Building developers were warned about dangerous cladding years ago, it has emerged, after a large fire in Dagenham saw two people taken to hospital.

Forty fire engines and 225 firefighters attended the scene on Freshwater Road, Dagenham at 2.44am on Monday, after a huge blaze broke out in the building, causing more than 100 people to flee their homes.

Work had been underway to remove “non-compliant cladding” in the mixed-use commercial and residential tower.

Andy Roe, the London fire commissioner, said a full investigation into the Dagenham fire and its cause would be launched.

Dagenham flat firePA

“This was a very dynamic and challenging incident, and we know there will undoubtedly be concerns around the fire safety issues present within the building and this will form part of our report,” he said.

Questions around the role of cladding will “form part” of an investigation into the fire, London Fire Brigade (LFB) has confirmed.

LFB assistant commissioner Patrick Goulbourne said: “What I wouldn’t want to do is pre-empt an investigation. This was a very, very dynamic incident and clearly it’s going to require a very complex investigation, not only to get to its cause but to get to an understanding of the fire spread.

“So it’s too early at this time to be able to give any detail on that, but that will form part of our investigation in the coming days.”

Questions around the role of cladding will 'form part' of an investigation into the fire

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said the incident exposed the “national scandal’ of flammable cladding and deregulation in the building industry”. It said the block had been the subject of a fire enforcement notice in 2023.

They added that the incident comes a week before the final report on the Grenfell Tower inquiry.

Forty fire engines and 225 firefighters attended the scene on Freshwater Road, Dagenham