Ronan Point was a 23-storey council tower block in Newham, East London. On 16 May 1968 a gas explosion caused the collapse of a whole corner of the building. Four people were killed in the collapse, with one dying later of injuries.
A public inquiry into the collapse found that a gas explosion had triggered the collapse of a building that was structurally unsound. It had been "system-built" using prefabricated concrete panels bolted together.
As a result new British Standard Structural Design Codes for concrete were introduced to prevent such a disaster happening again.
The block was repaired but its collapse was a significant event in dissuading local authorities from building such blocks. Ronan Point was demolished in 1986.
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