The Swiss ski bar that catastrophically burst into flames on New Year’s Eve used ‘essentially the same’ insulation foam as Grenfell Tower, a former firefighter commander has claimed.
After viewing pictures and videos from inside Le Constellation, Steve Dudney said he believes the foam that can be seen igniting was a highly flammable material called polyurethane (PU).
A type of PU was among the materials in the walls of Grenfell Tower, and this was found to be one of the reasons the 2017 fire spread so quickly and killed 72 residents.
Footage from the nightclub in the Crans-Montana ski resort shows flames rippling across foam padding attached to the ceiling and quickly spreading around the room.
Authorities on Friday said they suspected a sparkler in a champagne bottle to be the most likely cause, after videos show many of the burning trophies being held aloft in the basement.
Mr Dudney, who served in the fire service for 31 years, said he believes the material in view is typical sound proofing foam – the kind often found in music studios.
He told Sky News: ‘It should be nowhere where there are uncontrolled naked flames. Although that’s a small pyrotechnic, you’re effectively holding that up to one of the most flammable materials that we know.’
Mr Dudney added: ‘Essentially, what was in the insulation behind the cladding at Grenfell Tower was PU foam as well, which just breaks down and burns really easily.’
Footage from inside Le Constellation appeared to show foam attached to the ceiling catching fire rapidly
After the foam was set alight in one spot in the basement, the flames quickly spread across the room
Some 72 people died when Grenfell Tower caught fire in June 2017, and the building’s insulation material is known to have helped the flames spread
Former fire commander Steve Dudney the foam turns into ‘liquid fire’ when set alight
The ex-firefighter described PU as ‘an organic hydrocarbon, and said very little heat is needed to set it on fire’.
Watching footage of the moment the flames took hold, Mr Dudney points out that the foam melts quickly, raining blazing droplets around the basement.
He said: ‘You’ve got dropping fire, liquid fire; it melts to a liquid but still sustains combustion, but it will land as a burning droplet on anyone or anything beneath it.’
The insulation behind the cladding in Grenfell tower was made of PIR foam, which is a similar type of material to PU, but has different chemical properties that make it more fire-resistant.
Cladding known as Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) around the high-rise in North Kensington, West London, has been the most heavily criticised, after it emerged it had failed fire safety tests for 12 years before the disaster.
It consists of plastic sandwiched between two very thin sheets of aluminium, and remains in place in many buildings around the country.
However, the PIR foam also acted as a fuel for the flames and allowed them to climb the up the levels rapidly.
The PIR in Grenfell has also been blamed for producing large quantities of toxic gas, which residents breathed in.
Acrid smoke including carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide is given off when PIR burns.
A type of PU insulation was behind the cladding around Grenfell tower
A picture of debris falling from Grenfell tower in 2017 as flames tear through the high-rise
Swiss prosecutors specifically listed the foam attached the ceilings as one of the objects of the ongoing investigation.
Beatrice Pilloud, the attorney general for the Valais region, said: ‘We assume that the fire originated from sparklers attached to champagne bottles. From there, the ceiling caught fire.
‘We are also looking at what materials were used. The issue of emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and the bar’s occupancy is also being investigated.’
She added: ‘Our investigation also includes the foam on the ceiling.
‘It is still unclear whether any individuals will face criminal charges. However, it is possible that an investigation for negligent homicide will be initiated.’
The Daily Mail revealed the owners of Le Constellation to be French couple Jacques Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica, 40.
Ms Moretti was inside the bar when the blaze broke out and suffered burns to her arm, and Mr Moretti on Friday broke his silence.
He said the couple were both unable to ‘sleep nor eat’ following the catastrophe, but also claimed that all safety regulations had been followed correctly.
Flowers and candles have been laid outside Le Constellation in memory of the victims
A woman whose daughter is still missing clutches a soft toy
A policeman stands in front of the cordoned-off venue on Friday
Mr Moretti told Swiss outlet 20 Minuten: ‘Everything had been done according to regulation,’ and claimed the club had been inspected three times in the past ten years.
He emphasised the couple – well-known figures in the Swiss hospitality industry – are cooperating with authorities, adding: ‘We will do everything we can to help clarify the causes.
‘We are doing everything in our power. Our lawyers are also involved.’
The couple have already been questioned by authorities and may face manslaughter charges, according to Beatrice Pilloud, the attorney general for the Valais region.
Pilloud declined to say whether any action would be taken to prevent the couple from fleeing Switzerland, saying only: ‘There is currently no criminal liability.’
Stéphane Ganzer, the state councillor in charge of security in Valais, said he wasn’t aware of any safety deficiencies in the club.
However, he also admitted: ‘I don’t know when the municipality carried out the inspections.
‘We haven’t received any reports of deficiencies. However, we assume that the inspections were conducted.’
Pilloud said a team of 30 are involved in the investigation, though the priority for authorities ‘remains identifying the deceased so that the families can begin their grieving process’.
