many of the technical issues it has to consider in addition to the list of phase 1 experts that I have already identified there are two other experts

00:44:47 identified there are two other experts from whom we will be hearing evidence at this phase of the inquiry first dr. Duncan Glover he is a forensic

00:44:58 Duncan Glover he is a forensic electrical engineer he specializes in issues pertaining to electrical engineering particularly as they relate to failure analysis of electrical systems subsystems and components

00:45:11 systems subsystems and components including the causes of electrical fires the inquiries forensic electrical examination work started in November 2017 the painstaking preliminary work

00:45:24 2017 the painstaking preliminary work has now been completed so dr. Glover can now consider issues concerning the wiring of flats Steen as well as the electrical appliances within the flat once he has

00:45:37 appliances within the flat once he has had the opportunity to digest the voluminous but material relevant to that part of the investigation dr. Glover's report will then be circulated during the course of phase

00:45:48 circulated during the course of phase one professor David purser is a toxicologist and an expert in a fire toxicity and human behavior he has been

00:46:00 toxicity and human behavior he has been instructed by the inquiry to provide a report for phase one on three matters first the production of toxic gases and

00:46:12 first the production of toxic gases and consequences to occupants of different generic fire scenarios and conditions occurring in fires similar today is likely to have occurred at different stages and locations during the Grenfell

00:46:26 stages and locations during the Grenfell tower fire secondly the likely causes of incapacitation and death at grenfell tower including those whose bodies were consumed by the fire and third the

00:46:40 consumed by the fire and third the possible toxicity performance of materials present in Grenville tower it is hoped that his phase 1 report will be available to core participants in early

00:46:52 available to core participants in early September both of these new experts will be giving oral evidence in October when phase one turns to consider the detailed expert evidence relevant to this phase

00:47:03 expert evidence relevant to this phase of its work

00:47:08 I now turn to the necessary background to the fire when I start with for building grenfell tower stands in the

00:47:22 building grenfell tower stands in the Lancaster West estate which is located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea the Lancaster West estates scheme was designed by Clifford weirdin & Associates in the late 1960s phase 1

00:47:36 & Associates in the late 1960s phase 1 was approved in 1970 and construction of Grenfell tower by contractors AE signs of Layton in London commenced in 1972

00:47:49 of Layton in London commenced in 1972 the building was completed in 1974

00:47:55 Granville Tower is owned by the local authority the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea or r BK c r BK c is an inner London borough of royal

00:48:07 is an inner London borough of royal status it is the smallest borough in London and the second smallest district in England but it is one of the most densely populated in the United Kingdom

00:48:20 densely populated in the United Kingdom Grenfell tower was part of RB Casey's provision of social housing in the borough at the time of the fire the tower was home to a mix of social

00:48:32 tower was home to a mix of social housing tenants private tenants and lease holders the management of social housing in the borough was devolved to

00:48:43 housing in the borough was devolved to Kensington and Chelsea TMO or the TMM a tenant management organization in 1996 under the then right to manage legislation grenfell tower comprises in

00:48:58 legislation grenfell tower comprises in all 25 stories ground to level 23 plus a plant root plant floor at roof level it is around 67 metres high and it

00:49:11 is around 67 metres high and it originally contained 121 and two-bedroom flats six dwellings per floor on 20 of the 25 stories including the ground with the other four

00:49:24 including the ground with the other four being used for non-residential purposes after the most recent refurbishment it contained 129 flats we're now going to

00:49:40 contained 129 flats we're now going to introduce you to some detail about the building this is where Grenville tower stands within London just to the west of

00:49:51 stands within London just to the west of Maryland to the north of Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush you go to the next please that is a plan view of the locality and

00:50:03 that is a plan view of the locality and just pausing there you can see Grenfell tower in the middle with to the south three walkways and if you start to

00:50:15 three walkways and if you start to rotate to the east you can see Hearst way walk to the west test it and walk in the middle and that is coming into view to the east is the third walkway Behrend

00:50:28 to the east is the third walkway Behrend and walk the name is just appearing to the east we have tredgold house sitting on the east side of Grenfell Road and to the north east of that you see there the

00:50:40 the north east of that you see there the Kensington leisure center to the west northwest of that running from the North East not to the northeast of the building and running to the Northeast is

00:50:52 building and running to the Northeast is Kensington Aldridge Academy and to the immediate east of the building we have Lancaster green you could see the a40 running away there to the west

00:51:03 running away there to the west and the London tube line would Latimer Road station to the southwest of the building if we just pause there you can

00:51:14 building if we just pause there you can see if we're looking at the East face and the north face and Lancaster green that lies immediately to the building's East if you pan in just a little bit

00:51:25 East if you pan in just a little bit please to the building you can also see a little bit more detail of the green which you can see is bedecked with trees and just to the

00:51:37 bedecked with trees and just to the south and to the southeast of the building in its southeast corner is a covered area sometimes known as the garages all of the walkway roof as the

00:51:50 garages all of the walkway roof as the evidence will sometimes refer to it which sits at the north end of bound and walk and test it and walk if you just pan on round to the north please you

00:52:02 pan on round to the north please you concede the running to the north of the building from west to east is a pedestrian walkway which then cuts down southwards skirting Lancaster Green

00:52:14 southwards skirting Lancaster Green Kensington Aldridge Academy always to the north and if you move around to the west side of the building you can see

00:52:25 west side of the building you can see coming into view what isn't in fact on this model that is a green area with trees and that is a playground and as we'll see in a moment access to the

00:52:37 we'll see in a moment access to the playground is from the ground-floor nursery just if you just please move on round to the west and then just take me

00:52:49 round to the west and then just take me to the southwest corner I'll just point out a feature of the building which is important just pausing there you can see there that on the west face within the

00:53:01 there that on the west face within the face of the building are two vertical columns and on the south face if you pan to the south you can see there are three

00:53:12 to the south you can see there are three internal vertical columns the west and east faces had two vertical columns in the south and north faces had three

00:53:24 the south and north faces had three those columns formed an important architectural feature in the geometry of each of the facades and we will be coming to look at those in a little bit

00:53:35 coming to look at those in a little bit more detail shortly today if you go to the next section please so far as access to the tower is concerned you can see there that the

00:53:48 concerned you can see there that the main access the principal access route is Grenfell Road running from the south to the north and you can see that it performs a left-hand turn running to the

00:54:02 performs a left-hand turn running to the east as it tucks in under the roof of the walkway before turning right to bring you immediately outside Grenfell tower that was the route that the evidence suggests was taken by the

00:54:13 evidence suggests was taken by the initial pumps arriving on the night of the fire

00:54:17 the fire to attend to the incident there are two other approaches in blue they're sill Chester Road which comes in under the railway tunnel from west to east and

00:54:29 railway tunnel from west to east and then goes south and station walk those were not vehicle access routes at least primarily and if you just again rotate

00:54:40 primarily and if you just again rotate please around to the west of the tower everybody can get a good view of what the principal access route and the secondary access routes were thank you

00:54:53 secondary access routes were thank you could you please go to the next section bollards bollards feature a little bit in this story and we thought it right to identify where they were there are fixed

00:55:07 identify where they were there are fixed bollards to the southwest of the building and there are a retractable bollards I identified in those two locations if you could just please pan in on those so we see the detail they

00:55:22 in on those so we see the detail they were bollards which would otherwise if up have restricted access to the building on the night but they were retractable and we will investigate the retraction of those bollards and the

00:55:33 retraction of those bollards and the time at which they were retracted if you could please go to the next section water supply here we have identified on the model

00:55:45 here we have identified on the model where the water supply for the fire brigade was to be found there are there are four sources of water

00:55:56 are four sources of water these are hydrants and if you could just ident you could pan in a little bit there you'll see that there are two to

00:56:07 there you'll see that there are two to the west of the Aldridge Academy and then one underneath or just underneath the covered walkway to the southeast of

00:56:18 the covered walkway to the southeast of the tower in red just next to the trees there and if you could please pan in on that as best you can we may be able to get a little bit more detail that was

00:56:30 get a little bit more detail that was the principal fire hydrant utilized on arrival by the LF B as we understand it on the night of the fire and then there is a fourth hydrant to the southwest of

00:56:41 is a fourth hydrant to the southwest of the building indicated there on the right-hand most sign indicated in red if you could just pan around again to the west we can see a 360-degree view of the

00:56:54 west we can see a 360-degree view of the building in relation to the fire hydrants

00:57:12 and again I should when we come to it note the point that the fire hydrant there to the southwest of the building it was close to the dry rising main

00:57:25 it was close to the dry rising main Inlet which is as we'll see to be found on the south of the tower on a ground level just to the left of the main entrance door can we please go to them I

00:57:38 entrance door can we please go to them I think that'll do can we please go to the next section which is lifts this is a planned view on the right of where the lifts lift shafts are to be found in the building and you can see on planned view

00:57:51 building and you can see on planned view there they're indicated in red squares

00:57:55 so the lift lobbies lie to the east of the lifts in all cases and the lift charts run up from the ground floor up to the lift motor room as you can see

00:58:07 to the lift motor room as you can see from the 3d diagram there as I say you could see the North compass just disappearing from view behind the red lift shaft on the die on the model and

00:58:20 lift shaft on the die on the model and the lift shafts as I say were located to the east of the lift lobbies in all cases we'll come to see this in a little bit more graphic detail in just a moment before we do could you please go to the

00:58:31 before we do could you please go to the next section flat 16 and the route out of flat 16 if you just pause there for a moment you can see the geometry of the

00:58:44 you can see the geometry of the staircase approach to and from flat 16 flat 16 as I've said lies on the East elevation occupying essentially the northeast corner of the building on the

00:58:56 northeast corner of the building on the fourth floor and there are a number of staircases which one has to go down in order to get out of the building if I can just go into plan view to start with

00:59:07 can just go into plan view to start with and then we'll come back to the 3d view in a moment that is the plan view and so in order to exit flat 16 the occupants would have had to have left the front

00:59:19 would have had to have left the front door which you see there on the right

00:59:23 and and then gone right and then immediately left through the lift Lobby left into the stair door and then left

00:59:35 left into the stair door and then left again down the stairs and then right and down the stairs and then again down several more flights of stairs to bring one out to level two where there is a

00:59:49 one out to level two where there is a landing or mezzanine and then down again several more flights of stairs to bring you out of the exit into the open air

01:00:02 you out of the exit into the open air through the main entrance to the building if I can just ask you to pause there Conner the fight would you just identify where the dry rising main Inlet

01:00:14 identify where the dry rising main Inlet is to be found yes it's there to the left of the main entrance thank you can we now please turn to the next section which is drawings we start with the

01:00:26 which is drawings we start with the ground floor we may now this is the ground floor layout you can see the entrance there to the south and then

01:00:37 entrance there to the south and then moving clockwise starting going to the west we have the community room and then the nursery on the west face and the

01:00:49 the nursery on the west face and the rest of the home the north face and then moving around in the clockwise direction onto the east face we have the east wind days of the nursery and then a refuse

01:01:00 days of the nursery and then a refuse chamber a staircase in the transformer chamber and then in the far southeast corner we have the staircase which we've just seen on the previous part of the

01:01:13 just seen on the previous part of the model could you please see the first floor this is the first floor layout plan again moving in a clockwise direction we start with flat two

01:01:27 direction we start with flat two occupying the southwest corner flat three on the West flat four in the northwest

01:01:33 northwest flat 5 in the Northeast and then on the Eastside they're a community meeting room and then the next floor this is the

01:01:45 room and then the next floor this is the second floor layout plan again starting in the South moving clockwise we have flat six in the southwest corner and then the boxing club which occupies the

01:02:00 then the boxing club which occupies the rest of the West Side the whole of the north side and part of the East Side and if you could please then go to the third

01:02:12 if you could please then go to the third floor layout plan which we now have again moving in a clockwise direction we have from the South flat eight nine ten

01:02:24 have from the South flat eight nine ten and seven those were new flats as a result of the 2016 refurbishment four flats only on that floor somewhat larger

01:02:37 flats only on that floor somewhat larger than the flats that we see from floor for to floor 23 and if you could please turn next to the fourth floor as I say

01:02:49 turn next to the fourth floor as I say this is the fourth floor layout plan which was the same replicated up the building starting I will this time start on the east face with flat 11 being the

01:03:00 on the east face with flat 11 being the lowest of this of the numbers the six numbers a flat 11 on the east side flat 12 on the southeast flat 13 on the southwest flat 14 on the West flat 15 on

01:03:14 southwest flat 14 on the West flat 15 on the northwest and flat 16 on the North East and again just if we can just looking at the plan you'll see that they're in the middle or the lift shaft

01:03:26 they're in the middle or the lift shaft squares and the four two lifts they're on the east side of the lift lobby and on the west side of the lift lobby we have the door which goes down the stairs

01:03:38 have the door which goes down the stairs into the stairwell if you can just identify that with the mouse that would be helpful we'll see it again and just to move it a little bit more graphically but to give or planned view that is where the lifts

01:03:49 or planned view that is where the lifts are that is where the stair to the stair door is to the to the stairs and just to the north of that is the refuse room and refuse chute if you could please

01:04:04 refuse chute if you could please now just go to the the next section this is a 3d model of the plans that we've just seen and I think I can take these

01:04:16 just seen and I think I can take these quickly what the intention here is is to provide a 3d idea of the various features inside the building so we start with the building core walls there in

01:04:28 with the building core walls there in gray the AAV the automatic and opening vents for smoke as a control box there in yellow which you could just see there

01:04:40 in yellow which you could just see there in the main entrance hall and the west wall just to the north of the gray door there'll be some evidence about that control box in due course moving on down

01:04:52 control box in due course moving on down the key you can see in green there the ground floor lift doors and moving on further down the key I think that's probably all we need to show you from

01:05:04 probably all we need to show you from that floor if we move to the next floor floor one you can see the stairs to the south on the south east of the building to the bottom left-hand corner of the

01:05:15 to the bottom left-hand corner of the picture which we saw before and leading to the landing there which then comes into the lift lobby features there are we have the the building core walls

01:05:29 we have the the building core walls there in gray we have the dry riser which is the dry riser outlet which is where the London Fire Brigade plug their hoses into and you could see it there

01:05:41 hoses into and you could see it there just to the left of the lifts to the southwest of the lift lobby and that is replicated on all floors up the building so it's there it's important to remember where that is in comparison with various

01:05:54 where that is in comparison with various flats we have the flat front doors which coming into view there in yellow lift doors in green again and the stair door

01:06:06 doors in green again and the stair door which is opposite the lift just there if you go to the next level please nor - this is where the boxing club is which

01:06:19 this is where the boxing club is which is the big space to the north and west of the building core building core is there in gray the there's a dry riser

01:06:31 there in gray the there's a dry riser there as well which is just eliminated there we have the stair door as well which I think all that's limit

01:06:43 which I think all that's limit illuminated isn't showing up there it is the stair doors which bring one down and in turquoise very bright blue we have

01:06:54 in turquoise very bright blue we have the bridge head now there'll be much evidence about the bridge head where it was located and its various times of movement during the night it is important that I understand exactly

01:07:08 important that I understand exactly where the bridge head is located and it is in the lift lobby there on the second floor right in the center of the building if you could then please turn

01:07:19 building if you could then please turn to the next floor this is floor three with the four large flats again we've got the party walls there in brown so that divides off the four flats on the

01:07:30 that divides off the four flats on the third floor the building core walls there we have the dry riser outlet again there in the southwest corner of the lift lobby we have the lift doors shown

01:07:42 lift lobby we have the lift doors shown in green we have the stair door there again and I think we eliminated it but

01:07:53 again and I think we eliminated it but the AOV the automatic opening vents there on the wall the smoke vents and I think that's all we need from that plan and then if we go to the fourth floor

01:08:06 and then if we go to the fourth floor and first of all if we could look at flat 16 in plan occupy the northeast corner of the building you can see as we

01:08:18 corner of the building you can see as we will come to in much greater detail when we come to the evidence of the occupants that you can see the flat front doors of all of the flats on that floor in yellow the flat 16 front door in yellow to the

01:08:30 the flat 16 front door in yellow to the north east corner of the lift lobby and you go in and there is immediately opposite you a bedroom we can just identify that with the cursor there next

01:08:42 identify that with the cursor there next to it a second bedroom the hallway then runs down past the laboratory and bathroom on the right into an l-shaped living room in the northeast corner

01:08:54 living room in the northeast corner which is then divided off from the kitchen by what are sliding doors and that is the kitchen space of flat 16 of Grenville tower where the cursor is now

01:09:08 Grenville tower where the cursor is now if you can now move then into slightly more angled view so that you can see the other main features for the moment we can see the aov on the walls there just

01:09:20 can see the aov on the walls there just between the doors to flat 16 and flat 17 we can see the dry riser outlet tucked away there in the southwest corner of the lift lobby we've got the lift from

01:09:33 the lift lobby we've got the lift from the lift doors there in green and the stair door there in purple pink brightly illuminated and just dwell on that for a moment if you would please you can see

01:09:44 moment if you would please you can see now the route very easily from flat 16 and indeed all the other flats in the on that floor and indeed all other floors which take you to the stair door and they'll be much evidence about that in

01:09:59 they'll be much evidence about that in blue illuminated now out of the yellow front doors is the blue route route in blue which people would have to take from their individual flats to the stair

01:10:10 from their individual flats to the stair door

01:10:18 you could now go finally please to floor 23 it's exactly the same layout and exactly the same features except that

01:10:29 exactly the same features except that you will note that there is some evidence that on the landing of floor 23 was a metal gate impeding access to the

01:10:42 was a metal gate impeding access to the 24 floor and the roof plant

01:10:51 thank you very much

01:11:01 they were also in the building various CCTV cameras we didn't show them on the middle because there is still a little

01:11:14 middle because there is still a little bit of doubt about where precisely they're located it may not matter we have five in the main entrance one outside the boxing club over the stairs there one in the lobby on level seven

01:11:26 there one in the lobby on level seven and one in one of the lifts mr. chairman I'm going to move on now to some detail about the construction of the building but I'm looking at the clock and the

01:11:38 but I'm looking at the clock and the transcribers have been galloping to keep up with me for the last hour I wonder whether now may be an appropriate moment for the transcribers break yes thank you very much good ten minutes beer bar

01:11:49 very much good ten minutes beer bar right yes seven to ten minutes thank you

01:12:04 you

01:27:09 mr. Miller before you resume can I just say I'm sorry that it's rather crowded at the back of the room that I hope you'll understand that we wanted to enable as many people as possible to be

01:27:21 enable as many people as possible to be here in the hearing room to see and hear what's going on so please bear with us we do our best and the other thing is I know that it's rather warm in here now I've asked people whether we could turn

01:27:33 I've asked people whether we could turn up the air-conditioning or do anything to reduce the temperature until we're doing all we can but tonight let's make it clear that if you want to take off your jacket or anything else to make yourself more comfortable please feel

01:27:45 yourself more comfortable please feel free to do so and we're doing our best I say I'm sorry we can't do much more yes mr. Bennett Thank You mr. chairman in

01:27:56 mr. Bennett Thank You mr. chairman in terms of its original construction here is a picture of the building before the latest refurbishment works which were

01:28:08 latest refurbishment works which were planned in 2012 and completed in July 2016 note please first of all the

01:28:20 2016 note please first of all the concrete structure and you can see again as I said before the three central and corner columns on the north and south

01:28:36 corner columns on the north and south force are three there in the center and the two columns on the each of the corners and the east and west faces have

01:28:48 corners and the east and west faces have the two columns centrally running top to bottom we also have running horizontally across the building concrete spandrels

01:29:01 across the building concrete spandrels these are the spandrels there where my cursor is and note if you can the detail of the original windows with these white

01:29:12 of the original windows with these white sandwich panels between the windows the building had a reinforced concrete core it had reinforced concrete floors you

01:29:25 it had reinforced concrete floors you had perimeter reinforced concrete columns and on the exterior of the building were as you can see horizontal concrete panels the windows were sliding

01:29:39 concrete panels the windows were sliding aluminium frames and the infill panels or sandwich panels we use the words interchangeably sometimes they're on the concrete columns precast biscuits as

01:29:55 concrete columns precast biscuits as they were called were used as permanent facing for the columns the building had

01:30:07 facing for the columns the building had a layout we've seen now which is familiar flat one on the East facade running in a clockwise direction round two flat six in the Northeast and again

01:30:20 two flat six in the Northeast and again you can see from this plan the lift lobby with the lifts again on the west side and the stair door on the east side

01:30:33 side and the stair door on the east side noting please six flats per floor they number from the center of the East facade clockwise round to number six flat sixteen is not on the northeast corner to work out which flat numbers

01:30:46 corner to work out which flat numbers are on a given floor you add three the number three to the first number or first two numbers of the flat so for example flat sixteen is on the fourth

01:30:58 example flat sixteen is on the fourth floor adding three to the one in 16 gives you four and it's the sixth flat flat six on the fourth floor flat 26 is on the fifth floor flat six and flat one

01:31:12 on the fifth floor flat six and flat one nine five is on the 22nd floor flat five on the plan you can see that whichever floor you are on the flat where the last

01:31:23 floor you are on the flat where the last number is six is always in the northeast corner so sixteen 26 36 etc and just note on the plan for the time being the

01:31:35 note on the plan for the time being the lobby the stairs the lifts and the stairwell door as I've said before those are going to become very important in terms of the detail turning to the 2016

01:31:49 terms of the detail turning to the 2016 refurbishment in terms of the history of the building the most significant development in terms of the state of the building on the night of the fire is the

01:32:00 building on the night of the fire is the 2012 to 2016 refurbishment it's described in detail in Section four of dr. Lang's report this on the screen is

01:32:12 dr. Lang's report this on the screen is an image of the building taken after the refurbishment works were completed it's taken from figure eight point three two of doctor lanes report and if you would

01:32:26 of doctor lanes report and if you would note the columns on the north east south and west faces have been over clad and

01:32:38 and west faces have been over clad and you could see the cladding running up the columns here where the cursor is running and you can see that the corners have also been over clad the spandrels

01:32:51 have also been over clad the spandrels running horizontally below the windows and above the windows have been over clad and the sandwich panels have been or infill panels have been replaced with

01:33:03 or infill panels have been replaced with new sandwich panels so have the windows and we will be examining the new windows in a moment now this was a substantial

01:33:15 in a moment now this was a substantial refurbishment planning permission was sought first in 2012 and an initial lead contractor led bitter was appointed

01:33:28 contractor led bitter was appointed however after a further procurement process

01:33:31 process Ryden maintenance limited was eventually appointed the design and build contractor in June 2014

01:33:43 the architect for the 2012 to 2016 refurbishment was Studio II the

01:33:55 refurbishment was Studio II the employers agent and quantity surveyor was Artie Lea project's UK limited specialist fire engineering advice was

01:34:06 specialist fire engineering advice was provided by x over Warrington fire the client for the refurbishment works was casey TMO the refurbishment works were

01:34:21 casey TMO the refurbishment works were funded by RB casey and the funds were released in May 2012 the Department of Building Control at RB Casey acted as

01:34:35 Building Control at RB Casey acted as Building Control authority and they conducted a number of inspection visits between August 2014 and July 2016 the

01:34:49 between August 2014 and July 2016 the building's certificate for completion of these works were signed by RB Casey on the 7th of July 2016 the refurbishment

01:35:01 the 7th of July 2016 the refurbishment work affected both the outside and the inside of the building it incorporated the over cladding of every story of the

01:35:12 the over cladding of every story of the existing building with a cladding system comprising among other things exterior insulation and an arranged screen and

01:35:24 insulation and an arranged screen and aluminium rain screen or ACP as we will hear the cladding subcontractor was Harley facades the company formerly

01:35:37 Harley facades the company formerly known as Harley curtain wall limited additionally there was a full refurbishment internally of the very lowest floors of the tower between

01:35:51 lowest floors of the tower between ground and level 3 inclusive including structural works that included the creation of the nine new flats in these lower levels that we've seen from

01:36:03 these lower levels that we've seen from the model that we looked at earlier this morning they were also building services works within every floor and within every flat within the tower the

01:36:15 every flat within the tower the mechanical and electrical engineer was max Fordham and the services contractor was Jas right these internal building services works

01:36:27 these internal building services works included the fitting of a new heating system to all areas it included the provision of a new boosted cold water distribution system and also the

01:36:39 distribution system and also the refurbishment and extension of the smoke control and environmental ventilation system together with some alterations to the dry riser system dr. lane and

01:36:53 the dry riser system dr. lane and professor Bisbee are going to introduce the important aspects of the physical building in their presentation the week after next that will include an explanation of how

01:37:07 that will include an explanation of how the new facade system was configured in terms of the key features of this system I start with the rain screen outer layer

01:37:21 I start with the rain screen outer layer that we saw a moment ago from the photograph of the building this was a Reyno bond 55 PE polyethylene cassette

01:37:34 Reyno bond 55 PE polyethylene cassette system aluminium composite panel or ACP this consisted as we can see from this picture of a three millimeter thick core

01:37:48 picture of a three millimeter thick core of polyethylene which is there on the picture in black bonded between two half

01:37:59 picture in black bonded between two half millimeter thick pieces of aluminium skin

01:38:05 skin and you can see the aluminium skin and the polyethylene or PE core on both of these pictures now polyethylene is a

01:38:16 these pictures now polyethylene is a combustible synthetic thermoplastic polymer which melts and drips upon exposure to heat and which can also flow

01:38:28 exposure to heat and which can also flow whilst burning it has a high calorific value as compared with other common construction materials and it will provide a fuel source for a growing and

01:38:41 provide a fuel source for a growing and spreading fire it melts at 130 to 135 degrees centigrade and it ignites at 377 degrees

01:38:52 centigrade and it ignites at 377 degrees centigrade also these aluminium composite panels ACPs covered the face of the building where they were hung onto rails as spandrel

01:39:06 they were hung onto rails as spandrel panels moving horizontally Amaral were also present on the columns of the buildings as we've seen there were also

01:39:18 buildings as we've seen there were also fins of ACP around the top of the building as you can see there where the cursor is which created an architectural

01:39:31 cursor is which created an architectural crown

01:39:33 crown now this ACP rainscreen outer layer was on the exterior of the building between levels 4 and 23 it was manufactured by

01:39:46 levels 4 and 23 it was manufactured by our comic architectural products and it was fabricated for specific use at Grenfell tower by CEP architectural facades who cut it and shaped it for

01:39:58 facades who cut it and shaped it for application on the building according to our conics opening submissions they accept that this product was not of limited combust ability for the purposes

01:40:10 limited combust ability for the purposes of the building regulations and their position is that this should have been obvious to any consumer professional behind the main ACP

01:40:25 professional behind the main ACP spandrel panels were two layers of combustible polyisocyanurate or PIR polymer foam insulation attached

01:40:37 polymer foam insulation attached directly to the building now depending on its location on the building that PIR insulation was of two alternative kinds

01:40:50 insulation was of two alternative kinds it was either Celotex PIR RS 5000 or it was kingspan k 15 which is phenolic as

01:41:04 was kingspan k 15 which is phenolic as to Celotex you can see here from this picture how it was applied behind or as

01:41:15 picture how it was applied behind or as part of the span of the spandrel structure a note to the right of the

01:41:27 structure a note to the right of the polymer foam insulation board is indicated the aluminium cladding rail you can see the detail of that just there running up and down in the black

01:41:38 there running up and down in the black I've got my cursor on it there is the aluminium cladding rail there and on the right side and to the left side also another aluminium cladding rail and that was onto which

01:41:52 cladding rail and that was onto which the cassettes were to be hung but as I say behind it you can see the polymer foam insulation and note also the

01:42:03 foam insulation and note also the exposed cut edge as to kingspan you can see it there

01:42:19 select Sephora Celotex is concerned we'll go back to the there the rs.5000 was also used on the insulation as insulation on the vertical

01:42:30 insulation as insulation on the vertical columns that ascended the building on each of the phases to each on the east and west and three each on the north and south and here we see the insulation in

01:42:44 south and here we see the insulation in sit you on the columns and you could see that it's Celotex now PIR has an

01:42:55 that it's Celotex now PIR has an ignition point of 306 to 377 degrees centigrade but a low thermal inertia now as Professor Bisbee explains what this

01:43:06 as Professor Bisbee explains what this means is that PIR has a comparatively low time to ignition and it can support rapid fire spread of adjacent materials

01:43:18 rapid fire spread of adjacent materials because it effectively insulates the cavity from heat loss as to kingspan k15 phenolic I should say that it seems that

01:43:30 phenolic I should say that it seems that this accounted for a relatively small percentage of the cladding surface area compared to the Celotex rs.5000 product and further investigations are

01:43:43 and further investigations are continuing by the inquiry team present in the facade system were also a number of open cavities some of which were

01:43:58 of open cavities some of which were significant in terms of their size and their location this is a topic to which I will return later in my opening address when I summarize the main

01:44:10 address when I summarize the main hypotheses which are beginning now to emerge from the expert evidence however it should be noted that some cavity

01:44:21 it should be noted that some cavity barriers had been installed in the facade system both in the horizontal and in the vertical orientation

01:44:32 these figures here on the next slide and the one after which are from Professor bisby's report show the key features on

01:44:44 bisby's report show the key features on the exterior of the rainscreen cladding on this first slide which is Professor Bisbee's figure-eight in his report you can see the ACP spandrel panels in blue

01:44:57 can see the ACP spandrel panels in blue they are the spandrels running horizontally above and below the window sets and the sandwich panels you can see the sandwich panels or window infill panels they're in yellow and on the left

01:45:12 panels they're in yellow and on the left hand side there's a small one there which we'll come to in a moment that contains the extractor fan and in pink here we have the column acp panels which

01:45:26 here we have the column acp panels which were Celotex RS 5000 as I've said here is a photograph after the fire of the exterior of the cladding system and note

01:45:39 exterior of the cladding system and note again the same features the spandrel section ACM or acp rain screen cassettes you can see them they're still in place

01:45:52 you can see them they're still in place here are the column ACM or ACP rain screen cassettes moving up the column side of the building and there are two in window infill panels and as I said

01:46:03 in window infill panels and as I said just a moment ago the kitchen extractor fan which is mounted within the window infill panel there at the top left hand side of the window looking in from

01:46:14 side of the window looking in from outside or the right hand side of the window looking out from within

01:46:24 this next slide shows the key features of the cladding it's taken from dr. lanes reports it's figure 8.8 in the

01:46:37 lanes reports it's figure 8.8 in the section eight of that report it helps to explain in more detail the makeup of the new facade system including the insulation behind the ACP rain screen

01:46:49 insulation behind the ACP rain screen panels and the location of the cavity barriers in the facade and looking at the detail of it here you can see the various features you've got the original

01:47:03 various features you've got the original concrete spandrel panels running along horizontally there where the cursor is and then you've got the rain screen cavity insulation behind these rails

01:47:15 cavity insulation behind these rails here and various different metal angles for cladding fixings in green you've got and there's on the column there and you've got the u-shaped cladding rails

01:47:26 you've got the u-shaped cladding rails running horizontally there across the spandrel you've got vertical fulfil calibrated cavity barriers within the column there and various other features

01:47:39 column there and various other features over which the column rainscreen cladding panel was affixed and you can see that on the column there where the cursor is and you can also see it here

01:47:50 cursor is and you can also see it here on the other side and the upper diagram shows how the standard cladding panels were hung onto cladding rails but you can't see other than an exposed form

01:48:01 can't see other than an exposed form there you've also got something we'll come to in a moment in blue but I would ask you to note it which is the EPDM

01:48:12 ask you to note it which is the EPDM polymer membrane there which was the damp proof course which will be looked at in some more detail by me and particularly by dr. lane when she comes

01:48:25 particularly by dr. lane when she comes to give her presentation it's important also to say something about the new windows which were installed as part of the main

01:48:36 installed as part of the main refurbishment of the tower between 2012 and 2016 new windows were installed on every floor and the refurbishment

01:48:47 every floor and the refurbishment effectively moved the new window frames outwards say that they sat no longer flush with the concrete as they had been but flush within the new cladding system

01:49:01 but flush within the new cladding system and this is helpfully

01:49:11 it is helpfully illustrated in Figure 8.24 of doctor lanes report and this is a photograph taken which shows the

01:49:30 a photograph taken which shows the windows being reduced in size than the original windows the changes created a gap that you can see between the

01:49:41 gap that you can see between the concrete and the facade system and you could see that the gap was filled there with EPDM a polymer product you can also

01:49:54 with EPDM a polymer product you can also see from this that the windows have been moved outwards to sit within the cladding system and then the gap as we'll see from in a moment was covered

01:50:05 we'll see from in a moment was covered with uPVC or unclassified polyvinyl chloride a solid combustible plastic and that is what the windows look like after

01:50:18 that is what the windows look like after completion of the refurbishment you can see the new window jamb in yellow on the

01:50:29 see the new window jamb in yellow on the vertical sides of each of the sides of the window you could see a new window sill a new PV Sinnott v new PVC finish and the window header also had a uPVC

01:50:41 and the window header also had a uPVC finish and then sitting in in front of the window frame running along the ceiling was the original pearl board

01:50:52 ceiling was the original pearl board ceiling filler strip I'll come back to pearl board in just a moment but just note it there at the window header for the time being so far as you PVC is

01:51:04 the time being so far as you PVC is concerned it is combustible and it deforms at relatively low temperatures 75 to 100 degrees now the uPVC appear to

01:51:17 75 to 100 degrees now the uPVC appear to have been glued on to 25 millimeter PIR insulation material manufactured either by seller checks or by kingspan they were either Celotex TB

01:51:29 by kingspan they were either Celotex TB 4000 or kingspan therma pitch TP 10 now PIR I've already mentioned part

01:51:40 PIR I've already mentioned part polyisocyanurate a rigid plastic foam it is combustible this particular product was much thinner than that was that which was used for the cladding affixed

01:51:53 which was used for the cladding affixed to the external concrete behind the insulation was a damp proof course which we've seen now already of the EPDM which

01:52:05 we've seen now already of the EPDM which stands for ethylene propylene diene monomer which was fitted as a weatherproof seal it is combustible the new win it window infill panels which we

01:52:20 new win it window infill panels which we can now see on this slide were a product it appears called a Lu glaze these are the white panels on the building post refurbishment like the windows these

01:52:34 refurbishment like the windows these were also set flush within the cladding system aloo glaze is a product comprising an insulating core of 25

01:52:46 comprising an insulating core of 25 millimetres of styrofoam which is expanded polystyrene and you could see it on this slide in in blue it's the blue insulation filler

01:52:59 it's the blue insulation filler sandwiched between aluminium panels of one and a half millimeters thickness

01:53:11 styrofoam is combustible it ignites at 356 degrees centigrade internally above

01:53:24 356 degrees centigrade internally above the windows go back to that slide

01:53:35 internally above the windows and in a band around the perimeter of the ceilings which we've just seen was a strip of original insulation board which was left in place during the

01:53:47 was left in place during the refurbishment works it's believed to be a polyurethane foam called pearl board polyurethane or PU is

01:53:58 called pearl board polyurethane or PU is a rigid combustible plastic with an initial ignition temperature of 356 degrees centigrade and there it is on this slide in kitchens in the tower

01:54:14 this slide in kitchens in the tower there were kitchen vent panels these were incorporated as part of the window set the ventilation fan was set within an insulating core panel that was also

01:54:28 an insulating core panel that was also combustible possibly styrofoam boy expanded polystyrene of another kind this slide here is taken from dr. lanes

01:54:41 this slide here is taken from dr. lanes figure 9.2 in section 9 of her report

01:54:50 these features of the kitchen windows are helpfully illustrated by this slide which is 9.19 of dr. lanes report this

01:55:01 which is 9.19 of dr. lanes report this is a picture taken in flat 13 of Grenville tower which is on floor 4 but on the opposite side of the tower 2 flat

01:55:13 on the opposite side of the tower 2 flat 16 this is exactly what the kitchen window set in flat 16 would have looked like before the fire in terms of the

01:55:29 like before the fire in terms of the history of the building there are two other major works which were carried out at the tower which was separate from the 2014 referred at 2012 to 2016

01:55:41 2014 referred at 2012 to 2016 refurbishment which are of key relevance to our investigation into the condition of the building on the night of the fire those major works are first the flat

01:55:54 those major works are first the flat entrance far door replacement works which took place in 2011 from levels 20 from levels for 223 inclusive this was a

01:56:05 from levels for 223 inclusive this was a program at works which were intended to replace 106 flat entrance doors with fire doors which complied with relevant

01:56:16 fire doors which complied with relevant fire safety standards secondly the gas supply works which took place between October 2016 and June 2017 this new

01:56:30 October 2016 and June 2017 this new tenant gas supply was required because of corrosion within one of the existing gas risers which had led to a small gas leak in September 2016 the gas works

01:56:43 leak in September 2016 the gas works were unfinished at the time of the fire in June 2017 dr. lane will be giving a detailed presentation about the history

01:56:54 detailed presentation about the history of the building including the major refurbishment works and the building more generally in her presentation the week after next to set the scene for phase 1 I now come

01:57:08 to set the scene for phase 1 I now come to the next section of this introduction which is the active and passive fire safety systems relevant to Grenville tower in her detailed phase 1 report dr.

01:57:23 tower in her detailed phase 1 report dr. Lane identified the active and passive fire safety systems which were present in the tower at the time of the fire her oral presentation will cover that topic

01:57:36 oral presentation will cover that topic in terms of identifying what those active and passive measures were they are summarized helpfully in a table table a of section 2 of her report in

01:57:51 table a of section 2 of her report in terms of passive systems those included the single stair the lobbies and the fire tools all of which were required to be fire rated to particular standards in

01:58:04 be fire rated to particular standards in accordance with the building regulations note also compartment ation fire stopping and cavity barriers as elements in her list of passive fire safety

01:58:16 in her list of passive fire safety systems the flat entrance doors and the doors between the lobbies and the stairs were both important elements of the

01:58:27 were both important elements of the lobby enclosure and both of which were required to meet specific fire safety standards in terms of active systems within the building some key features

01:58:40 within the building some key features are as follows first all flats were provided with smoke alarms individually to that end it should be noted that

01:58:52 to that end it should be noted that there was no whole building alarm system nor was that required under the relevant regulatory regime secondly a smoke

01:59:03 regulatory regime secondly a smoke control system had been provided in the lobbies which was designed to isolate all lobbies except the floor where any fire was in she detected thirdly the lifts had some

01:59:16 she detected thirdly the lifts had some features some consistent with a fire lift which should have enabled the fire service to control the lift in particular ways in the event of a fire

01:59:29 particular ways in the event of a fire and fourthly the lobbies the lobbies were fitted with dry risers as we've seen from the model in other words empty pipes which can be externally connected

01:59:40 pipes which can be externally connected to a pressurized water source by firefighters and which can then be used to plug hoses into on each floor in the event of a fire examples of these dry

01:59:54 event of a fire examples of these dry risers can be seen in the following pictures from dr. lanes report these are taken from figure fourteen point six nine of dr. lanes report within section

02:00:06 nine of dr. lanes report within section fourteen and just looking at them on the top left-hand corner we've got the ground-level Inlet that as I said before was next to the main entrance of the

02:00:21 was next to the main entrance of the building to its left and then the various outlets from the dry rising main level one level two three four and as an example from higher on the building

02:00:33 example from higher on the building level nine

02:00:40 as I will outline later on in this opening dr. Lane has evaluated the performance of these active and passive safety systems on the night of the fire

02:00:51 safety systems on the night of the fire and she'll be giving oral evidence on those matters in the latter part of phase 1 once we have heard the evidence from the firefighters and the survivors of the fire and the bereaved and I now

02:01:06 of the fire and the bereaved and I now turn to the events of the night of June the 14th 2017 it is dr. Lane's

02:01:19 the 14th 2017 it is dr. Lane's preliminary opinion as follows the events that unfolded at Grenville tower on the 14th of June 2017 rapidly became unprecedented rather than a fire

02:01:33 became unprecedented rather than a fire within one internal compartment a major fire in the building envelope occurred and this itself was on multiple stories and across multiple compartments

02:01:46 and across multiple compartments additionally there were very many post flashover fires internally in multiple compartments on multiple stories the building envelope itself was therefore a

02:01:59 building envelope itself was therefore a major hazard on the night of the fire the active and passive fire protection measures within the Grenville Tower were required to mitigate an extraordinary

02:02:11 required to mitigate an extraordinary event and as a result the consequences were catastrophic

02:02:24 turning to the fire within flat 16

02:02:31 professor Nick deeds clear preliminary view is that the fire started in the kitchen of flat 16 on the 4th floor that

02:02:44 kitchen of flat 16 on the 4th floor that view is shared by the forensic examiners retained by the police who carried out an examination of flat 16 in the immediate aftermath of the fire this on

02:02:59 immediate aftermath of the fire this on the screen is a floor plan of flat 16 which includes the kitchen in the bottom right hand corner this is a figure taken

02:03:10 right hand corner this is a figure taken from Professor Nick deeds report figure 12

02:03:15 12 we know that the flat is on the northeast corner we have the front entrance there at the bottom of the picture we have a storage cupboard to the left as you go in and then the

02:03:28 to the left as you go in and then the hallway crossing the hallway moving north you go into bedroom one bedroom one was occupied by a lady called Alma's

02:03:40 one was occupied by a lady called Alma's kin Fuu next to it was a second bedroom occupied by a lady called Elsa after worki moving down the hallway to the

02:03:52 worki moving down the hallway to the right there is a bathroom and beyond that a lavatory and then at the end of the hall to the left you enter the living room which is an

02:04:03 you enter the living room which is an l-shaped room which has sliding doors to the south and then in the far southeast corner of the flat the kitchen

02:04:18 the kitchen is divided from the living room itself by sliding doors this further floorplan here on this next slide shows the kitchen in more detail

02:04:30 slide shows the kitchen in more detail including the location of a number of appliances or features of the kitchen this is now looking at the kitchen from south from north to south south at the

02:04:43 south from north to south south at the top north of the bottom if you will and you can see the column the exterior column of the building in the top left

02:04:55 column of the building in the top left corner of the diagram and the window in blue on the very far left running top to bottom that's the window set which shows

02:05:07 bottom that's the window set which shows you the approximate position of the extractor fan and the rest of the kitchen window and note particularly at the kitchen window abuts the column from

02:05:22 the kitchen window abuts the column from the door on the bottom right hand side of the slide the door opens from left to right and you enter straight into the kitchen from the hallway immediately

02:05:35 kitchen from the hallway immediately opposite you there is a microwave to the left of that a sink and then a washing machine and then a cooker and then next

02:05:46 machine and then a cooker and then next to the cooker near the window the tall fridge freezer there is then a gap where unknown materials were there'll be some

02:05:58 unknown materials were there'll be some evidence about that we anticipate and then you have the window and the approximate position of the extractor fan remembering what we saw earlier

02:06:09 fan remembering what we saw earlier about precisely where the extractor fan was positioned within a combustible panel and then the assumed position of

02:06:20 panel and then the assumed position of an old freezer and a small fridge small fridge perhaps on top of the old freezer

02:06:30 precisely how these were laid out will be the subject of further evidence of a flick about flat 16 which is to come in

02:06:42 flick about flat 16 which is to come in professor Nick dad's view the evidence thus far suggests that it is more likely than not that the area of origin of the fire was in or around the tall

02:06:53 fire was in or around the tall fridge/freezer in the southeastern part of the kitchen within flat 16 the area of origin includes the area between the tall

02:07:04 includes the area between the tall fridge freezer and the window the fridge freezer was a Hotpoint FF 175 BP made by Whirlpool Corporation that area in the

02:07:21 Whirlpool Corporation that area in the flat can be seen in the following figure from professor Nick day's report which is which is marked by the red line on the left of this sketch plan in a curved

02:07:33 the left of this sketch plan in a curved area between the window and the tall fridge freezer now mr. chairman I've reached this point a little bit earlier

02:07:45 reached this point a little bit earlier than I was otherwise going to the reason I've stopped short is this I'm now going to be showing some still photographs and

02:07:56 to be showing some still photographs and then a lengthy video piece of some 12 minutes showing the building on fire on the night now anybody who thinks they

02:08:09 the night now anybody who thinks they might find these images distressing as they might should leave the room and I was going to suggest that we take perhaps a short break now and come to it

02:08:22 perhaps a short break now and come to it the video itself is not immediately following but there are pictures which people might find distressing so mr. Chanin I'm in your hands we can rise for five minutes to allow people to leave

02:08:36 five minutes to allow people to leave the room or the livestream rooms if they wish to and then we can continue until 12:45 or we can pause now and I can

02:08:47 12:45 or we can pause now and I can complete the rest of my address after the prayer and lunch adjournment but it would make no sense wouldn't it for you to carry on and see the photographs and videos at this point yes

02:08:59 photographs and videos at this point yes pretty much I rise for a couple of minutes and I'll be close by and I'll just rise for long enough for people to decide whether they wish to leave or not

02:09:11 decide whether they wish to leave or not and as soon as we're ready to continue yeah sure we'll get okay but should we say five minutes if it needs five minutes five minutes very good thank you very much

02:09:31 you

02:15:58 yes to chairman the first call to the London Fire Brigade was made at 0-0 54 a.m. by mr. B hey Lu Kabhi D who was the

02:16:14 a.m. by mr. B hey Lu Kabhi D who was the tenant of flat 16 we will be shortly hearing his call which lasted about one minute 36 seconds as part of the video

02:16:26 minute 36 seconds as part of the video we will be receiving evidence from him and from other occupants of the flat who were present in the flat on the night of the fire at the moment there are some

02:16:39 the fire at the moment there are some question marks about whether mr. Kobe Dee's health enables him to attend to give oral evidence to the inquiry at this time in addition to his various

02:16:50 this time in addition to his various written witness statements we propose at this stage to read his written evidence into the record and then to call him to

02:17:02 into the record and then to call him to give oral evidence in September if necessary and if his health permits it I should also mention mr. chairman that on Friday evening the inquiry received a

02:17:15 Friday evening the inquiry received a lengthy written witness statement from mr. Kobe D produced at the invitation of the inquiry which we are urgently considering we have disclosed the

02:17:27 considering we have disclosed the statements for Alma's kin foo and Elsa after work e both those that they did fall the police and those that they did for the inquiry and our present

02:17:39 for the inquiry and our present intention subject to anything new emerging is to read those statements into the record but not to call them to give oral evidence in terms of how the

02:17:52 give oral evidence in terms of how the events on the night unfolded I am about to identify some key points in the timeline about which we have some confidence however I must stress that

02:18:05 confidence however I must stress that all times at the moment remain provisional and will need to be investigated further and confirmed by the factual evidence as it emerges following mr. Kirby DS call

02:18:20 it emerges following mr. Kirby DS call at zero fifty four hours at zero 55 hours three pumps were dispatched by the LF B in response these were G to 72 and

02:18:34 LF B in response these were G to 72 and g27 one from North Kensington Fire Station and G three three one from Kensington Fire Station there were a

02:18:46 Kensington Fire Station there were a total of 16 firefighters on their way at zero 59 a fourth appliance or pump or fire engine the terms are

02:18:59 fire engine the terms are interchangeable was dispatched from Hammersmith which was g36 to with a further four firefighters on it it had

02:19:10 further four firefighters on it it had been dispatched because it had been determined that this was a high-rise incident we will be hearing and reading evidence from firefighters who initially attended the fire and we will be

02:19:23 attended the fire and we will be examining in some detail the thermal-imaging camera footage taken by the firefighters attending within flat 16 at the start of the fire and

02:19:34 16 at the start of the fire and examining in detail its particular timing the initial the initial incident commander was firefighter Mike Dowden

02:19:45 commander was firefighter Mike Dowden from North Kensington he set up the bridgehead on level 2 two floors below the fire floor as the witnesses will say was usual practice evidence is beginning

02:20:01 was usual practice evidence is beginning to emerge that the first crew at the scene discovered that the firefighter switch for the lifts which would give the London Fire Brigade sole control

02:20:12 the London Fire Brigade sole control over the lifts was not operational the dry riser was charged at the external point with water and the evidence of the first cruise in

02:20:24 and the evidence of the first cruise in attendance suggests that hoses were plugged into the dry riser outlet on the fourth floor but we will have to explore precisely the detail based on the

02:20:38 precisely the detail based on the thermal imaging cameras carried by the firefighter crews the firefighters arrived at flat 16 at around 1:07 we will be exploring with those

02:20:49 will be exploring with those firefighters in more detail when they give evidence precisely what times they arrived on the floor at the door and what they did and what they saw as they fought the fire in the kitchen of fat16

02:21:04 fought the fire in the kitchen of fat16 as Professor Nick Dade summarizes it in her report although the area of origin is likely to have been in or around a

02:21:15 is likely to have been in or around a tall fridge freezer with in the kitchen of flat 16 the precise cause of the fire and its exact point of ignition is not at this stage know what the evidence

02:21:30 at this stage know what the evidence does suggest at this stage is first that it is more likely than not that the fire had an accidental cause as opposed to

02:21:41 had an accidental cause as opposed to being a deliberate act secondly the initial fire grew hot enough to escape from flat 16 possibly by deforming the uPVC covering of the

02:21:54 by deforming the uPVC covering of the window reveals and penetrating the combustible materials around the window frames before igniting the facade materials the first firefighters did not

02:22:09 materials the first firefighters did not get to and did not open the kitchen door inside flat 16 for the first time until 1:14 a.m. and were not fighting the fire

02:22:21 1:14 a.m. and were not fighting the fire within the kitchen until 180 or so a.m. by this stage it is probable that the fire had already taken hold of the exterior cladding

02:22:33 exterior cladding with melting and burning material dripping from that cladding here is a photo if we can please have slide 33

02:22:49 photo if we can please have slide 33 thank you very much here is a photograph taken of the fire in the cladding and you'll note that the capture of that photograph is between oh one oh nine 26

02:23:01 photograph is between oh one oh nine 26 and oh one oh nine 36 it comes from professor Bisbee report at figure 60 and you can see that professor Bisbee has

02:23:13 you can see that professor Bisbee has identified that at this stage flames were extending from the window on the exterior and there was a regular flow of falling burning material precisely what

02:23:28 falling burning material precisely what happened in the kitchen to get the fire to the combustible materials around the window set and to ignite them is not yet known the science of the heat and fire

02:23:42 known the science of the heat and fire spread which would permit ignition of these materials is covered in detail and professor Toreros phase one report it will be explored with him in detail when

02:23:54 will be explored with him in detail when he gives evidence the inquiry will use its very best endeavors to assist the Chairman to determine the cause and origin of this catastrophic fire that

02:24:06 origin of this catastrophic fire that consumed the tower in many respects however the cause and origin may not be of primary importance well that is a question the inquiry will strive to

02:24:18 question the inquiry will strive to answer an even more pressing question from the perspective of the public interest and public safety lies in the question of how the fire penetrated the

02:24:30 question of how the fire penetrated the exterior envelope of the building and thereafter spread so rapidly and so ferociously up and around the exterior and back into the building

02:24:47 in terms of flame spread and the key points of the chronology of the night the inquiry and the experts have been assisted by a significant amount of

02:24:59 assisted by a significant amount of video footage provided by members of the public to the police in the days after the fire there are also other sources of media from the night of the fire

02:25:10 media from the night of the fire including footage from body worn cameras of police officers and from CCTV located outside the tower the inquiries experts have been analysing that available

02:25:22 have been analysing that available footage they have been able to examine precisely how the fire spread across the building and over what time period I'm now going to play you a video montage

02:25:35 now going to play you a video montage which the inquiry experts which Professor Luke Bisbee has put together from footage sent to the Met by members of the public it starts with mr. Kirby Dee's initial

02:25:47 it starts with mr. Kirby Dee's initial 999 call and it shows the very early development of the fire up the East face of the building up 201 36 a.m. the video

02:25:59 of the building up 201 36 a.m. the video lasts about 12 minutes I should again repeat the warning that the video contains graphic scenes of the building on fire it also contains a bit

02:26:10 building on fire it also contains a bit of soundtrack and some people may find it distressing so if anybody has had second thoughts after our first warning and a break then I would suggest that those who don't want to see and hear

02:26:22 those who don't want to see and hear this video leave the room at this point now professor Bisbee when he comes to do his presentation the week after next we'll be talking us through this video

02:26:33 we'll be talking us through this video in more detail and we'll highlight certain particular features of the first phase of the fire spread which he considers significant maybe please play

02:26:47 considers significant maybe please play the video

02:27:13 a brigade yeah hello highs in the 5/16 graffito sorry a fire where absolutely flat 16 going to tell mr. Scott want

02:27:28 flat 16 going to tell mr. Scott want some movie volume a little bit louder we please turn the volume up so that everybody in the room can hear it please w never know once again w11 one paw brigade yeah hello hi in the

02:27:45 w11 one paw brigade yeah hello hi in the first let sixteen graffito sorry s fire where you just let sixteen green feet are flat sixteen and what's the policy

02:27:57 are flat sixteen and what's the policy hold w levin one cg w xi 1 to j tell ya about kinda quit please yeah well you just I have to get the address okay flames like sixteen Greenfield

02:28:09 flames like sixteen Greenfield mm and 1 TG the fabricator on my way are you have your height yeah yeah come on set yeah well the fire engines are on their way just tell me how many floors you got there it's report all right

02:28:22 you got there it's report all right let's make quick quick quick yes I know it's burning but they are on our way you've only just a cold as long as you're okay yeah okay yeah this

02:28:33 as you're okay yeah okay yeah this phobia pagin those the free side of your car connected yes you wait outside yeah I'm also a motel so okay so the

02:28:44 yeah I'm also a motel so okay so the fire engines are on the way they will be there soon okay okay you've only just caught us so it will take a minute for them to get it yes yes yes okay can I

02:28:59 them to get it yes yes yes okay can I let you go let's go journalist in this edition what initiative can I let you go

02:29:13 edition what initiative can I let you go you are that side yeah okay right okay bye

02:29:18 bye [Music]

02:29:23 but [Music]

02:29:27 [Music] [Applause]

02:29:53 [Music]

02:30:06 [Music]

02:30:18 Seifer gauge the house guys don't make fires its parents keeping kids awake right yeah five a game

02:30:47 [Applause]

02:31:37 I know

02:31:50 unguarded to you

02:32:36 starting on our cause

02:33:26 that was it

02:33:29 my father skin back push my order yes I spoke on one floor

02:33:38 that's in my yard that's my yard is in my own

02:33:45 but there is only one guy

02:33:54 time to take our

02:34:00 and $49 three kata-kata

02:34:18 a grandpoo tawa and I hop on the morning you know file and that's getting bigger and bigger people gonna die and I'm still

02:34:45 okay

02:34:48 I told you

02:34:55 [Applause]

02:35:38 Wow

02:35:44 wouldn't you

02:35:56 are you taking the look at that people huh

02:36:19 yes

02:36:26 Wow

02:36:41 the rocks in the top of that building in it it's caca yeah

02:36:50 by then on

02:38:13 Oh

02:38:48 it's gone all the way

02:38:52 here's the council

02:39:10 you

02:40:06 you

02:40:09 - ooh

02:40:28 mr. Chairman I think it's probably now an appropriate time to break for the prayers and lunch in that footage all

02:40:40 prayers and lunch in that footage all parts with many times but it's truly shocking is it every time you see it it strikes when they're away very strongly all right

02:40:50 all right thank you we'll break there and resume it two o'clock

02:41:06 you