An emergency worker looks out from one of the lower floor windows of the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower in London, Friday, June 16, 2017, after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building on Wednesday morning. Grief over a high-rise tower blaze that killed dozens of people turned to outrage Friday amid suggestions that materials used in a recent renovation project may have contributed to the disaster.
Matt Dunham/AP Photo An emergency worker looks out from one of the lower floor windows of the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower in London, Friday, June 16, 2017, after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building on Wednesday morning. Grief over a high-rise tower blaze that killed dozens of people turned to outrage Friday amid suggestions that materials used in a recent renovation project may have contributed to the disaster.

As the circumstances surrounding the deadly fire that ravaged the residential Grenfell Tower in London early Wednesday morning begin to materialize, one sentiment is clear: the public needs answers. And while Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered a full public inquiry into the incident, the police have launched a criminal investigation following reports that the U.S.-banned cladding that encased the recently renovated 24-story structure could be to blame for enabling the blaze to spread.

According to a Times article, Grenfell Tower's exterior aluminum panels—largely believed to be Reynobond cladding installed by U.K. company Harley Façades—were banned from American buildings reaching higher than 40 feet in 2012 due to the material's polyurethane core. The Times also reported that an upgrade to Reynobond's fire-resistant cladding would have cost only £5,000 more (approximately $6,391) for the entire structure. While some are speculating the cladding was chosen for aesthetic purposes, this has not yet been substantiated.

The U.K.'s Metropolitan Police released updated information this morning asserting the fire was likely accidental: "The Met can confirm that, following initial reports from specialist investigators and experts who have examined the flat where the fire started, there is nothing to suggest the fire was started deliberately."

In an open letter to the prime minister, London mayor Sadiq Khan praised May's decision to open a public inquiry, but urged her "to ensure, in the terms of reference of the Inquiry, that an interim report is published this summer, at the latest, and that the terms of reference include all aspects of fire safety standards and inspection in high-rise towers." He continued, "I would seek an assurance that if the Inquiry or police investigation finds any individual or organization to have been negligent in their duties, then they will be prosecuted."

As the investigations are underway, Khan and others are calling for efforts to assess nearby buildings for potential fire susceptibility. "Residents I spoke to are worried about the risk of this tragic incident happening elsewhere—particularly in tower blocks that have had similar cladding installed as part of renovations. People are terrified that the same thing could happen to them," Khan wrote. "This issue is not limited to the type of cladding fitted; the material it is attached to and how this has been achieved are also critical factors. It is crucial that other risks from renovation works are urgently and properly investigated, for example protection between floors. And we need to strengthen standards and recall processes around white goods, given the fire risk they can present."

In a Tweet sent Friday afternoon, the Grenfell Tower building owner, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, published its response to protesters asserting, "We entirely support the calling of a public inquiry and will cooperate in whatever way we can." The borough called for a swift audit of similar buildings.

Death counts are expected to exceed to 50 victims according to various outlets, while the current toll has reached 30 people with speculation that some bodies may never be recovered due to the intensity of the fire as reported by The Times.

Metropolitan police commander Stuart Cundy said in a statement: "The conditions inside Grenfell Tower mean that the search and recovery operation to find and recover the victims is extremely challenging. The upper floors of the block are particularly hazardous due to the damage caused by the fire. The sad reality is that this work will take some time, stretching into many, many weeks."