Grenfell Tower fire was started by a fridge-freezer, according to authorities

The Grenfell Tower fire is believed to have been started by a Hotpoint fridge freezer.

In addition to to the faulty appliance, cladding on the outside of the building and insulation failed tests. It's thought that the fire began in the freezer and then spread to the "combustible" cladding, causing the whole building to go up in flames. According to The BBC, the Metropolitan Police has said that a number of charges may be brought including manslaughter, health and safety and fire safety. The fire is believed to have claimed the lives of 79 people with the fire destroying over 151 homes. Police have said that the fire was not started deliberately and that the fridge-freezer involved in the incident was never subjected to a product recall before. Further tests are ongoing. A spokesperson for Whirlpool, owner of Hotpoint, has issued a statement:

"Words cannot express our sorrow at this terrible tragedy. We offer our most profound condolences to the victims, those who have lost loved ones, homes, and possessions, and to their friends and families. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved, including the emergency services who risked their lives to extinguish the blaze and rescue those in the building. "We are working with the authorities to obtain access to the appliance so that we can assist with the ongoing investigations. Under these circumstances, we are unable to speculate on further details at this time. We are addressing this as a matter of utmost urgency and assisting the authorities in any way we can. We will provide additional updates as our investigations progress".

The BBC reports that anyone with a "white Hotpoint fridge-freezer model number FF175BP or graphite fridge freezer model number FF175BG " should register their appliance so that they are kept up to date with all updates.