The construction firm which carried out the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, completed in 2016, says it met “all required standards”.

The £10 million refurbishment was carried out by Rydon Construction, for Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) on behalf of Kensington and Chelsea Council.

Witnesses say cladding on the exterior of the building quickly caught fire, allowed the flames to quickly engulf the 27 storey building in the early hours of Wednesday (June 14) morning .

The exterior of the 1973-built tower was modernised with cladding and replacement windows, while additional homes were added using vacant space in the building.

Experts have now spoken of the potential dangers of tower block cladding, claiming it can create an additional fire risk.

One Grenfell resident who escaped the fire said the “real issue was when it caught fire to the cladding outside”, spreading across it.

Grenfell Tower in North Kensington

On its website, Rydon Construction said: “Externally, rain screen cladding, curtain wall facade and replacement windows were fitted, improving thermal insulation and modernising the exterior of the building.”

In a statement, the construction firm said its work met “all required building control, fire regulation and health & safety standards”.

Many witnesses have described seeing flames on the cladding spread quickly.

A man living on the 17th floor, who identified himself as Methrob, told LBC Radio: “[The] real issue was when it caught fire to the cladding outside.

“That’s when I noticed the fire from outside when I looked out the window.

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“By the time that we got downstairs, the fire had gone all the way up and it was just about reaching our windows on the 17th floor.

“The whole one side of the building was on fire. The cladding went up like a matchstick.”

He said residents had been concerned about safety, adding that there had been warning “for over a year”.

Catatonia singer Cerys Matthews lives nearby the tower block and told BBC Radio Five Live: “When we saw it in the early hours of the morning, the fire caught on the fourth floor.

“The flames ripped up the side of the building along this cladding which clads every single side of the building.

“It’s unbelievable that we’re watching this in 2017.”

Mahad Egal escaped from his flat on the fourth floor with his family, including two small children, just before 1am.

“We were one of the first 10 families who got out no later then 1.10am and at this point the fire was no higher than an average tree,” he said.

“At first it seemed it was controllable, but really quickly the fire started to rise as the cladding caught fire.”

Firefighters spray water after a fire engulfed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London.

Seventh floor resident Paul Mennacer said: “It was the cladding that was on fire and that’s what was burning, people believe that it was the cladding.”

Chartered surveyor and fire expert Arnold Tarling, from Hindwoods, said the cladding process can create a 25mm to 30mm cavity between the cladding and the insulation.

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“It produces a wind tunnel and also traps any burning material between the rain cladding and the building," he said.

“So had it been insulated per se, the insulation could fall off and fall away from the building, but this is all contained inside.”

He said not all insulation used in the process is the more expensive non-flammable type

“So basically you have got a cavity with a fire spreading behind it," he said.

As well as cladding, the Grenfell Tower refurbishment also saw installation of new double-glazed windows and a new communal heating system.

A communal entrance was also created along with new facilities for returning tenants, Grenfell Under 3s Nursery and Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club.

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In its statement, Rydon said it was “shocked to hear of the devastating fire” and added: “We will cooperate with the relevant authorities and emergency services and fully support their enquiries into the causes of this fire at the appropriate time.

“Given the ongoing nature of the incident and the tragic events overnight, it would be inappropriate for us to speculate or comment further at this stage.”

Latest figures have the number of fatalities at 12.

The Metropolitan Police Casualty Bureau is open for members of the public who are concerned about relatives or friends who may have been affected the fire.

The number for the Casualty Bureau is 0800 0961 233.

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