Experts warned both the Government and the construction sector two years before the Grenfell Tower disaster that not enough was being done to tackle the risk of fire spreading through concealed cavities in buildings.

Studies by fire experts at the Building Research Establishment produced in March 2015 warned of potential fatalities unless officials addressed the danger of flames passing through concealed cavities.

Their advice has only just come to light after being published by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Officials said this is so they can inform a review of the fire regulations for buildings.

BRE experts referred to 20 fires between 2003 and 2013 that involved inadequate, missing or badly fitted cavity barriers. They urged Government to consider new building regulations guidance and new ways for building inspectors to check works were safe. They also advised that builders needed education on the dangers of getting things wrong, but it is unclear what, if any, action was taken at the time.

One of the studies presented to officials in the building regulations division of MHCLG said barriers intended to stop fires spreading were “often found to be missing or incomplete or incorrectly positioned”. Another study warned that people had died because of fire or smoke spread in concealed spaces and “the potential risks and the potential losses remain high”.

Publication of the BRE reports now has sparked anger from Grenfell United, the support group for survivors and bereaved families. The group said the reports showed “people and organisations that were meant to keep us safe knew the dangers and didn’t care enough about our lives and the lives of our loved ones to act”.

By Patrick Mooney, editor