An investigation by BBC’s Newsnight programme has found firefighters tackling the Grenfell Tower fire were hampered by problems with their equipment.

Crews reported their efforts to tackle the flames which raced across the building in the early hours of June 14, were hindered by low water pressure, radio problems and issues with breathing apparatus.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) is reported to have changed procedures since the fire, which has claimed at least 80 lives , with a high ladder now sent automatically to a fire in a block.

It comes after Newsnight learned it took 30 minutes for a high ladder to arrive at Grenfell, in Notting Hill .

More than 200 firefighters battled the blaze , with 40 fire engines in attendance.

An independent fire expert told the BBC that having the high ladder, which is also known as an “aerial”, available earlier would have given firefighters a better chance of stopping the blaze when it jumped from a fourth floor flat in the tower block and began to race up the side of the building.

An incident mobilisation list, which details each appliance involved in the operation, obtained by the BBC programme showed the 30 metre (100 foot) aerial, which could reach the 10th floor of Grenfell Tower, was not dispatched until 1.19am, 24 minutes after the first crews were sent to fight what had started as a fridge fire on the fourth floor.

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By the time it arrived at 1.32am the flames had significantly spread.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union , said: “I have spoken to aerial appliance operators in London who attended that incident, who think that having that on the first attendance might have made a difference, because it allows you to operate a very powerful water tower from outside the building onto the building.”

A LFB spokesman said its "pre-determined attendance" to a tower fire - engines sent automatically to the scene - had risen from four engines to five engines and an aerial.

Some 200 firefighters battled the Grenfell Tower fire

He added: “It is important to understand that fires in high rise buildings are nearly always dealt with internally, not usually needing an aerial appliance.”

Newsnight’s investigation heard firefighters struggled with water pressure problems and the fire service had to call Thames Water and ask increased pressure in the area.

A spokesman for Thames Water responded: “We’ve been supporting the emergency services’ response in every way possible. Any suggestion there was low pressure or that Thames Water did not supply enough water to fire services during this appalling tragedy is categorically false.”

Firefighters described problems with radio reception inside the building and had issues with breathing apparatus.

London Fire Brigade T-shirt with written poem at shrine of tributes to Grenfell Tower victims

Engines carry basic apparatus with around 30 minutes of oxygen, but crews said there was not enough extended duration apparatus, which allows them to breathe for up to 45 minutes.

The LFB said all of its rescue units carry extended duration apparatus and “all of the fire brigade’s rescue units attended the incident”.

The LFB said the police investigation into the fire would examine the brigade’s response “including all of the issues Newsnight has raised”.

Other questions raised include why a 42m firefighting platform had to be called from Leatherhead to fight the fire at 67m tall Grenfell, because the LFB does not have one of its own.

The Newsnight investigation is available on the BBC iPlayer .

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