The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has accused the manufacturer of the fridge-freezer blamed for starting the Grenfell Tower fire of failing to carry out adequate safety tests.
The council has initiated a lawsuit against the Hotpoint maker, Beko Europe, previously Whirlpool, as part of a wider legal action against companies it argues were culpable for the fire that killed more than 70 people in 2017.
RBKC claims the appliance in question contained materials that could ‘catch fire and burn easily’.
Whirpool Corporation reportedly disputes the accusation and is ‘vigorously defending’ the legal action.
A council spokesperson said: ‘We have issued legal proceedings against a number of companies, in line with the council’s ongoing commitment to ensure those parties pay a share of the costs incurred against the public purse.’