LONDON – It was the deadliest fire in Britain since the country was bombed by the Nazis in World War Two – and a stark symbol of a deeply unequal nation.
More than seven years later, survivors and grieving relatives of those affected by the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people and injured dozens, are hoping Wednesday to finally get some answers.
The report of the long-running official inquiry into the disaster — which rocked British politics and has long served as a symbol of state and corporate failure — is due at 11 a.m. It is expected to catalog widespread incompetence at numerous institutions and how. will give a disappointing verdict. West London was allowed to burn.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labor party was in opposition during the disaster, will address the House of Commons in the afternoon on the findings – and try to show his new administration is prepared to learn the lessons.
As the United Kingdom government waits to respond, here’s what we know so far about the 2017 incident.
What happened at Grenfell Tower?
In the early hours of June 14, 2017, a flat on the fourth floor of a 24-storey 1970s-era tower block caught fire due to an electrical fault in a fridge-freezer.
Police were called just before 1 a.m. as the fire — fueled largely by unsafe cladding from building renovations — quickly spread to the exterior of the building and to the top of the tower. By 4.30 am the entire building was engulfed in flames.
The fire killed 72 people and injured more than 70, while some 223 escaped. The fire was brought under control after more than 24 hours.
Residents of Grenfell Tower were predominantly low income and English indicators of deprivation In 2015 it showed that the area around the Tower was in the top 10 per cent of the most deprived parts of England.
Just a stone’s throw away were some of the wealthiest destinations in the UK Got the 2019 government data Kensington and Chelsea is the “richest” local authority area in the country where residents earn three times the national average. While a memorial has been planned, the building still stands above Kensington.
What role does cladding play?
Cladding on the exterior of the tower was found to be a significant contributor to the rapid spread of the fire. Made of plastic and aluminum, the panels fitted to the building were highly flammable — and failed a fire test before their installation.
Residents have warned about building safety on numerous occasions. Local Grenfell Action Group website Posted blogs trying to raise concerns with the council and said they were met with inaction.
Since the fire, a nationwide review has called for strengthening safety laws and removing all dangerous cladding applied to buildings.
However, recent Analysis shows that Over a million people across the UK may still be living in potentially unsafe properties
How was the Grenfell inquiry conducted and what did he hear?
The inquiry reported on Wednesday was launched by then Prime Minister Theresa May the day after the fire in 2017.
It is divided into two phases: Phase 1 focuses specifically on how the Night of Fire unfolded. That phase informed back in 2019 and warned of an “apparently slow rate of progress” in removing combustible cladding, as well as making several recommendations to improve building safety and better coordination. Emergency Responses.
Phase 2 is more comprehensive and is expected to be highly technical, including the specifications of the tower renovation, the cladding to be used and feedback from the key organizations involved. The Fire Brigades Union, a key participant in the inquiry, has said it expects the report to run to more than 1,500 pages, spread over several volumes.
More than 600 key participants participated in the investigation and have provided eye-opening evidence. In 2022The government admitted failing to provide adequate oversight of the regulatory system to prevent fires. Residents talked about “sub-citizenTreatment at the hands of the landlord of the state.
Who has been held responsible so far?
Nick Paget-Brown, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, resigned as a result of the fire after widespread criticism. Theresa May was also initially criticized for not meeting survivors and locals. Later accepted her response “Wasn’t good enough.”
Nineteen companies or organizations and 58 individuals are currently under investigation in connection with the fire. However, the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service said no charges were likely to be announced until late 2026 due to the increasing “scale and complexity” of their investigations.
The function of an investigation is not to prosecute. But the information it collects can be used to help police investigations.
Firefighters who attended the blaze last year won compensation in an out-of-court settlement with construction companies, Kensington Council and London’s fire commissioner.
The type of cladding allowed on future renovations will come under heavy scrutiny on Wednesday. Expect greater accountability in the UK’s social housing system, including better mechanisms for listening to residents who raise safety concerns.
And while Starmer is likely to strike a somber tone in the Commons on Wednesday, especially given the easing of fire safety regulations, don’t be surprised if some in the newly elected Labor government point to the disaster as another example of Conservative failure, spanning multiple administrations. .
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