Speculation has focused on the role that may have been played by the cladding since the fire tore through the 24-story Grenfell Tower in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving at least 58 people presumed dead. "My understanding is the cladding in question, this flammable cladding which is banned in Europe and the US, is also banned here," Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond told the BBC's "The Andrew Marr Show." However, the spokesman did not confirm what type of cladding was used on Grenfell Tower, adding that this would be subject to investigation. The company that installed the cladding, Harley Facades Limited, said in a statement Wednesday that it was "not aware of any link between the fire and the exterior cladding to the tower." announced a fund of 5 million pounds ($6.4 million) to help those affected by the blaze.

Source: CNN June 18, 2017 12:33 UTC