Grenfell Tower public inquiry must not fail victims, firefighters warn MPs
The Fire Brigades Union warns the public inquiry will fail victims unless it addresses fire safety for all homes and workplaces.
Thursday 22 June 2017 08:11, UK
The union representing firefighters who tackled the Grenfell Tower disaster has told Sky News it has "major concerns" over fire safety building regulations in England.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is sending a letter to MPs today insisting the union must be named as a core participant in the public inquiry announced by Theresa May.
It is calling on the Prime Minister to provide clarification on the inquiry's scope and terms of reference.
So far 79 people have been confirmed dead in the disaster although that number is expected to rise.
In the letter shown to Sky News, the FBU says firefighters want justice for the victims and families, saying its members responded to with "great courage and professionalism".
The union also raises concerns about fire safety regulations.
"Current building regulations in England are ambiguous about fire safety matters on cladding, and inadequate on sprinklers," it says.
"Fire risk assessors do not have to be properly qualified. The fire and rescue service no longer enforces fire safety to the same extent it did in the past."
The letter goes on to say: "The FBU believes the public inquiry will fail the victims of the Grenfell fire and betray communities across the UK if it does not address the critical matter of fire safety protection for every home and every workplace.
"That cannot be allowed to happen."
It has been reported by the Government that the cladding used in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower was banned in the UK.
The FBU claims there has also been a fall in the number of fire safety inspections in over recent years, blaming budget cuts.
"Home fire safety checks in England have fallen by 25% according to Home Office figures, whether measured by the number of visits or the hours spent on these checks," it said.
"This is not about targeting vulnerable people, which is the common excuse given for the decline - there are fewer firefighters available to carry out this irreplaceable, life-saving work."
The Home Office told Sky News: "Government and fire authorities invest significantly in fire prevention and the total number of fires attended has fallen by half over the last 10 years."
According to the FBU, more than 11,000 front-line firefighter jobs have been lost across the UK since 2010.