A damning report released on Wednesday blamed the government, regulators, and industry for turning Grenfell Tower into a death trap. The report concluded that the failures of these entities led to the tragedy where 72 people lost their lives. The head of the inquiry, retired judge Martin Moore-Bick, stated that the victims’ deaths could have been prevented and that multiple people and organizations were responsible for the disaster. He mentioned that incompetence, dishonesty, and greed all played a role in the tragedy.
The report highlighted how companies involved in making the cladding for the building engaged in deceptive practices to pass safety tests, ultimately leading to the disastrous outcome. It also criticized the government for ignoring safety warnings and allowing the use of combustible cladding due to cost and incompetence.
In the aftermath of the fire, the UK government took steps to ban similar cladding materials in new buildings and ordered the removal of combustible cladding from existing tower blocks. However, the process has been slow due to disagreements over funding.
Overall, the report called for stricter fire safety regulations, the establishment of a national fire and rescue college, and a single independent regulator for the construction industry to prevent such disasters in the future. The investigation into the tragedy is ongoing, with potential charges of corporate and individual manslaughter, although any prosecutions are not expected until late 2026.
Read More
NDP withdraws from supply-and-confidence deal with Liberals