Fridge maker faces action over Grenfell fire
27th April 2025
UK: The manufacturer of the Hotpoint fridge-freezer blamed for starting the Grenfell Tower fire is being sued for not adequately testing the model’s materials against applicable fire standards.
In reports first carried by the Financial Times, Beko Europe, previously Whirlpool, is one of a number of companies named in the £358m plus high court law suit.
The Hotpoint-branded FF175BP fridge-freezer was previously declared as the likely initial source of the fire at the tower block in June 2017. The blaze led to the deaths of more than 70 people.
According to reports in today’s Guardian newspaper, lawyers representing the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea argue that the company did not adequately test the materials used in the fridge freezer model against applicable fire standards.
The lawyers claim that if the materials used – particularly the plastic backing, foam and polystyrene – had been tested they would have failed under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994.
The company has disputed the claims and said it was “vigorously defending” the legal action.
The Turkish company Arçelik, owner of the Beko brand, completed a deal last year with US manufacturer Whirlpool to merge their European domestic appliance businesses under Beko Europe.
A report by the London Fire Brigade in 2013 described domestic fridges and freezers as the “most dangerous household appliance when involved in a fire”, blaming the “large amounts of plastic and highly flammable insulation” for the 300 fridge fires a year in Great Britain.
Related stories:
Fridge freezer caused Grenfell fire – 23 June 2017
UK: The UK government has ordered an immediate examination of the fridge freezer confirmed today as the source of the Grenfell Tower fire in London earlier this month. Read more…
Study pinpoints fridge fire hazards – 5 March 2017
UK: A number of components and flammable materials used in domestic refrigerators are identified in a new study into the reported 300 fridge fires a year in Great Britain. Read more…
LFB calls for end to “dangerous” fridges – 24 February 2017
UK: The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned that new safety proposals designed to reduce the risk of potentially deadly fridge and freezer fires, have a “gaping hole” in them. Read more…
