Ronan Point Inquiry

The Ronan Point inquiry examined the partial collapse of a 22-storey tower block in Canning Town on 16 May 1968, following a gas explosion that killed four people. Chair Hugh Griffiths QC concluded that both the design and construction of the large panel system building were inadequate. The inquiry's 19 recommendations focused on preventing progressive collapse in high-rise buildings and managing explosion risks.

The inquiry's most significant documented legacy is the Building Regulations 1970 (5th Amendment), which introduced the concept of resistance to disproportionate collapse. This principle remains embedded in Part A of the current Building Regulations. The inquiry also led to the disconnection of piped gas from high-rise residential buildings and requirements for structural engineering assessments of buildings over six storeys.

The disaster effectively ended large panel system construction in the UK. However, when Ronan Point was demolished in 1986, investigators found structural joints packed with rubbish and that post-collapse strengthening works had been ineffective. This discovery raised questions about the implementation and enforcement of safety measures.

The Ronan Point inquiry occupies a significant place in the history of UK building safety regulation. Its focus on preventing disproportionate collapse established principles that continue to shape building standards. The 2017 Grenfell Tower fire renewed attention to questions about building safety regulation and enforcement that the Ronan Point inquiry had raised nearly five decades earlier.

Building Regulations 1970 (5th Amendment — Disproportionate Collapse) Primary

Informed or shaped Grenfell Tower Inquiry