British police officially identify 'culprit' of London tower fire

The fire that destroyed Grenfell Tower in west London last week was started by a Hotpoint fridge.

In a statement on June 23, London police also said that the paint and tiles on the outside of this high-rise apartment building were also found to not meet safety standards.

Grenfell Tower after the fire. Photo: PA.

Speaking to reporters, Investigating Officer Fiona McCormack said the Hotpoint fridge, model number FF 175BP, was not on the recall list and the manufacturer was currently carrying out further testing.

Meanwhile, the insulation used in the building’s exterior cladding failed fire safety tests, with preliminary tests showing that samples of insulation collected from Grenfell Tower caught fire shortly after testing began.

“We are considering launching a criminal investigation, including possible manslaughter and criminal breaches, against the companies or individuals involved,” Ms McCormack said. “We are also investigating companies involved in the construction and refurbishment of the building, which are believed to have breached health and fire safety standards at Grenfell Tower.”

The Grenfell Tower, which has 120 apartments, was built in 1974. According to witnesses, the fire broke out at around 1am on June 14 (local time) and spread rapidly through the newly painted exterior wall of the building. This raised many questions for the construction company Rydon - the unit responsible for "refurbishing" this building last year.

According to the latest police figures, the number of victims killed in this fire has reached at least 79 people./.

According to VOV