‘Many Failings’

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British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday issued an apology over the government’s role in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London after a long-awaited inquiry found that the 72 deaths in the blaze were “all avoidable,” the Washington Post reported.

The incident is considered the deadliest fire in the United Kingdom since World War Two.

The inferno began from a small kitchen fire on the fourth floor but quickly spread through the 24-story building due to the flammable outer layer of cladding used to refurbish the tower’s exterior.

In a report released Wednesday, the inquiry discovered there were “many failings” by various parties, including government officials, construction companies, subcontractors, regulators, and emergency responders. It criticized the companies responsible for the cladding, accusing them of manipulating testing processes and misrepresenting the safety of their products.

The report identified the US-based Arconic company as a contributor to the tragedy. It discovered that the firm manufactured and sold the flammable cladding used on Grenfell Tower through its French subsidiary.

The inquiry accused Arconic of deliberately concealing the dangers associated with their cladding. While the firm denied selling unsafe products, it acknowledged its role in the tower’s refurbishment and has contributed to settlements for those affected by the fire, CBS News added.

Meanwhile, government officials came under scrutiny for failing to take action even though they were “well aware” of the dangers posed by the combustible cladding.

The London Fire Brigade was also admonished for failing to implement lessons from a similar fire in 2009 and for initially advising residents to “stay put” instead of evacuating.

In his apology, Starmer told the victims, their families and the local community that the country “failed to discharge its most fundamental duty, to protect you and your loved ones.”

Following the report’s release, The London Metropolitan Police announced plans to review the findings in detail to consider potential criminal charges, which could include corporate manslaughter, fraud, and health and safety offenses.

The tragedy highlighted issues of social inequality, as many of the victims were immigrants, children, elderly, and low-income residents living in public housing in one of London’s wealthiest areas.

Following the Grenfell fire, many buildings in the UK with similar cladding were found to be unsafe, leaving thousands of residents trapped in dangerous homes and unable to sell their properties due to safety concerns.