Report on Grenfell Tower Fire Truth Released After 7 Years
Flammable Materials Used on Exterior Wall... Government Supervision Under Scrutiny
Starmer "Failed to Protect Citizens... Apologize on Behalf of the State"
A report revealing the truth behind the Grenfell Tower fire disaster in a UK public housing complex, which claimed 72 lives, has been released after seven years. Following the investigation results that pointed to dishonesty among related companies and the government's failure in safety regulations as causes of the disaster, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologized on behalf of the nation to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire and pledged to ensure justice on the 4th (local time).
On the day, BBC reported, "According to the final report released by the Grenfell Disaster Public Inquiry Commission seven years after the disaster, the Grenfell tragedy was the result of 'systematic dishonesty' by building material companies combined with the government's failure to heed safety warnings."
In the early morning of June 14, 2017, a fire that started from a refrigerator on the 4th floor of the 24-story public housing apartment Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, London, spread throughout the building. The fire resulted in 72 deaths and over 70 injuries. Built in the 1970s, the building underwent exterior refurbishment in 2016 before the disaster, during which combustible materials were used, causing the fire to rapidly spread throughout the building, as revealed in 2019. This led to criticism of the authorities' failure in safety regulation oversight and response, and voices criticizing the government grew louder. At the time, the British current affairs weekly The Economist compared the Grenfell disaster to South Korea's Sewol ferry disaster.
In particular, the UK government was criticized for failing to take appropriate measures despite the fatal risks and problems of combustible materials being revealed over several decades, including the 1991 fire in Nosley Heights, Merseyside, large-scale fire tests related to exterior materials in 2001, and the 2009 fire in Camberwell housing in London. It was also revealed that the fire department's resident evacuation strategies and training for large-scale fires were insufficient. Martin Moore-Bick, the lead inquiry chair, stated that the Grenfell disaster was "mostly due to incompetence, some dishonesty and greed," and that "the simple truth is that all deaths could have been avoided."
On the 4th, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a public apology in Parliament regarding the Grenfell Tower fire. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]
Natasha Elcock, a survivor who lost her uncle in the disaster and a member of 'Grenfell United,' a group representing survivors and bereaved families, urged the authorities to "deliver justice and prosecute those responsible for the deaths of loved ones," adding, "The report speaks of fundamental failures due to lack of competence, understanding, and the most basic duty of care. We have paid too high a price for systematic dishonesty, institutional indifference, and neglect."
Prime Minister Starmer said in Parliament on the day, "I apologize on behalf of the nation. The nation failed to fulfill its most fundamental duty to protect its people," emphasizing, "There are still buildings with unsafe cladding. We will take the necessary measures to accelerate progress." According to the BBC, the police and prosecution investigation into the incident will continue until the end of next year, with decisions on prosecutions expected by the end of 2026.
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