Fire control switch

Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 report overview, report of the public inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017, published in September 2024, states:

'All modern lifts are fitted with fire control switches designed to be operated by drop keys to enable the fire and rescue services to take control of them in the event of a fire. We were surprised to learn that at the time of the Grenfell Tower fire there was a significant variation in the dimensions of drop keys available from commercial suppliers, not all of which were compatible with all fire control switches. We were also surprised to learn that, although drop keys for the use of firefighters are provided by fire and rescue services, firefighters commonly obtain their own from a variety of sources. As a result, it appears to have been largely a matter of chance whether the key carried by the first firefighter who tried to take control of a lift was capable of operating the switch. That is clearly unacceptable and may result in unnecessary casualties, as it did at Grenfell Tower.

'We understand that since the problem came to light the LFB has taken steps to ensure that only drop keys of an approved pattern are carried by its firefighters. The evidence does not enable us to assess with any confidence whether similar problems have been encountered by other fire and rescue services and, if so, what steps they have taken in response. Accordingly, we are not in a position to determine whether greater standardisation of fire control switches and keys is required. We therefore recommend that the government seeks urgent advice from the Building Safety Regulator and the National Fire Chiefs Council on the nature and scale of the problem and the appropriate response to it.'

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