The combustible cladding that covered the exterior of Grenfell Tower, and was believed to escalate the inferno that left at least 79 people dead, was found to also be used on at 11 buildings in the UK.

Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack said on Friday the blaze started in a faulty fridge, and that the insulation and cladding tiles on the block have failed safety tests.

Thousands of people may be living in potentially dangerous tower blocks after it was discovered they use a similar combustible cladding.

Landlords, typically local authorities and housing associations, have been asked to check whether they used similar aluminium composite material (ACM) panels to Grenfell Tower, where 79 people have been confirmed dead or listed as missing presumed dead after a devastating fire which started in a Hotpoint fridge.

The high-rise blocks are in eight local authority areas in England and include Camden, Manchester and Plymouth, Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid said in a letter to MPs.

Landlords are being urged to send samples as a "matter of urgency" to the Government's testing facility, which can handle around 100 samples per day.

But just because a building fails the government test to determine whether it has combustible cladding does not mean it is unsafe, with that to be determined after more checks by the fire and rescue services, Theresa May's deputy spokesman said earlier.

Aftermath photos of Grenfell Tower show destroyed cladding on the exterior of the building

Mr Javid said the Grenfell Tower disaster had "shaken my comprehension of what it means to be in office".

"This government will do everything possible not just to replace houses and provide immediate relief, but to seek justice for those people who have been failed.

"This tragedy should weigh on the consciousness of every person tasked with making a decision so this can never happen again."

Cladding destroyed on the exterior of the Grenfell Tower building

The 11 buildings confirmed by the Government to have combustible cladding include the Chalcots Estate in north London, which is removing the cladding, and three 16-storey blocks in the Mount Wise Tower Estate in Plymouth.

Another high-rise block is in the Manchester area.

Separately, Newlon Housing Trust confirmed the 22-storey tower block Rivers Apartments, in Tottenham, north London, was clad with Reynobond PE - the same cladding reportedly used on Grenfell Tower.

But it said, after an "extensive safety audit", London Fire Brigade confirmed the tower block would be considered a "low fire risk" after modifications and technical clarifications.

Tributes and missing posters are left on a wall near Latimer Road, close to Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building

The housing association was awaiting recommendations from experts to determine whether the cladding should be replaced, the trust added.

Some 600 high-rises are believed to have cladding, but the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) would not reveal how many samples have been tested in total, saying the priority was to give updates on failed tests and for councils to inform their residents.

Local authorities are discussing potential contingency plans with landlords and the DCLG in case large numbers of residents have to move out of their blocks if fire brigades deem them unsafe, Downing Street said.

Here are some of the buildings where problem cladding has been identified:

Chalcots estate, Swiss Cottage - Camden Council said it will immediately begin preparing to remove cladding from five towers on the estate, with 24/7 fire patrols carried out until all the panels have been removed.

Rivers Apartments, in Tottenham - Newlon Housing Trust confirmed the 22-storey tower block was clad with the same cladding reportedly used on Grenfell Tower. But it said, after an "extensive safety audit", London Fire Brigade confirmed the tower block would be considered a "low fire risk" after modifications and technical clarifications.

Village 135 development, Wythenshawe - Wythenshawe Community Housing Group said 78 panels were being removed from a small area of the overall development.

Mount Wise Tower Estate - Plymouth Community Homes said it will be removing the combustible elements of cladding from the three 16-storey blocks as soon as possible.

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