A fire that killed at least 79 people at a London tower block started in a Hotpoint fridge freezer, and the outside cladding engulfed by the blaze has since been shown to fail all safety tests, London police say.
Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack said that in view of the heavy death toll, police were considering manslaughter charges over the disaster.
She said the Hotpoint model FF175BP involved was not subject to recall and the manufacturer was doing further tests.
“We now have expert evidence that the fire was not started deliberately,” McCormack told reporters in London.
Britain ordered an immediate technical examination of the Hotpoint fridge model to establish whether further action needed to be taken, but said there was no need for owners to switch off their appliances.
Whirlpool, the world's largest maker of home appliances, owns the Hotpoint brand in the Europe and Asia Pacific regions. In the United States, the brand now belongs to Haier, following the Chinese group's purchase of General Electric Co's appliance business.
Whirlpool said "words cannot express our sorrow at this terrible tragedy" and that it would assist with ongoing investigations.
Police said both the insulation and tiles used in cladding at the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block failed all post-fire safety tests.
