Building Fires Due to Poor Professional Handling Not Cladding Material, Court Hears

The lawyer for 3A Composites said Australian law mandates qualified professionals to assess the fire safety compliance of newly constructed buildings.
Building Fires Due to Poor Professional Handling Not Cladding Material, Court Hears
The outside of the Supreme Court of New South Wales building is seen in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 9, 2013. William West/AFP via Getty Images
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Combustible cladding does not inherently pose risks when used responsibly in building design, but can lead to significant material hazards if handled carelessly by professionals, a court was told.

The Federal Court is currently hearing a case against German manufacturer 3A Composites and its Australian distributor, Halifax Vogel Group (HVG), concerning cladding linked to several major fires worldwide. Incidents include the tragic Grenfell Tower blaze in London in July 2017, which resulted in 72 deaths, and the non-fatal Lacrosse fire in Melbourne in November 2014.

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