Grenfell Tower: Fire door manufacturers told to address failings after several products fail safety tests

'I want to see a clear plan of action to rectify existing problems and ensure such failures are not repeated in the future,' says communities secretary James Brokenshire

Fire door manufacturers have been ordered to agree a plan of action after products from five different brands failed safety tests.

An investigation of fire doors was launched after a glazed, composite fire door from Grenfell Tower manufactured by Manse Masterdor failed a 30-minute fire resistance test after about 15 minutes.

Problems were subsequently found with doors made by its successor company Masterdor Ltd and now three other firms' products have failed safety tests.

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said: "While the department's investigations are ongoing, I now have enough evidence to suggest that there is a broader issue across the fire door market. That is why I am calling on suppliers to meet this week and provide reassurance that they are gripping this issue properly.

"I want to see a clear plan of action to rectify existing problems and ensure such failures are not repeated in the future.

"Whilst our expert panel assures me the risk remains low I want to assure the public that the Government is doing everything it can to ensure construction products are of the highest safety standards and accurately tested and marketed."

The products which have failed Government tests were glazed and unglazed doors supplied by Manse Masterdor and Masterdor Ltd, and glazed composite doors supplied by Specialist Building Products Ltd, trading as Permadoor, Solar Windows Ltd, and Birtley Group Ltd, trading as Bowater by Birtley.

Each of the manufacturers co-operated fully with the Government's investigations.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government began investigating the fire door industry after the Grenfell tragedy.

The ministry is writing to all building control bodies highlighting the need to check that existing building regulations guidance on new fire door installations is followed.

Major fire door suppliers have been told to meet this week and agree a clear plan of action to tackle the failings identified, with weekly reports on progress.

Experts said the risk to public safety is low as, even when not meeting full resistance standards, fire doors still provide some protection from the spread of a blaze and form part of building-wide protection systems.

Press Association