Grenfell Tower Fire

On 14th June 2017, a fire broke out at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, London, killing at least 72 people. It was the worst residential fire since World War Two.

The disaster was a result of Grenfell’s renovation, which had been proposed by the Kensington & Chelsea Tenants Management Organisation (KCTMO) — a private entity which managed the Tower on behalf of the council. The KCTMO repeatedly ignored warnings from the residents and the Grenfell Action Group that the renovations might be dangerous and chose profit over safety by opting for cheaper cladding materials. In 2016, Grenfell Tower was re-clad with cheap, highly combustible materials. As a result, when the fire began in one of the fourth-floor flats, it took just 33 minutes to spread to the Tower’s roof.

The death toll was also a direct result of the KCTMO’s indifference to fire safety. The KCTMO did not have plans for the evacuation of vulnerable residents, doors in the Tower did not meet fire safety standards, and their only fire assessor was “illqualified” to work on tower blocks like Grenfell. The official inquiry, which concluded in 2024, found that all 72 deaths were avoidable.

Want to know more? grenfellunited.org.uk

A 2009 fire at Lakanal House — a similar highrise building in London — had already exposed the dangers of external cladding. Six people died and twenty were injured. When the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fire Safety subsequently raised concerns about cladding and fire risks, officials and ministers ignored them.

The manufacturers who made the cladding used on Grenfell knew that it was highly combustible and unsuitable for a high-rise residential building.

19 organisations and 58 people are currently under investigation over their roles in the tragedy.

“No family should have to fight the very institutions that are supposed to protect them. A Hillsborough Law is vital to ensure that after any tragedy, justice is not denied – and that lessons are learned”

Grenfell United

“It has been so easy for public and private agencies to escape accountability and scrutiny. By establishing a duty of candour, Hillsborough Law will prevent this, help us learn from failures and ensure bereaved and survivors are properly supported”

Natasha Elcock, Chair of Grenfell United