UK faces challenges in wildfire preparedness

by Featured NewsWildland Fire

Wildfire risk rises but readiness lags behind

A new report has highlighted concerns regarding the UK’s readiness to tackle wildfires.

The study, conducted by the Fire Brigades Union, suggests a significant shortfall in UK-wide strategy, planning, and investment for wildfire resilience.

Fragmentation and under-resourcing concern fire services

The research underscores the fragmentation and limited resources available to fire and rescue services.

Notably, between 2011 and 2022, firefighters often found themselves pushed to their maximum capacities during incidents.

The past decade has witnessed a reduction of nearly 12,000 firefighter jobs, while the risk of wildfires continues to grow.

England’s Fire and Rescue National Frameworks have not specifically addressed the wildfire threat.

This omission is noteworthy, especially since wildfires have been recognised as a national security threat on the National Risk Register since 2013.

The study also identifies that wildfire preparedness varies greatly depending on the location, terming it a ‘postcode lottery’.

There exists no mandatory requirement to integrate this risk into local strategies.

Temperatures and wildfire risk

Recent climatic patterns, such as the UK experiencing its hottest June and unprecedented September temperatures, amplify concerns.

The Fire Brigades Union emphasises that the severe wildfires seen across Europe serve as a pressing reminder. With the expectation of rising temperatures in the future, there is a compelling case to bolster preparations.

The union advocates for several measures:

  1. The development of a UK-wide strategy and standards for wildfires.
  2. A statutory obligation for the government and fire and rescue authorities to ensure readiness.
  3. Enhanced central government funding for the fire and rescue service.
  4. Adequate investment in wildfire-specific training and protective equipment.

Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, offered his perspective: “As the climate evolves, we witness a surge in destructive wildfires due to global temperature hikes.

“Existing staffing levels and budget cuts have rendered the fire service inadequately equipped for future challenges. Firefighters are already grappling with wildfires throughout the UK.

“Considering these fires have been a recognised threat for ten years, it’s imperative to bolster our fire and rescue service.

“Instead of progressing, we’ve encountered challenges and disparities in wildfire responses depending on the location.

“For the safety of all communities, swift action in the form of standards, strategies, and financial backing is crucial.”

IFSJ Comment

The revelations from the Fire Brigades Union report indicate that as climate patterns shift, leading to potentially more frequent and severe wildfires, the need for a robust, unified response strategy in the UK is evident.

The challenges highlighted – from fragmentation of services to under-resourcing – can have dire consequences when swift action is required.

The disparities in preparedness across different regions further underscore the urgency of a coordinated, UK-wide approach.

We hope that this report serves as a catalyst for meaningful change, ensuring the safety and protection of communities across the UK.

New study reveals the cost of fire in England surpasses £12 billion

by Featured NewsSafety

The Home Office report breaks down the true cost of fire

A new comprehensive report published by the Home Office, detailing the economic and social cost of fire in England, estimates a staggering annual figure of £12 billion for the year ending March 2020.

This figure includes anticipation costs, consequences and responses to fire incidents. The study is an important update to government estimates that were last published over a decade ago, with fire and rescue policy having moved to the Home Office in 2016.

The detailed report is a vital resource for fire and rescue services, fire industry professionals, and other stakeholders.

The study is meant to aid better evidence-based decisions, and the authors hope it will be widely used and its findings are viewed as a significant contribution to the fire economics evidence base.

Key Findings on the cost of fire

Simon Palmer, Chief Analyst and HOAI director, stated: “This report is the culmination of that work and represents a substantial addition to the fire economics evidence base.”

Palmer further expressed his hopes for the Home Office to take a leading role in developing the fire evidence base, which will “continue to grow and be vital in informing policy and operation decisions that help improve public safety, save lives, and protect against the damage that is caused by fires.”

The report was compiled by senior responsible analyst Jack Pickering, along with Will Beall and Will Phillips, who received support from Alice Plumridge, Pippa Cousins and Phoebe Maguire Hamlett.

The authors extended their gratitude to all who participated in the internal working group and external advisory group, including members from fire and rescue services, the National Fire Chiefs Council, other government organisations, and industry experts.

The full report provides an up-to-date robust and reliable estimate, crucial for understanding the impact of fires in England.

It is designed to be a resource for policy development and operational decision-making, serving as a point of reference for those working within fire and rescue services (FRSs).

Breakdown of the cost of fire in England

Out of the estimated £12.0 billion total annual cost, £3.2 billion is attributed to the marginal cost, which is the cost incurred after a fire, directly impacted by the change in the number of fires.

The largest costs of fire are in anticipation, amounting to approximately £8.8 billion.

This includes measures to prevent fires from occurring or to mitigate damage and impact of fires.

Approximately £4.6 billion comes from defensive expenditure in buildings, £2.0 billion from defensive expenditure in consumer goods, and £1.4 billion from fire and rescue service expenditure in anticipation and preparation for fires.

The study also highlights significant costs as consequences of fires.

About £2.0 billion comes from property damage, £0.4 billion from physical and emotional harm, and £0.3 billion from road vehicle fire damage.

A deeper look at the data

The unit costs are calculated as the average cost per fire attended by FRSs.

The report provides a transparent and detailed breakdown of calculations behind the total costs and attempts to monetise as many impacts of fire as possible using economic theory and appraisal techniques.

Some uncertainties still exist, especially in anticipation and property damage figures, and assumptions had to be made. These areas could be improved with further specific work and are referenced throughout the report.

The authors assert that this report is the most robust and accurate estimate possible to date.

About the Home Office

The Home Office is a ministerial department of Her Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for immigration, security, and law and order. The Home Office plays a fundamental role in the security and economic prosperity of the United Kingdom.

IFSJ Comment

This report is a significant contribution to understanding the real cost of fires in England.

It not only provides a monetary figure but also points towards the enormous human and social impact fires can have.

It should serve as a wake-up call for policy makers, businesses, and individuals alike to invest in fire prevention and safety measures.

Sources can be found here.

LFB ‘in serious need of funding’ to tackle building safety crisis

by Featured NewsSafety

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) commissioner Andy Roe has said the fire service is in serious need of funding if it is to effectively tackle the building safety crisis.

At a City Hall Plenary meeting in February, LFB Commissioner Roe said that to inspect just 10% or 20% of London’s approximately 95,000 mid-rise buildings for fire safety defects, the LFB would need to recruit a “significant labour force” of “a couple of hundred” additional specialist fire safety inspecting officers. He also said that there is an £8 million budget gap expected for the LFB in 2022/23.

During Mayor’s Question Time on 19 May, Labour’s London Assembly Fire and Resilience Spokesperson, Anne Clarke AM, entreated the government to support people living in residential blocks of all heights and called for proper funding for the LFB to tackle the building safety scandal, seeking compensation for leaseholders who have already paid out of their own pocket to fix potentially deadly fire risks.

Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Michael Gove, stated developers will pay for mid-rise buildings between 11 and 18 metres with dangerous cladding, and funding has been provided for 8,500 high rise buildings above 18 meters in London.

Blocks below 11 metres that have been deemed in need of remediation work will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but the government has stopped short of providing blanket protection under the Building Safety Act as revealed by Housing Minister Stuart Andrew in the Commons last month. In response to a question from Ms Clarke, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, stated: “I think the height requirement should go, either your building is safe, or it isn’t”.

Ms Clarke said: “Nearly five years on from the Grenfell tragedy it’s completely unacceptable that so many Londoners are living in unsafe homes. Ministers must extend remediation support to all residential buildings with safety defects or combustible cladding. Regardless of height, if leaseholders have already paid, they are owed compensation.

“Londoners are being let down. They’re dealing with this on top of an unprecedented cost of living crisis. It’s disgusting so many have been left to sit with this hanging over their heads. This is a building safety scandal, not just a cladding scandal. The Fire Brigade needs more funding from the government so it can recruit hundreds of specialist fire safety officers to make London safe.”

Public encouraged to honour emergency service workers on ‘999 Day’

by Active

Emergency Services Day, also referred to as 999 Day, begins with a two minutes’ silence at 9am on September 9, to represent the ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month.

The public are being encouraged to fly the flag of 999 Day and to share and promote an emergency services charity on social media.

Organisers said the event is an opportunity to pay tribute to the two million people who work and volunteer across the NHS and emergency services, including more than 250,000 first responders.

It also aims to educate the public on using the services responsibly, as well as raising money for charities and to highlight the different career and volunteer roles in the emergency services.

Now in its third year, Emergency Services Day is backed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – and has been promoted by members of the royal family.

Mr Johnson said: “It takes a very special kind of person to put your life on the line for a complete stranger, yet that is what we see day in, day out from the remarkable men and women of our emergency services.

“You protect us from harm, deliver us from danger, and tend to us in our hours of need. And you do so without hesitation or complaint – if we dial 999, we know you will be there for us.

“I know the dedicated men and women of the emergency services did not get into this line of work for the accolades or applause.

“You are heroes of British life, doing what you do not for the plaudits but out of a sheer sense of duty and a determination to serve the public.

“All of us in this country owe each of you a debt of gratitude.

“So, it is only right that, on Emergency Services Day, we celebrate your work and, as a nation, say a huge thank you for doing so much for so many.”

Organisers said a main national “open day” style event is held on the nearest Sunday, but this year’s event, which was scheduled in Belfast, was cancelled due to coronavirus.

Last year, the Duke of Cambridge visited the Fire Fighters Charity’s centre at Harcombe House in Chudleigh, South Devon, to mark the event.

Tom Scholes-Fogg, founder and chief executive of Emergency Services Day, said: “As we saw earlier this year with people clapping at their doors, the UK is united in its support for those who put others before themselves.

“I encourage everybody to support our emergency services personnel all year round, not just on 999 Day.”

Schools twice as likely as other buildings to be hit by a blaze, according to Zurich Municipal

by Passive

Schools in England are nearly twice as likely to suffer a blaze as other types of commercial building, according to new research by Zurich Municipal, the insurer of schools in the UK.

In the most comprehensive analysis of its kind to date, Zurich analysed the fire risks posed by 26,866 primary and secondary schools in England. It found the average school posed a fire risk 1.7 times greater than non-residential buildings (with a fire risk score of 0.58 and 0.33 respectively according to Zurich’s model). When compared to 2.9 million non-household properties [1], schools were also three times more likely to fall into the “high” fire risk category (58% vs 20%), as defined by the study.

Data scientists analysed 33,000 fires from the last six years to identify factors that increase the likelihood of a blaze from which they produced a fire risk score.  These factors include listed status, presence of cooking equipment and size of the building itself.

Despite being far riskier than average when it comes to fires, many schools also lack the equipment needed to prevent small fires becoming major disasters. Of more than 1,000 school inspections carried out by Zurich, 66% were rated as having ‘poor’ fixed fire protection systems, such as sprinklers, which are proven to significantly reduce the damage caused by fire. Just 14% were rated ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. A further quarter (24%) were judged ‘poor’ for fire detection measures, such as smoke detectors and fire alarms [2].

Larger schools more at risk

Firefighters have been called to nearly 2,000 school blazes in the last three years [3]. Malfunctioning appliances or equipment, faulty electrics, arson and kitchen blazes are among the leading causes of school fires.  Larger fires in schools cost on average £2.8 million to repair and in some cases over £20 million.

Bigger and older schools, including those with a canteen, and secondary schools – which have more complex and dangerous equipment – were identified as particularly at risk. A correlation between poor OFSTED ratings and greater risk of fire was also identified in the analysis [4].

The findings have led Zurich to launch a parliamentary petition to urge MPs to change the law on sprinklers in schools. Whilst sprinklers are compulsory in all new or major refurbished school buildings in Scotland and Wales this is not the case in England. In fact, they are fitted in fewer than one in six new schools [5].

Tilden Watson, Zurich Municipal’s Head of Education, said:“An alarming number of school buildings pose a high fire risk – yet many are poorly protected against a potential blaze.  Unless Ministers bring England into line with other parts of the UK, where sprinklers are mandatory, large fires will continue to blight schools.  This is harming children’s education and putting lives at risk.

“Burnt out schools and classrooms cause major disruption to children’s education, with repairs leading to months or even years of upheaval. They also result in the loss of spaces which local communities rely on out of school hours.  As well as protecting pupils, sprinklers drastically reduce the extent of damage when there is a blaze, often confining the fire to a single room.  This gets children back into schools and classrooms quicker as well as saving taxpayers’ money.

“Countless young people have already had their schooling upended by the coronavirus pandemic. We cannot allow school fires to further disrupt young people’s education, and jeopardise their futures.”

Nick Coombe, Protection Vice Chair and Building Safety Programme Lead for theNational Fire Chiefs Council, said: “The case for sprinklers is compelling.  Of almost 1,000 fires over five years in buildings where sprinklers were fitted, our research found they controlled or extinguished blazes in 99% of cases.  We want to see a greater inclusion of Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS), including sprinklers, across the built environment.  Sprinklers can dramatically reduce fire damage, making the reopening of a school much easier. This not only minimises the disruption to a pupil’s education, but also the impact on their family, the community and the wider education establishment.”

According to Zurich’s analysis, seven million (7,036,327) primary and secondary school children are taught in the 58% of buildings that are a high fire risk [6].

In June, Boris Johnson pledged £1bn to fund a decade long school rebuilding and repair programme and a further £560m in early August [7]. Based on large fires alone, Zurich estimates that the repair for school fires could hit £320 million over 10 years – a significant portion of the government’s slated investment [8]. Zurich wants the government to ring-fence some of its promised investment to improve the resilience of schools at high risk of fire.  Insurers work closely with schools to help them manage their fire risks but the installation of sprinklers minimise the dangers from the outset.

Watson added: “It costs far more to repair fire-ravaged schools than it does to install sprinklers. Even so, cash strapped schools cannot be expected to pick up the bill. The government’s COVID-19 investment is a critical opportunity to ensure schools are more resilient to fire. Unless minsters change the law on sprinklers, much of this funding will be wasted on repairing the fire damage that sprinklers could have easily prevented. The government should also gather and disclose more data on school fires to help fully understand the risks they pose and their wider financial and social impacts.”

Footnotes 

  1. 2,920,914 non-residential buildings
  2. Inspections carried out between Jan 2017 and Dec 2019
  3. Home Office: Fire Statistics – 1,916 fires on education premises in England between 2016-2019, of which 34 buildings were completely destroyed
  4. As OFSTED rating improved, average risk score decreased
  5. The Guardian: April, 2019 – Labour party figures show of the 673 schools built under the government’s school building and free school programmes, sprinklers were fitted in 105.
  6. Of the schools analysed, Zurich found 2,446,340 children attend high risk schools – 29.5% of the primary and secondary student population in the school sample
  7. co.uk, 29 June: PM announces transformative school rebuilding programme
  8. Based on current rate of 11.3 schools destroyed a year, and a conservative cost of £2.8m per larger fire (11.3 x 2.8 x 10 = £317m).

Cardinus Risk Management partners with FR Consultants to improve safety in British buildings

by Projects

Risk management specialists Cardinus Risk Management have formed an alliance with UK’s top façade risk advisors FR Consultants to offer a complete solution to the UK’s crisis with façade combustibility, which has gained significant attention since the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June 2017.

As regulatory reform (through The Building Safety Bill and The Fire Safety Bill) strives to address issues that are present, those responsible for the management of buildings are having to undertake a process of checking the fire safety compliance of their properties and potentially commissioning remediation work.

As part of this process, Cardinus is identifying potential “at-risk” buildings and will now offer a wider EWS1 reporting service through FR Consultants who can also offer a full suite of services to achieve compliance.

Between the two technical partners, the entire process of ensuring Fire Safety can be covered:

Non-Destructive Fire Risk Assessments, Fire training, Fire Safety e-learning, Reinstatement Cost Assessments, Fire related Insurer surveys and consultancy and Building Health and Safety Audits (undertaken by Cardinus Risk Management).

Destructive Fire Risk Assessments, Exterior Wall Systems survey (EWS1), Fire Engineering reports and assistance, Façade Surveys, Remedial Specification, Clerk of Works, Principle Designer, Budgeting Assistance and Lead Consultant services (offered by FR Consulting).

The combination will allow a complete service Freeholders, Landlords and Agents to get assistance to meet any fire safety compliance they may need.

Jamie Truscott AIIRSM, Managing Director Property and Insurance, Cardinus Risk Management said: “With legislation surrounding building safety evolving rapidly, Cardinus, as a BAFE GOLD assessor, and RICS accredited surveyor is delighted with this alliance with FR Consultants, who are one of only a few companies with the expertise in building façade fire safety.

“FR Consultants is respected and trusted in our industry, as safety is at the heart of everything we do. Rather than just seeing the process as a ‘tick-box’ exercise, between us we can offer consultancy and services tailored to each specific building, working closely with clients to help them with every step of their journey to compliance.

“We are pleased that, through our technical partnership with Cardinus, we can assist their large client base with our technical knowledge and at the same time widen our range of services to include Cardinus BAFE accredited Fire Risk Assessments.”

www.cardinus.com/

CLT experts to develop new fire safety compliance framework

by PassiveProjects

Cross laminated timber (CLT) is now widely acknowledged as having a vital role to play in reducing CO2 emissions to mitigate the climate change crisis. Existing buildings and new construction account for nearly 40% of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions according to a World Green Building Council report published in September 2019.

Specialist contractors and manufacturers operating in the sector firmly believe that mass timber technology like CLT provides the solution to many of the challenges the construction industry is facing today.

In collaboration, leading CLT manufacturers are investing half a million pounds in developing a new fire safety compliance framework for CLT to meet the amended Building Regulations in England.

Over the next 18 months the research supporting the new framework will include a series of compartment fire tests for commercial and multi-family residential type buildings to generate new knowledge in support of a safe design envelope for CLT buildings.

Robust fire safety designs

The purpose of this ongoing research is to provide scientific data for CLT fire performance that will support designers in the delivery of robust fire safety designs.

It ultimately aims to allow the ministry of housing, communities & local government (MHCLG) to view CLT as a construction material suitable for all buildings including where CLT forms part of the external wall construction irrespective of height.

In carrying out this research as an industry, it will also establish benchmark testing for all CLT manufacturers leading to an enhanced and broader understanding of CLT performance in fire.

The project is a collaboration of the largest suppliers in Europe supported by leading fire and structural engineering experts. The project proposals and outputs will be reviewed by an independent industry stakeholder group.

Data from the research will be released as and when it becomes available during the course of the programme.

Knowledge and competency

The CLT industry in the UK, supported by the Structural Timber Association (STA) is also responding to recent statements raising concern about the gaps in knowledge and competency relating to mass timber by providing evidence of the product fire performance and data to support competent professionals in the design of mass timber buildings for fire.

This evidence aims to enhance the understanding of fire performance of CLT, in terms of compartment fire behaviour, the response of structural elements and hazards associated with external fire spread.

Kent FRS and Bristol Uniforms partner up to deliver PPE Framework benefits

by Breaking NewsProjects

Thirty-three Fire and Rescue Services (FRS), comprising over 33,500 firefighters, are now benefiting from the Local Authority Collaborative PPE Framework. Launched three years ago in June 2017, the Framework gives UK FRSs access to high quality PPE ensembles and volume discounts through a streamlined procurement process. The Framework was set up in response to calls from government and the industry for FRSs to work together to share best practice and deliver efficiencies.

It is run by Kent FRS, with PPE supplied by Bristol Uniforms, who was selected as the preferred supplier following a rigorous two-year tender process. Signing up via a purchase only or fully managed service contract, FRSs continue to reap the benefits of the Framework, which guarantees quality PPE that has been independently evaluated and tested, and can save considerable time and costs.

Utilising the latest technology

So far this year through the Framework, Bristol has delivered new PPE to seven FRSs, including Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service who opted for a Fully Managed Services Contract. Despite the Coronavirus pandemic, they were measured and received their kit on 1 June.

The safety of our firefighters is of the utmost importance to us here in Oxfordshire”

Chief Fire Officer Rob MacDougall said: “Bristol Uniforms uses the latest technology in firefighter clothing, and they design PPE to provide fire crews with the very best protection. The safety of our firefighters is of the utmost importance to us here in Oxfordshire. The kit is lighter in weight, breathable and offers more support for the wearer and we are proud to know we are now one of many fire and rescue services in the country to utilise this latest technology in protective clothing for our staff. Thank you to Bristol Uniforms for providing us with a first-class service.”

Fire And Rescue Service

Chris Colgan, Director of Operations at Kent Fire and Rescue Service, and Chair of the NFCC PPE/Clothing Committee, said: “The National Collaborative PPE Framework is the first of its kind for the fire and rescue service, enabling borderless provision of standardised critical kit.”

“So far, working with the team at Bristol Uniforms, we have made significant progress in demonstrating that the sector can work as one customer. However, more can be done. The pandemic has shown us that it is not an impossible target to expect all FRS to sign up to national arrangements delivered through the National Fire Commercial Transformation Programme and we are committed to continuing to build on the success of this arrangement.”

Working partnership

The selected styles combine innovative and ergonomic designs with the use of high-performance fabrics and fibres. 

“Bristol Uniforms has done a sterling job ensuring service continuity for all FRS throughout the disruptions caused by COVID-19, working closely with the contract management team at Kent FRS on behalf of the Sector. This has been one of the greatest tests of strategic relationship and service management and I am incredibly pleased that the result has been a real proof of concept.”

Roger Startin, Joint Managing Director at Bristol Uniforms said: “The demand for our cutting-edge PPE through the Collaborative Framework has been unprecedented as FRSs learn about the benefits of joint working. The Framework has significantly improved and simplified the procurement process and despite very challenging circumstances, we continue to size firefighters for their new kit, manufacture and deliver it on time and to budget.”

High-Performance Fabrics

PPE supplied by Bristol Uniforms within the Framework includes Full Structural Ensemble, a Layered Jacket, Rescue Jacket and USAR Ensemble. The selected styles combine innovative and ergonomic designs with the use of high-performance fabrics and fibres, offering maximum comfort, manoeuvrability and protection.

UK fire industry workers demand PPE

by Breaking News

According to a survey by Populus Data Solution, the vast majority of workers across industries believe that it is their employer’s responsibility to ensure they have the right protective equipment in the workplace, with a significant number stating they would refuse to go to work without the right PPE.

The survey, carried out for industrial workwear and protective clothing specialists Ballyclare, also found that a large proportion of workers are still seeking clarity on PPE from their employers and the Government. The results come as Ballyclare publishes a new factsheet, clearly spelling out to employers and employees exactly which PPE should be worn across various workplace settings and how it can be worn most safely.

As the economy slowly reopens, worker safety is a key focus for both employers and employees. When asked who should be responsible for ensuring workers have the right equipment to work safely, 87% of respondents said it is the employer’s role, while 40% also said the Government should shoulder the responsibility. Those working in the retail and consumer, manufacturing, transport, and logistics sectors all pointed to their employers as responsible for making sure they had the right protective gear (89%), while hospitality and leisure followed close by (84%).

In a stark illustration of the issues facing businesses coming out of lockdown, the survey found that if an employer did not provide the employee with personal protective equipment, almost twice as many people would refuse to go into work than would not. 40% said they would be either likely or very likely to refuse to go into work, whilst 23% said they would still attend.

The survey results showed that a significant majority of workers are crying out for clarity on what protective equipment they should wear. 74% said they would feel far safer in returning to work if their employers provide the right PPE – with 81% saying they wanted clear advice from their employer. At the same time, 73% of people said they also wanted clear advice from the Government.

As lockdown measures are relaxing and people consider their back-to-work options, the analysis shows that if people were able to go into work tomorrow, a slightly higher number of people would not feel comfortable doing so than would feel comfortable. 36% said they would not feel comfortable compared with 30% who said they would. The data also shows that 8% of people are already back at work and do not feel comfortable at the moment.

Silke Hendricks, Managing Director of Ballyclare, says: “If people continue to feel insecure about returning to work, we could see a huge impact on the UK’s efforts to reopen the economy. The more employers can do to communicate the steps they are taking to make the workplace safe, the better. We have created a factsheet, based on our years of experience of working with PPE, to provide some practical advice as companies look to do everything they can to reopen their workplace in as safe a manner as possible.”

UK commemorates Grenfell Tower’s third anniversary

by Breaking NewsEvents

The United Kingdom has marked the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower apartment block fire with a virtual church service to remember the 72 people who died in the blaze.

Sunday 14th June marked three years since a small kitchen fire in the west London public-housing block turned into the worst domestic blaze in the country since World War II.

The fire spread rapidly and engulfed the 24-story building, shocking the nation and prompting a widespread investigation into low-cost and flammable cladding at high-rise buildings.

“As a nation, we are still dealing with the consequences of what happened and working to make sure it never happens again,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a video message to be shown at an online commemoration service. “While those affected by Grenfell are not able to gather in person, I want you to know that all of us in this country are with you in spirit.”

“I remain absolutely committed to uncovering the causes of this tragedy and ensuring it is never repeated.” In tribute to each victim who died in the fire, the bells of London churches will toll 72 times and green lights will glow from tower block windows to show solidarity with survivors and the bereaved.

The Humanity for Grenfell group recently held an online, multi-faith service and a 72-second moment of silence to remember the victims. Campaigners have also accused local and national authorities of allowing the installation of dangerous external cladding that became a major contributor to the rapid spread of the fire.

A public inquiry into the disaster was paused in March because of the coronavirus pandemic and is due to restart in July. Police have said no one is likely to face criminal charges until 2021.

The continuing Grenfell Tower Inquiry published its first report in October, highlighting “significant systemic failings” by the London Fire Brigade, including poor evacuation, command and communication procedures. Fire chiefs rejected the criticism.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick promised changes to building regulations to “ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”