Grenfell council chief sorry for not acting on concerns about toxins

Barry Quirk says further tests should have been ordered after contamination came to light

The chief executive of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has apologised to the communities affected by the Grenfell Tower fire and said the authorities should have ordered more sweeping tests for potential contamination in the surrounding area months ago.

Barry Quirk said he wished the council (RBKC) had acted in February when it was told of concerns about toxins found in preliminary tests on soil and residue samples around the tower.