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Hello and welcome to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry podcast with me, Kate Lamble.

As this part of the inquiry, which is looking at the responsibility for internal fire safety measures draws to a close,

the inquiry is taking the time to hear from the contractors connected to specific pieces of equipment.

Last week, it was the smoke ventilation system.

This week, the gas pipes, which ran through the building and the lifts.

And we learnt that work to install gas pipes through the central staircase of Grenfell Tower

could have spread smoke during the fire, according to an expert witness.

Staff from the contractor on that job accepted they didn't identify hazards and take steps to mitigate

them. We'll start with the gas supply then. In 2016, after the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower was

completed, gas pipes started to be installed through the central staircase of the building.

We've already heard from residents who raised concerns about this.

The staircase was the only way out of the building in an emergency.

This is a letter sent from the Grenfell Tower Leasolders Association to the Tenant Management Organisation, which ran the building in March 2017.

Given that this gas main is installed through our communal fire escape, I cannot imagine the possible consequences of a fire in this building.

And as a duty of care, the RBKC must ensure that we can get out in an emergency if there is a need to evacuate.

To be clear, if we cannot get out, people will die, or at best suffer serious injury.

Lee Chapman lived on the 22nd floor and was a member of the Leaseholders Association.

He told the inquiry he considered the gas pipes an issue of life and death.

I remember going to bed thinking, I really hope nothing ever happens.

But what can you do? You live somewhere and you have to trust that the people that are

responsible for that building are looking after the health and safety because that's normally

...