Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19-08-2024 | 20240610 | 20240819 (R4) | New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 | |
| 01 | Wake Up Call | 20240610 | 20240819 (R4) | As the world wakes up to news of a fire in west London, questions start about who's to blame. At 8.30am on the morning of the 14th of June 2017 Karim Mussilhy is searching for his uncle. It's over seven hours since the fire started, smoke is still pouring out of the top of Grenfell Tower and a toxic smell is hanging in the air. While residents stare up at the building in shock and Karim scours the streets for his uncle Hesham Rahman, civil servants and ministers also wake up to news of the fire and rush into Whitehall for an emergency meeting. At this moment is the first flicker of recognition that the state may have failed the residents of Grenfell tower – that they hadn't done what they should have done. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy As the world hears news of a fire in west London, questions start about who's to blame. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 |
| 01 | Wake Up Call | 20240819 | As the world wakes up to news of a fire in west London, questions start about who's to blame. At 8.30am on the morning of the 14th of June 2017 Karim Mussilhy is searching for his uncle. It's over seven hours since the fire started, smoke is still pouring out of the top of Grenfell Tower and a toxic smell is hanging in the air. While residents stare up at the building in shock and Karim scours the streets for his uncle Hesham Rahman, civil servants and ministers also wake up to news of the fire and rush into Whitehall for an emergency meeting. At this moment is the first flicker of recognition that the state may have failed the residents of Grenfell tower – that they hadn't done what they should have done. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy As the world hears news of a fire in west London, questions start about who's to blame. What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. | |
| 02 | 1. Wake Up Call | 20240819 | As the world wakes up to news of a fire in west London, questions start about who's to blame. At 8.30am on the morning of the 14th of June 2017 Karim Mussilhy is searching for his uncle. It's over seven hours since the fire started, smoke is still pouring out of the top of Grenfell Tower and a toxic smell is hanging in the air. While residents stare up at the building in shock and Karim scours the streets for his uncle Hesham Rahman, civil servants and ministers also wake up to news of the fire and rush into Whitehall for an emergency meeting. At this moment is the first flicker of recognition that the state may have failed the residents of Grenfell tower – that they hadn't done what they should have done. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy As the world hears news of a fire in west London, questions start about who's to blame. What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't | |
| 02 | Building Blocks | 20240611 | 20240820 (R4) | How a fire in Scotland in 1999 foretold the fire at Grenfell Tower. In 1999, a dropped cigarette started a tower block fire in a small town on the west coast of Scotland. The building, which had been recently clad in flammable materials, is said to have caught fire like matchwood. This was one of the first signs that combustible materials were being permitted in the building sector in the UK. These risks were even raised with the New Labour government – so why didn't they act? How did the UK's regulations allow for such materials to be used on high rise buildings? And how did government deregulation in the 1980s shape attitudes to health and safety? Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy How a fire in Scotland in 1999 foretold the fire at Grenfell. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 |
| 02 | Building Blocks | 20240819 | 20240820 (R4) | How a fire in Scotland in 1999 foretold the fire at Grenfell Tower. In 1999, a dropped cigarette started a tower block fire in a small town on the west coast of Scotland. The building, which had been recently clad in flammable materials, is said to have caught fire like matchwood. This was one of the first signs that combustible materials were being permitted in the building sector in the UK. These risks were even raised with the New Labour government – so why didn't they act? How did the UK's regulations allow for such materials to be used on high rise buildings? And how did government deregulation in the 1980s shape attitudes to health and safety? Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy How a fire in Scotland in 1999 foretold the fire at Grenfell. What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. |
| 03 | 2. Building Blocks | 20240819 | 20240820 (R4) | How a fire in Scotland in 1999 foretold the fire at Grenfell Tower. In 1999, a dropped cigarette started a tower block fire in a small town on the west coast of Scotland. The building, which had been recently clad in flammable materials, is said to have caught fire like matchwood. This was one of the first signs that combustible materials were being permitted in the building sector in the UK. These risks were even raised with the New Labour government – so why didn't they act? How did the UK's regulations allow for such materials to be used on high rise buildings? And how did government deregulation in the 1980s shape attitudes to health and safety? Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't |
| 03 | Bad Behaviour | 20240612 | 20240819 20240821 (R4) | How manufacturers sold combustible cladding When Marcio Gomes found out that Grenfell Tower, where he lived, was going to be covered in cladding, he assumed it must be safe. Today we know this material was the main cause of the spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower. The cladding installed on the tower was made by French company, Arconic - it was highly combustible. Prior to the fire at Grenfell, Arconic staff were warned that covering a tower block in this material could add the fuel power of an oil tanker to the outside walls. Why did they sell it anyway? And how was that allowed? Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The cladding - why was combustible cladding allowed on the market? What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 |
| 04 | 3. Bad Behaviour | 20240819 | 20240821 (R4) | How manufacturers sold combustible cladding When Marcio Gomes found out that Grenfell Tower, where he lived, was going to be covered in cladding, he assumed it must be safe. Today we know this material was the main cause of the spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower. The cladding installed on the tower was made by French company, Arconic - it was highly combustible. Prior to the fire at Grenfell, Arconic staff were warned that covering a tower block in this material could add the fuel power of an oil tanker to the outside walls. Why did they sell it anyway? And how was that allowed? Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The cladding - why was combustible cladding allowed on the market? What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't |
| 04 | Someone Who Gives A Damn | 20240613 | 20240819 20240822 (R4) | A tale of 'deliberate and calculated deceit'. Beneath the cladding, a layer of insulation surrounded Grenfell Tower. This too was combustible and on the night of the fire, contributed to how quickly the flames spread. The companies which produced this insulation have been accused of misleading the construction industry about how combustible their products were. In this episode, Kate looks through some of the most jaw-dropping evidence from the public inquiry. Internal emails and company documents expose how insulation companies tested, marketed and sold their flammable products. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The insulation - a tale of 'deliberate and calculated deceit'. What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 |
| 05 | 4. Someone Who Gives A Damn | 20240819 | 20240822 (R4) | A tale of 'deliberate and calculated deceit'. Beneath the cladding, a layer of insulation surrounded Grenfell Tower. This too was combustible and on the night of the fire, contributed to how quickly the flames spread. The companies which produced this insulation have been accused of misleading the construction industry about how combustible their products were. In this episode, Kate looks through some of the most jaw-dropping evidence from the public inquiry. Internal emails and company documents expose how insulation companies tested, marketed and sold their flammable products. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The insulation - a tale of 'deliberate and calculated deceit'. What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't |
| 05 | Single Point Of Failure | 20240614 | 20240819 20240823 (R4) | Why didn't the civil service act on warnings about combustible building materials? You've probably not heard of Brian Martin but he's central to the story of Grenfell. The civil servant responsible for the fire safety section of the building regulation guidance, he has described himself as the “single point of failure ?. Kate talks to someone who tried to raise the alarm with him, and asks why he didn't act on warnings about dangerous cladding. Under the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government, this was a time of deregulation and cutting red tape. Did these attitudes to health and safety prevent action being taken? Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The government - why didn't civil servants act on warnings about dangerous cladding? What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 |
| 06 | Value Engineering | 20240819 | 20240826 (R4) | When Grenfell resident Ed Daffarn first heard about the multimillion pound refurbishment of the tower, he welcomed it. The estate had, in his view, become increasingly run down in recent years. But as the refurbishment progressed, he says residents felt their voices weren't heard. Meanwhile architects and contractors selected materials which would burn easily in a fire. Kate looks at how cost-cutting and a race to the bottom in the construction industry had devastating consequences for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The refurbishment - cost-cutting and a race to the bottom in the construction industry. What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. |
| 06 | Value Engineering | 20240826 | When Grenfell resident Ed Daffarn first heard about the multimillion pound refurbishment of the tower, he welcomed it. The estate had, in his view, become increasingly run down in recent years. But as the refurbishment progressed, he says residents felt their voices weren't heard. Meanwhile architects and contractors selected materials which would burn easily in a fire. Kate looks at how cost-cutting and a race to the bottom in the construction industry had devastating consequences for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The refurbishment - cost-cutting and a race to the bottom in the construction industry. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 | |
| 07 | 6. Value Engineering | 20240819 | 20240826 (R4) | When Grenfell resident Ed Daffarn first heard about the multimillion pound refurbishment of the tower, he welcomed it. The estate had, in his view, become increasingly run down in recent years. But as the refurbishment progressed, he says residents felt their voices weren't heard. Meanwhile architects and contractors selected materials which would burn easily in a fire. Kate looks at how cost-cutting and a race to the bottom in the construction industry had devastating consequences for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The refurbishment - cost-cutting and a race to the bottom in the construction industry. What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't |
| 07 | The Fire | 20240819 | 20240827 (R4) | In the early hours of the 14th June 2017, the bell in North Kensington's fire station begins to ring. Firefighter David Badillo assumes it is a routine house fire. He expects that he and his colleagues will extinguish it quickly and head back to the station. But when he ventures inside the tower, David Badillo realises that this fire is like nothing he's seen before. In this episode, Kate tells the story of the beginning of the night of the fire and asks whether the firefighters who risked their lives were adequately trained and prepared for an event which, for many, was foreseeable. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part one. What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. |
| 07 | The Fire | 20240827 | In the early hours of the 14th June 2017, the bell in North Kensington's fire station begins to ring. Firefighter David Badillo assumes it is a routine house fire. He expects that he and his colleagues will extinguish it quickly and head back to the station. But when he ventures inside the tower, David Badillo realises that this fire is like nothing he's seen before. In this episode, Kate tells the story of the beginning of the night of the fire and asks whether the firefighters who risked their lives were adequately trained and prepared for an event which, for many, was foreseeable. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part one. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 | |
| 08 | 7. The Fire | 20240819 | 20240827 (R4) | In the early hours of the 14th June 2017, the bell in North Kensington's fire station begins to ring. Firefighter David Badillo assumes it is a routine house fire. He expects that he and his colleagues will extinguish it quickly and head back to the station. But when he ventures inside the tower, David Badillo realises that this fire is like nothing he's seen before. In this episode, Kate tells the story of the beginning of the night of the fire and asks whether the firefighters who risked their lives were adequately trained and prepared for an event which, for many, was foreseeable. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part one. What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't |
| 08 | The Smoke | 20240819 | 20240828 (R4) | When Ed Daffarn opens his door in the early hours of the morning of the 14th of June 2017, he is confronted by a wall of thick acrid smoke. As the combustible cladding and insulation burned, smoke gathered rapidly in the hallways and stairwells of Grenfell. It prevented many residents from leaving their flats - and ultimately, it is the smoke which killed those who died in the tower. The reason this smoke spread so quickly through the building is due to one small detail, which could easily be considered as inconsequential, but on the night of the fire was far from it. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part two. What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. |
| 08 | The Smoke | 20240828 | When Ed Daffarn opens his door in the early hours of the morning of the 14th of June 2017, he is confronted by a wall of thick acrid smoke. As the combustible cladding and insulation burned, smoke gathered rapidly in the hallways and stairwells of Grenfell. It prevented many residents from leaving their flats - and ultimately, it is the smoke which killed those who died in the tower. The reason this smoke spread so quickly through the building is due to one small detail, which could easily be considered as inconsequential, but on the night of the fire was far from it. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part two. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 | |
| 09 | 8. The Smoke | 20240819 | 20240828 (R4) | When Ed Daffarn opens his door in the early hours of the morning of the 14th of June 2017, he is confronted by a wall of thick acrid smoke. As the combustible cladding and insulation burned, smoke gathered rapidly in the hallways and stairwells of Grenfell. It prevented many residents from leaving their flats - and ultimately, it is the smoke which killed those who died in the tower. The reason this smoke spread so quickly through the building is due to one small detail, which could easily be considered as inconsequential, but on the night of the fire was far from it. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part two. What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't |
| 09 | Stay Put | 20240819 | 20240829 (R4) | On the top floor of Grenfell Tower, Marcio Gomes and his family are waiting. Outside, the fire has wrapped itself around 3 sides of the building. But Marcio can't see any of this. He's relying on the information given to him by 999 call handlers, and they are telling residents they are safest to remain where they are. Marcio has a decision to make: does he wait for firefighters to reach him, or does he take his pregnant wife and daughters into the black void of suffocating smoke that has gathered in front of his door. In this episode, Kate tells the story of the final hours of the fire - of Rania Ibrahim and her daughters and Marcio Gomes and his family. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part three. What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. |
| 09 | Stay Put | 20240829 | On the top floor of Grenfell Tower, Marcio Gomes and his family are waiting. Outside, the fire has wrapped itself around 3 sides of the building. But Marcio can't see any of this. He's relying on the information given to him by 999 call handlers, and they are telling residents they are safest to remain where they are. Marcio has a decision to make: does he wait for firefighters to reach him, or does he take his pregnant wife and daughters into the black void of suffocating smoke that has gathered in front of his door. In this episode, Kate tells the story of the final hours of the fire - of Rania Ibrahim and her daughters and Marcio Gomes and his family. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part three. New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 | |
| 10 | 9. Stay Put | 20240819 | 20240829 (R4) | On the top floor of Grenfell Tower, Marcio Gomes and his family are waiting. Outside, the fire has wrapped itself around 3 sides of the building. But Marcio can't see any of this. He's relying on the information given to him by 999 call handlers, and they are telling residents they are safest to remain where they are. Marcio has a decision to make: does he wait for firefighters to reach him, or does he take his pregnant wife and daughters into the black void of suffocating smoke that has gathered in front of his door. In this episode, Kate tells the story of the final hours of the fire - of Rania Ibrahim and her daughters and Marcio Gomes and his family. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy The story of the night - part three. What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't |
| 10 | The Final Act | 20240819 | 20240830 (R4) | As the sun rises, the local council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea are responsible for helping families try and find their loved ones and arranging accommodation for those who have just escaped Grenfell Tower. But as the situation spirals out of control, lost keys, “dehumanising ? processes and slow support for residents lead to frustration and confusion. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy What happened after the fire? What a fire in West London that killed 72 people shows us how Britain works, and doesn't. |
| 10 | The Final Act | 20240830 | As the sun rises, the local council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea are responsible for helping families try and find their loved ones and arranging accommodation for those who have just escaped Grenfell Tower. But as the situation spirals out of control, lost keys, “dehumanising ? processes and slow support for residents lead to frustration and confusion. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy What happened after the fire? New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 | |
| 11 | 10. The Final Act | 20240819 | 20240830 (R4) | As the sun rises, the local council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea are responsible for helping families try and find their loved ones and arranging accommodation for those who have just escaped Grenfell Tower. But as the situation spirals out of control, lost keys, “dehumanising ? processes and slow support for residents lead to frustration and confusion. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy What happened after the fire? What a fire in west London that killed 72 people shows about how Britain works and doesn't |
| 20 | -08-24 | 20240611 | 20240820 (R4) | New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 |
| 23 | -08-2024 | 20240614 | 20240823 (R4) | New documentary series for BBC Radio 4 |