Grenfell inquiry RECAP: Panel member breaks into tears as report finds deaths were avoidable (original) (raw)

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry report found that 'systematic dishonesty' by cladding firms and 'decades of failure' by Government led to the fatal fire which claimed 72 lives in 2017

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Grenfell Tower Inquiry panel member emotionally concludes her speech

Key Events

A long-awaited report into the Grenfell Tower tragedy has found greed and "systematic dishonesty" led to the fatal blaze.

The 2017 fire in West London claimed the lives of 72 people after years of warnings were ignored. A landmark public inquiry report, published this morning, described "decades of failure" ahead of the horrific blaze.

Police say they will go through the findings "line by line" as bereaved families and survivors demand those responsible are prosecuted. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said it happened because "profit has been put before people".

Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick said: "The simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable, and those who lived in the tower were badly failed over a number of years and in a number of different ways by those who were responsible for ensuring the safety of the building and its occupants."

Panel member Thouria Istephan broke into tears as she outlined the inquiry's findings. Natasha Elcock, speaking on behalf of Grenfell United, said: "Human life was never a priority, and we lost friends, neighbours and loved ones in the most horrific way - from greed, corruption, competence and negligence."

Scroll down for updates earlier today about the report

14:32Dave Burke

Ex-Grenfell resident who raised alarm before tragedy reacts to report

A former Grenfell Tower resident who raised the alarm about fire dangers before the tragedy says today's report doesn't go far enough.

Edward Daffarn said he knew the report was "not going to be a Poirot moment where a murderer will be revealed and in fact all the suspects were carrying the knife".

He said: "I don't think any recommendations will ever go far enough. I think we are at a very significant moment in the Grenfell journey.

"We've waited seven years for change and it hasn't come - this report needs to be a catalyst for change, we need to make sure these recommendations are enacted, are enacted without delay."

Mr Daffarn added: "I'm not confident that all the recommendations are going to be implemented, but if they were and if the construction industry changed, and if the social housing regulation Bill is fully enforced, and people in social housing are treated better than they were before the fire, there will be some sort of legacy."

14:22Dave Burke

'Maybe I will die without having justice' says bereaved brother

A man whose sister was killed in the fire says the inquiry has delayed the justice owed to him and other bereaved families.

"No one has asked me if I wanted this inquiry", Karim Khalloufi, whose sister Khadija was among the 72 who died, told a press conference in central London.

"Maybe I will die without having justice," he added. Another victim's relative told the event at the Royal Lancaster London hotel he wanted manslaughter charges to be brought, adding "nothing else will do".

14:15Dave Burke

Grenfell Tower survivor says he's not been same person since night of fire

Grenfell Tower survivor Francis Dean has criticised what he called the "seven-year delay to justice" as he and others wait for criminal prosecutions to be brought.

"Since that night I've not been the same person, I'm messed up," he said at a briefing given by members of a support group for the next of kin in central London. "The government at the time promised us justice. I hope this current Government can take up the lead."

13:56Dave Burke

Sunak shares message of unity after PM's Grenfell statement

Rishi Sunak has shared a message of unity with the Prime Minister after the Grenfell Tower report's publication.

The Tory leader posted on Twitter/X: "I associate myself and @Conservatives with the Prime Minister’s powerful words regarding the pain of the bereaved families, survivors and all those affected by the tragic events surrounding Grenfell Tower. It was their tenacity and strength that brought the truth to light and for that they deserve our thanks and full support."

13:44Dave Burke

Angela Rayner promises 'stronger culture of safety'

Angela Rayner has vowed to "work tirelessly" to "deliver a stronger culture of safety" following today's report

The Housing Secretary, who is also Keir Starmer's deputy, posted: "We remember the 72 innocent lives lost in the Grenfell Tower tragedy. My thoughts are with the bereaved families, the survivors and residents in the immediate community.

"As Keir Starmer said, on behalf of the British state we apologise to each and every one of them. The Grenfell community has campaigned tirelessly to push for justice & change.

"My promise to them is to work tirelessly, with urgency & care, to deliver a stronger culture of safety across the system from top to bottom."

13:25Dave Burke

Rishi Sunak acknowleges 'dishonesty and greed' unearthed in report

Rishi Sunak paid tribute to the "strength and patience" of Grenfell Tower survivors, some of whom were in the House of Commons public gallery.

He told the Commons: "Whilst the Grenfell community's loss will have left a hole nothing will ever be able to fill, I hope that whatever healing is possible from today, that each and every one of them takes some small measure of it.

"I know they will never forget the 72 people who tragically lost their lives, and nor shall we. Today's publication, as the Prime Minister said, is to put it bluntly, a damning indictment of over 30 years of successive state failures, stretching as far back as Knowsley Heights in 1991 and then multiple incidents from there.

"Sir Martin Moore-Bick and the work of the inquiry have painted a picture of systemic indifference, failure and in some notable cases, dishonesty and greed."

13:12Dave Burke

Kensington MP demands prosecutions after 'shameless cycle of blame-dodging'

The MP whose constituency includes Grenfell Tower has warned that "justice has still not been delivered".

Joe Powell, who represents Kensington and Bayswater, said: "There have been no charges, no arrests and no individual or organisation has been held criminally accountable for what happened. The Government and the police must now do everything in their power to bring those responsible to justice using the full force of the law.

"After a shameless cycle of blame-dodging and finger-pointing, this report lays bare the individuals and companies responsible for the Grenfell fire."

13:06Dave Burke

Starmer makes safety pledge to victims as he acknowleges 'betrayal'

Keir Starmer has promised the families of the Grenfell Tower victims that he will "demand" building safety lessons are learned.

He told the Commons: "After all you've been through, you may feel you're always one step away from another betrayal, I get that, and I know I cannot change that with just words today. But what I can say is, I listened carefully to one of the members of the inquiry, Ali Akbor, this morning who said this: 'What is needed is for those with responsibility for building safety to reflect and to treat Grenfell as a touchstone in all that they do in the future'.

"I consider myself someone responsible for building safety, and that is exactly what I will do, and what I will demand of this Government."

13:02Dave Burke

Theresa May praises 'forensic' report into avoidable deaths

Former PM Theresa May, who was in No10 when the fire happened, branded the report "forensic and powerful".

In a statement Baroness May said: "Today's report into the Grenfell Tower fire is a significant step in providing the Grenfell community with the answers they deserve after 72 people died - deaths that we now know were avoidable - while the lives of their loved ones, and all those living in and around the tower, were changed irrevocably that night.

"I would like to thank Sir Martin (Moore-Bick) and his team for the dedication and tenacity they have shown in getting to the truth and for this forensic and powerful final report. I know that, while necessary, the inquiry process can be immensely distressing for all those involved.

"I would like to pay tribute to the bereaved families and the survivors for the dignity they have shown in the face of a tragedy so extreme, it is beyond our imagining. Children, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, good friends and loving partners, were all lost the night of the fire. Amid this devastation, the people of Grenfell not only began rebuilding their lives, they also consistently campaigned for justice for those who died."

12:48KEY EVENT

PM says companies who failed victims will be barred from public contacts

The Government will write to companies blamed in the inquiry report barring them from public contracts, the PM said.

Mr Starmer said it is important there is accountability "including through the criminal justice process". He said: "I can tell the House today that this government will write to all companies for being part of these horrific failings as the first step to stopping them being awarded government contracts.

"And we will, of course, support the police and the prosecutors as they complete the investigation_."_

12:43KEY EVENT

Keir Starmer issues apology to bereaved families

Keir Starmer has issued an apology to bereaved families.

Addressing those who lost loved ones in the Grenfell fire - some of who were watching on in the House of Commons - the Prime Minister said: "You've been let down so badly - before, during and in the aftermath of this tragedy."

The PM said there were "many opportunities" for the Government to recognise the risks of cladding. He said: "I want to start with an apology on behalf of the British state."

He went on: "The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty - to protect you and your loved ones, who we are here to serve."

12:34Dave Burke

Tearful panel member says tragedy 'left a mark' on her

Panel member Thouria Istephan broke down in tears as she described the inquiry's findings.

She said: "Returning home from a holiday in June 2017, I flew over west London and saw the burning tower in the early hours from the air.

"As for so many others, this was a profound shock, first of course as a human response, but also as a professional who has spent their career working to make buildings safe."

She said the inquiry work had "left a mark" on her. She said: "The losses so many people have suffered, and my involvement in this process has left a mark on me as a person and as a professional which will last far beyond this inquiry.

"And although this inquiry is now ending, we know that for many people their journey continues. We wish them strength for the future."

12:18Dave Burke

'Human life was never a priority' say bereaved families

Bereaved families and survivors has said people living in Grenfell Tower "paid the price of systematic dishonesty, institutional indifference and neglect".

Natasha Elcock, speaking on behalf of Grenfell United, said: "Human life was never a priority, and we lost friends, neighbours and loved ones in the most horrific way - from greed, corruption, competence and negligence."

12:12Dave Burke

What did the inquiry report recommend?

Key recommendations from the inquiry, outlined by Sir Martin Moore-Blick, include:

12:01Dave Burke

Fire brigade failed to learn from fatal 2009 blaze

A fatal fire at a housing block in 2009 should have alerted the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to the "shortcomings" in its ability to fight blazes in high-rise buildings, the final report of the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster has found.

The report found that the Lakanal House fire in Camberwell, south London, "foreshadowed" the 2017 Grenfell Tower blaze. It concluded that the LFB failed to "implement any effective response" to the fire in July 2009, which claimed six lives, despite understanding its lessons.

The report identified several key measures that should have been implemented by the LFB following that incident. These included making better use of the knowledge it had gained of the dangers posed by modern materials and methods of construction, and providing regular training for its control room operators on handling many fire survival guidance calls at the same time.

11:53Dave Burke

Chairman lists all the victims of the Grenfell tragedy

In a poignant moment, Sir Martin has read out the names of the 72 people who died in the tragedy.

They are: Logan Gomes, Denis Murphy, Mohammed Amied Neda, Joseph Daniels, Mary Mendy, Khadija Saye, Debbie Lamprell, Maria del Pilar Burton, Rania Ibrahim and her two children Fethia Hassan and Hania Hassan, Nadia Choucair, Bassem Choukair, Mierna Choukair, Fatima Choukair, Zainab Choukair, Sirria Choucair, Hesham Rahman, Anthony Disson, Zainab Deen, Jeremiah Deen, Ali Yawar Jafari, Gary Maunders, Marjorie Vital, Ernie Vital, Victoria King, Alexandra Atala, Mohamednur Tuccu, Amal Ahmedin, Amaya Tuccu-Ahmedin, Amna Mahmud Idris, Kamru Miah, Rabeya Begum, Mohammed Hamid, Mohammed Hanif, Husna Begum, Fathia Ahmed Elsanousi, Abufras Ibrahim, Isra Ibrahim, Ligaya Moore, Vincent Chiejina, Abdulaziz El-Wahabi, Faouzia El-Wahabi, Yasin El-Wahabi, Nur Huda El-Wahabi, Mehdi El-Wahabi, Khadija Khalloufi, Jessica Urbano Ramirez, Hashim Kedir, Nura Jemal, Firdaws Hashim, Yahya Hashim, Yaqub Hashim, Steve Power, Eslah Elgwahry, Mariem Elgwahry, Berkti Haftom, Biruk Haftom, Gloria Trevisan, Marco Gottardi, Sakina Afrasehabi, Hamid Kani, Isaac Paulos, Mohammad al-Haj Ali, Raymond "Moses" Bernard, Fatemeh Afrasiabi, Farah Hamdan, Omar Belkadi, Malak Belkadi, Leena Belkadi, Abdeslam Sebbar, Sheila

11:31KEY EVENT

Inquiry chairman lists those who were blame for Grenfell Tower tragedy

Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick said the deaths of 72 people were "all avoidable" as he pointed the finger of blame at numerous private firms and the Government.

Sir Martin said: "The simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable and that those who lived in the tower were badly failed over a number of years and in a number of different ways by those who were responsible for ensuring the safety of the building and its occupants."

Listing those he found responsible, he said: "They include the Government, the tenant management organisation, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, those who manufactured and supplied the materials used in the refurbishment, those who certified their suitability for use on high-rise residential buildings, the architect, Studio E; the principal contractor, Rydon Maintenance Ltd, and some of its sub-contractors, in particular, Harley Curtain Wall Ltd and its successor Harley Facades Ltd; some of the consultants, in particular the fire engineer, Exova Warringtonfire Ltd; the local authority's building control department and the London Fire Brigade.

"Not all of them bear the same degree of responsibility for the eventual disaster, but, as our reports show, all contributed to it in one way or another, in most cases through incompetence but in some cases through dishonesty and greed .

"The failings can be traced back over many years and our efforts to get to the bottom of what went wrong and why, account for the length of our report and the time it has taken us to produce it."

11:25Dave Burke

Grenfell happened because firms put 'profit before people' says Sadiq Khan

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the residents of Grenfell Tower "paid a price for systemic dishonesty, corporate greed and institutional indifference and neglect".

He said firms held responsible by the inquiry should be banned from receiving public contracts, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) should look into bringing criminal cases. Mr Khan said: "The Grenfell Tower fire isn't just a heart-breaking tragedy, it's a horrific injustice and a national disgrace. That the lives of 72 Londoners were stolen from us in such circumstances is a moral outrage.

"The inquiry makes clear in stark terms that all these deaths were entirely avoidable, and that the residents of Grenfell Tower have paid the price for systematic dishonesty, corporate greed and institutional indifference and neglect." He said "profit has been put before people" which "isn't just shameful, it's utterly indefensible".

11:21Dave Burke

Keir Starmer says Government will 'carefully consider' report findings

Keir Starmer said the Government will 'carefully consider' the findings, saying "substantial and widespread failings" had been unearthed.

The PM said: "My thoughts today are wholly with those bereaved by, and survivors of, the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the residents in the immediate community. This day is for them.

"I hope that Sir Martin's report can provide the truth they have sought for so long, and that it is step towards the accountability and justice they deserve."
In a statement to Parliament, Sir Keir said: "The Government will carefully consider the report and its recommendations, to ensure that such a tragedy cannot occur again.

"I hope that those outside Government will do the same. Given the detailed and extensive nature of the report, a further and more in-depth debate will be held at a later date."

11:16Dave Burke

Grenfell was wrapped in flammable material because of 'systematic dishonesty'

Grenfell Tower came to be wrapped in flammable material because of "systematic dishonesty" among those who made and sold cladding panels and insulation products, the report says.

These firms "engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing processes, misrepresent test data and mislead the market". A former government agency, the Building Research Establishment (BRE), which provided advice on building and fire safety was "complicit in that strategy" when it came to the main insulation product from Celotex.

The BRE was privatised in 1997, but years before that "much of the work it carried out in relation to testing the fire safety of external walls was marred by unprofessional conduct, inadequate practices, a lack of effective oversight, poor reporting and a lack of scientific rigour."

Its systems were concluded not to have been "robust enough to ensure complete independence" and it was judged to have played "an important part in enabling Celotex and Kingspan to market their products" for use in the external walls of high-rise buildings.

The certification bodies, the British Board of Agrement (BBA) and the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), "failed to ensure that the statements in their product certificates were accurate and based on test evidence", while the UKAS, which is responsible for oversight of certification bodies, "failed to apply proper standards of monitoring and supervision".

11:12Dave Burke

'Deaths were all avoidable' and residents 'badly failed', inquiry chairman says

Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick is outlining his findings now.

Sir Martin said: "The simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable, and those who lived in the tower were badly failed over a number of years and in a number of different ways by those who were responsible for ensuring the safety of the building and its occupants."

11:05KEY EVENT

Police will go through report 'line-by-line'

Detectives will go through the Grenfell Inquiry report line by line as they have "one chance" to get their investigation right, a senior officer has said.

Victims face a wait of another year to 18 months from the report's publication before they find out whether any criminal charges will be brought over the tragedy. Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: "Our police investigation is independent of the public inquiry.

"It operates under a different legal framework and so we cannot simply use the report's findings as evidence to bring charges. To secure justice for those who died and all those affected by the fire we must examine the report, line by line, alongside the evidence from the criminal investigation.

"As I said previously, this will take us at least 12 to 18 months. This will lead to the strongest possible evidence being presented to the Crown Prosecution Service so they can make charging decisions.

"I can't pretend to imagine the impact of such a long police investigation on the bereaved and survivors, but we have one chance to get our investigation right."

11:00KEY EVENT

Report finds 'decades of failure' and 'dishonesty' led to tragedy

The Grenfell Tower fire was the result of “decades of failure” by those in power, the public inquiry has found.

In its landmark final report, the inquiry has laid bare how Government complacency and industry dishonesty and greed led to the 2017 tragedy. Construction manufacturers were found guilty of “systematic dishonesty”, with firms having “deliberately concealed” information about the dangers of its cladding products.

Residents of the 24-story tower block faced an “uncaring and bullying overlord” as their warnings about fire safety were ignored by the local authority tenants’ organisation. And the west London council at hand was found to be “unduly concerned” by its reputation in the immediate aftermath of the fire.

Click here for the full story

10:26Dave Burke

'There's no justice without people going behind bars'

Sandra Ruiz, whose 12-year-old niece, Jessica Urbano Ramirez, died in the fire, said that "for me, there's no justice without people going behind bars."

"Our lives were shattered on that night. People need to be held accountable," she said. "People who have made decisions putting profit above people's safety need to be behind bars."

Jessica Urbano (

Image:

SWNS)

10:10Dave Burke

Resident who warned of blaze hopes report will highlight 'profit before people' attitude

A former tower resident and who warned of the dangers of fire in the months before the tragedy says he hopes the report will "highlight the institutionalised indifference that saw private companies put profit before people".

Grenfell United member Edward Daffarn said he is feeling "quite apprehensive". Mr Daffarn said he is hopeful for vindication for those he said had been painted as "rebel residents" who were "difficult" in their dealings with the council and the tenant management organisation.

"I hope that that will be dealt with, and that Sir Martin Moore-Bick will reach a conclusion, and that we will be vindicated," he said.

He added: "(I hope) the buck-passing that took place during the public inquiry, where none of the corporate core participants took any responsibility for their actions, is going to come to an end.

"The buck will stop, and we will finally be in a position where we have the truth and we will be able to call out some of these companies and the government for the way that they behaved."

Edward Daffarn

09:59KEY EVENT

Will today's report lead to speedier prosecutions?

The report's findings could ramp up pressure on police and prosecutors to get people before the courts faster.

Bereaved families and survivors have said this must happen for justice to be served. In May, the Metropolitan Police said their investigators need until the end of 2025 to finalise their inquiry, and prosecutors will then need a year to decide whether charges can be brought.

This wait, which could stretch to a decade after the catastrophic fire, has been branded "unbearable". According to the update from police and prosecutors earlier this year, the mammoth police investigation into the fire has already generated 27,000 lines of inquiry and more than 12,000 witness statements.

A total of 58 individuals and 19 companies and organisations are under investigation for potential criminal offences, and more than 300 hours of interviews have taken place.

Potential offences under consideration include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office, health and safety offences, fraud and offences under the fire safety and building regulations.

09:37KEY EVENT

Those to blame for deadly blaze must be prosecuted, campaigner warns

Grenfell families must get justice and see those to blame for the deadly blaze prosecuted, a leading campaigner warns today.

The long-running inquiry's second report will be published today, spelling out how the west London tower block came to be in a condition which allowed the deadly blaze to claim the lives of 72 people.

But Yvette Williams, from Justice4Grenfell, told the Mirror that today is “not a day of justice” for bereaved families. Instead she said those whose lives were torn apart by the 2017 disaster will be retraumatised again as that dreadful night is recounted - but no “real” criminal punishment will be handed out to anyone.

Ms Williams said she believed the report would be “truthful” but “nothing will be new to us” after hearing evidence during the years-long inquiry.

Click here for the full story

09:28Dave Burke

Firefighter describes 'cataclysmic series of failings'

A firefighter involved in tackling the Grenfell Tower blaze said there were a "cataclysmic series of failings" in the building.

Ricky Nuttall, who was forced to abandon an attempt to rescue a resident from the 15th floor, defended the "stay put" advice initially given to people in the building, saying firefighters were unaware of the state of the tower.
"The idea of a 'stay put' policy is, its principles are founded on a building working as it should," he told BBC Radio 4's Today.

"At the time, as a firefighter on the ground, we had no idea that the building wasn't built as it should be, that areas were compromised, that fire doors weren't fitted, that smoke vents wouldn't open, that the outside of the building was effectively covered in petrol, a flammable material that's going to burn rapidly, window sills weren't fitted correctly. There were a cataclysmic list of failings with the building, and none of that information was available to us at the time."

Describing the failed rescue attempt from the 15th floor in 2017, he said he was running out of air and together with a colleague, they decided an attempt to reach the victim would have left "three people in mortal danger rather than one".

"The guilt of leaving a human being behind is very, very hard to come to terms with, especially when you find out that that person did, in fact die. "But it was the right decision from a logical perspective in terms of what air we had and what chance that person actually had of getting out of building with us."

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