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A lawsuit has been filed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) against Beko Europe, the manufacturer of the fridge-freezer implicated in the Grenfell Tower fire. This legal action alleges that the company did not perform sufficient safety testing on the appliance, which is believed to have started the deadly blaze that claimed over 70 lives eight years ago.
The local council, alongside its tenant management organization, is pursuing claims in the high court against a range of companies, seeking over £358 million. This action targets those responsible for both the refurbishment and cladding of the tower, as well as the appliance’s manufacturer.
The lawsuit asserts that the fridge-freezer contained materials prone to ignition, as reported by the Financial Times. According to legal representatives for the claimants, the materials used—specifically the plastic backing, foam, and polystyrene—should have been tested against fire safety standards and would have failed to meet the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994.
The claim emphasizes that any competent designer or manufacturer would recognize the inadequacy of the plastic backing in terms of fire resistance and spread. While Beko has yet to file a defense in court, Whirlpool has stated that it is “vigorously defending” against the allegations.
Whirlpool Corporation has publicly disputed the claims and emphasized that it would be inappropriate to divulge further information regarding ongoing litigation. Last year, Whirlpool and Arçelik struck an agreement to merge their European domestic appliance operations under Beko Europe.
During the public inquiry into the fire, Whirlpool suggested that a lit cigarette could have instigated the fire, rather than an electrical malfunction. However, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the inquiry chair, dismissed this theory as “fanciful,” affirming his belief that the fire originated from the large fridge-freezer.
In addition to its lawsuit, RBKC faced significant scrutiny during the inquiry, with critics pointing to its inadequate response to resident concerns. Quentin Marshall, chair of the borough’s housing scrutiny committee, acknowledged that the council had demonstrated a lack of empathy towards residents prior to the tragedy. This came to light after Marshall described residents’ complaints about refurbishment as “grossly exaggerated.”
Since the fire, the council has claimed to have implemented substantial changes in its operational procedures. A spokesperson affirmed the council’s commitment to ensuring that responsible parties contribute to the financial repercussions borne by the public sector.
Source
www.theguardian.com