Grenfell Tower

2022 - 6 - 14

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Image courtesy of "Surrey Comet"

Grenfell Tower: Thousands of tower blocks still have fire safety issues (Surrey Comet)

More than 1000 residential tower blocks in London still have serious fire safety issues such as flammable cladding, five years on from the Grenfell…

Thousands more buildings are still covered in different types of flammable cladding. Work is yet to begin removing the ACM from the remaining 31 buildings. To date, 131 grants from the Government’s Building Safety Fund for the remediation of non-ACM cladding have been paid out in London, despite more than 1,829 registrations to the fund from both the private and social sectors.

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Image courtesy of "Metro"

Names of 72 victims of Grenfell Tower disaster read out at poignant ... (Metro)

The service at Westminster Abbey was held on the five year anniversary of the disaster.

‘The first duty of any government is to protect the lives of its citizens. Their legacy lives on in the fight for justice. ‘They have faced a wait for criminal charges that continues to this day. Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, added: ‘Firefighters and the Grenfell community have a bond that was forged in tragedy, and the Fire Brigades Union stands in solidarity with all bereaved, survivors and residents. Pete Wolfenden, a firefighter who responded to the blaze, said: ‘It’s been five years since the Grenfell Tower fire and the thoughts and wishes go out from all London firefighters and fire control staff personnel to the survivors and friends and family of those who lost their lives in this appalling incident, the worst domestic blaze in living memory. ‘Grateful for the support of the communities and individuals that have sustained the bereaved and the survivors over the last five years, we meet in faith and hope looking to a better, safer, surer future.’

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Image courtesy of "NationalWorld"

Remembering Grenfell Tower 2022: what has been arranged on fire ... (NationalWorld)

Remembering Grenfell Tower 2022: what has been arranged on fire disaster's 5th anniversary - full events list.

Five years on, however, demolition is yet to have started. Fencing will be removed from the tower to allow for the laying of flowers and wreaths. "From the right to life and including the duty to provide adequate housing, these duties are enshrined in law and are where the government has and continues to fail." Later in the day, survivors of the tragedy will join the victim’s families and community groups for a silent walk from the base of the tower at 6.30pm. Various events will take place on Tuesday 14 June to mark the five year anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster. It has now been five years since the Grenfell tower fire disaster, and to mark the anniversary a number of memorial events are being held across London.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

I was the first firefighter into Grenfell Tower. Little has changed, and ... (The Guardian)

Every time the bells go I pray it's not a high-rise fire, says Dave Badillo, a North Kensington firefighter.

I stand with my community in the fight for justice. Most importantly there was the firefighter guard of honour at three separate funerals, and the guard of honour for the powerful silent walks we have in the community to remember those we lost. Two fifths of the disabled residents living in Grenfell Tower died that night. And disgracefully, there remains no requirement to plan properly for the escape of disabled residents. I was the first firefighter into Grenfell Tower. I witnessed the true horrors of that night and I continue to see them in my nightmares. I’m convinced the government’s deregulation agenda over the past 40 years allowed cladding and insulation firms to take advantage of lax regulations, putting profit over safety and selling their lethal materials in the UK market.

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Image courtesy of "Birmingham Live"

Fall in number of West Midlands firefighters since Grenfell Tower ... (Birmingham Live)

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) described the workforce cuts as "an insult to the people who lost their lives". The number of wholetime firefighters in the West ...

Since the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase One report was published in October 2019, the Government has introduced new legislation, worked closely with the London Fire Brigade to monitor their action plan, and improved the capacity and capability of the National Fire Chiefs Council.” This came after large cuts to fire and rescue services in the run-up to Grenfell, said the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), which added that the UK had already lost more than 11,000 firefighter roles between 2010 and 2017 – nearly one in five positions. Total on-call firefighters and control staff, who handle 999 calls, has stayed roughly the same.

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Image courtesy of "New Statesman"

The threat of another Grenfell Tower disaster endures (New Statesman)

Five years after the Grenfell Tower fire, less than 1 per cent of buildings have had their dangerous cladding removed.

Taking into account mid-rise residential buildings (11m-18m tall), the figures are far higher. A little over 1,000 buildings have had registrations approved, while work to remove the unsafe cladding has started on 254 buildings. In March 2020, the government announced it would spend £1bn between 2020-21 to support the remediation of unsafe non-ACM residential buildings more than 18m tall; since then, while there have been registrations for 3,448 buildings (government estimates of 3,195 private sector buildings and exact figures for 253 social sector buildings) less than 1 per cent, or 30 buildings, have so far had their cladding removed.

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Image courtesy of "shropshirestar.com"

Fire services mark fifth anniversary of Grenfell Tower tragedy (shropshirestar.com)

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has marked the sad occasion by re-tweeting a statement from the National Fire Chiefs Council. Mark Hardingham, NFCC chair, ...

💚— National Fire Chiefs Council (@NFCC_FireChiefs) https://t.co/0pGjPTCu0e pic.twitter.com/RcpgloTZMn June 14, 2022 “Today I will be taking time to reflect on the tragedy and remember the 72 people who lost their lives, those who were injured, along with the community who continue to be impacted by the terrible events that evening. “We continue to work with government and fire and rescue services to improve how they respond to fires and the building safety regime, and ensure people feel safe in their homes."

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Image courtesy of "The Independent"

'We're still having to fight': Grenfell survivors' battle for justice isn't ... (The Independent)

It began at 12.54am on 14 June 2017 and became the deadliest blaze in England for 120 years. Five years on, survivors tell Colin Drury they're still ...

Alves, a masters student who is a member of Grenfell United, says: “All we want is for this never to happen again. “The stress of that is intolerable. “[She] said her last words: ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.’ That was the last time I heard her voice.” “He ran into our bedroom and woke his mum,” father Jason, a 42-year-old product manager who was staying at his mother’s that evening, says today. Almost half of the 72 who perished had disabilities that limited their ability to escape. “The last vision I have of him was… “They were up there and we could see them, and there was nothing we could do. One, six-month-old Leena Belkadi, was found dead in her mother’s arms, the bodies of her father and sister nearby. By the time firefighters entered the apartment at 1.07am, the blaze was well out of control. “There were people screaming for help out of windows,” says 25-year-old Tiago Alves, whose family made it out of their 13th floor flat after his mother and father happened to arrive home from an evening out just as the blaze was beginning. Yet even half a decade on, the sheer scale and horror of the catastrophe – the deadliest English blaze in more than 120 years – remains almost impossible to comprehend. It was 12.54am that night when Behailu Kebede, woken by a smoke alarm, called 999 to report a fire had broken out around the fridge-freezer of his fourth-floor flat.

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Image courtesy of "NationalWorld"

What started the Grenfell fire? Remembering Grenfell Tower tragedy ... (NationalWorld)

Get all of the latest UK news from NationalWorld. Providing fresh perspective online for news across the UK.

- Sheila (floor 16): 84 - Marco Gottardi (floor 23): 27 - Gloria Trevisan (floor 23): 26

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Image courtesy of "Evening Standard"

Grenfell grief and sadness will live on until families have justice ... (Evening Standard)

Residents who escaped the inferno gathered with the relatives of those who died and campaigners at Westminster Abbey to mark the fifth anniversary.

Residents were advised to stay put as the flames raged up the building because firefighters had been told its design would prevent them from spreading. Later today cording around the tower in north Kensington will be removed for a multifaith service and laying tributes. At 2pm a 72-second silence was being observed at Westfield shopping centre, after which the names of the 72 victims will be read out over the public address system. we are still fighting for justice, five years on.” It was not an unfortunate accident — it was the result of careless decisions taken, regulations ignored, an industry that seemed at times more interested in making profits and selling products than in the precious value of human life and keeping people safe in their own homes.” And so today we acknowledge our shared sorrow, that sense of injustice, the ongoing grief.” The names of the Grenfell victims were read out in the abbey and flowers were laid on the Innocent Victims’ Memorial as the abbey bell tolled 72 times.

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Image courtesy of "expressandstar.com"

Fire services pay tribute to Grenfell fire victims five years on (expressandstar.com)

Fire services across the West Midlands and Staffordshire have paid their respects to mark five years since the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service also paid tribute, saying: "Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire. There will be recommendations for the government and a strong assumption that they will be delivered. A total of 72 people died in the tower block blaze in West London.

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Image courtesy of "BBC News"

Grenfell Tower: Victims remembered at Westminster Abbey service (BBC News)

A memorial service is taking place as part of a number of events being held across London to mark the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Previously, the ban applied only to buildings higher than 11m (36ft). Mayor of London Sadiq Khan praised the Grenfell community for showing "enormous dignity, strength and unity" in their fight for a form of justice. "For many of us the events five years ago are still so raw in our minds and our losses remain heavy in our hearts." Fencing will be removed from the tower to allow for the laying of flowers and wreaths. "Grateful for the support of the communities and individuals that have sustained the bereaved and the survivors over the last five years, we meet in faith and hope looking to a better, safer, surer future." At 11:00 BST the multi-faith memorial service began with the names of the victims read out followed by a reply of "forever in our hearts" from the congregation.

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Image courtesy of "NationalWorld"

Grenfell Tower: how did fire start, is housing block still standing, will ... (NationalWorld)

Just before 1am on 14 June in 2017, a fire broke out in the kitchen of a fourth floor flat at the 23 storey tower block in North Kensington, West London. The ...

Occupant of the flat, Behailu Kebede, described being woken by the sound of a smoke alarm. By 3am, most of the upper floors were on fire. Seventy-two people died in the incident.

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Image courtesy of "Dezeen"

Architecture education has "shifted away" from fire safety, experts ... (Dezeen)

The lack of training is leading to dangerous knowledge gaps in the architecture profession, argued architectural technologist and fire engineer Frances Maria ...

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Image courtesy of "iNews"

Grenfell anniversary: Hundreds gather to remember 72 'beautiful ... (iNews)

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge join survivors, the bereaved and campaigners at site of deadly blaze in west London.

Dr Tomlin said: “It was not an unfortunate accident. The Metropolitan Police, which is leading the criminal investigation, has made one arrest for perverting the course of justice. He said the wait for justice continues.

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Image courtesy of "Voice of America"

London Marks 5 Years Since Deadly Grenfell Tower Fire (Voice of America)

London has marked the fifth anniversary of the deadly Grenfell Tower inferno that killed 72 in Britain's deadliest residential fire since World War II.

Among the events marking the anniversary was a memorial service held Tuesday at Westminster Abbey, including 72 seconds of silence and a wreath laying. The fire was started by an electrical problem in a refrigerator, but a combustible cladding system retrofitted to the tower's external walls was the main factor in the relentless spread of the deadly flames. London has marked the fifth anniversary of the deadly Grenfell Tower inferno that killed 72 in Britain’s deadliest residential fire since World War II.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Grenfell anniversary: Westminster Abbey bell tolls 72 times for victims (The Guardian)

Names of the deceased read out by faith leaders at service attended by survivors, bereaved and politicians.

This government should feel ashamed at its complete lack of action and continued carelessness for the 72 lives so needlessly lost.” They were treasured, loved and ours.” Pickles described the “96 nameless” who died, apparently mixing up the disaster with the tragedy at Hillsborough. Members of the congregation included Anne Murphy, who lost her brother Denis Murphy. She said her family were “in limbo” awaiting criminal prosecutions, which are not likely until 2024 after the public inquiry reports its findings in 2023. The surname Choucair echoed around the abbey’s historic vaults six times, the number of members of one family who perished. The service was followed by a silent march through the surrounding streets.

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Image courtesy of "853 London"

Five years on from Grenfell Tower fire, 73 Greenwich buildings still ... (853 London)

Five years on from the Grenfell Tower disaster, 73 buildings in Greenwich borough still have serious fire safety defects such as flammable cladding, ...

“So far 45 of the UK’s biggest housebuilders have signed our developer pledge and will contribute £5 billion to fix their unsafe buildings. However, just 83 grants from the fund have so far been paid out in London. “The Building Safety Bill was finally passed last month, but many measures will take a year to 18 months to introduce. The government must extend remediation support to all residential buildings with safety defects or combustible cladding, regardless of height. Ministers have to act now so people aren’t living in fear for another five years.” While the cladding used at Grenfell Tower has now been banned, a total of 1,100 buildings across London’s 32 boroughs are still blighted by safety defects.

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Image courtesy of "The Independent"

Grenfell Tower: Local residents reflect at memorial service on fifth ... (The Independent)

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, politicians and bereaved loved ones were among attendees of the sombre event, half a decade on from the fire which left 72 ...

There are no arrests that have been made and a lot of us are stuck. “We’re feeling a lot of frustration and anguish,” she said. We want answers on behalf of those who died and have endured five years of trauma, and we want safety for everybody living in high-rise blocks. “I’ve been on many walks for Grenfell and this was very poignant. There’s been a lot of community cohesion and we hope, with time, we’ll find the justice we’re looking for as our friends and family died and nobody has been held accountable. We lost our friends, family and students, and it is a hole that can never be filled.

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Image courtesy of "Sky News"

Grenfell Tower: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet survivors on ... (Sky News)

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have met survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire and those who lost loved ones, on the fifth anniversary of the tragedy. A ...

Moyra Samuels, of Grenfell Community Campaigners, told Sky News "a number of organisations have behaved like crooks and killers… Each group of names was followed by the congregation saying "forever in our hearts" - the phrase still emblazoned atop the remnants of the building. His father Marcio escaped the tower that night with his wife and their two daughters. Outside, a van drove by with the words "Grenfell, 72 dead, where are the charges?" He also criticised the government's Rwanda immigration scheme and called for a "museum of inequality" to be established in the capital. Throughout a day of moving events, a service of remembrance was held, a 72-second silence and a multi-faith commemoration at the base of the tower.

Grenfell Tower: Five Years On (Police Federation)

14 June 2022. Unprecedented tragedies bring unforeseen trauma. The devastating fire that struck Grenfell Tower five years ago was a tragic event.

It is encouraging that PTSD is recognised as a risk to our officers, but there is still further work for forces to do regarding prevention and identifying what that support looks like.” To better prepare police forces when faced with such horrific incidents, she said, “PFEW would like to see further work done around prevention and with officers at the recruitment stage. It also inflicted a long-lasting impact on the mental health of the emergency service workers who dedicated hours, days and weeks in rescue and relief operations.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Grenfell Tower fire: fifth anniversary marked with silent march – in ... (The Guardian)

Survivors and bereaved relatives attended services to remember those who died in the devastating fire five years ago. A multi-faith service took place on ...

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Image courtesy of "BBC News"

Grenfell Tower: Fire officer Debbie Lamprell died trying to save others (BBC News)

Debbie Lamprell died while trying to save 12 others, including a baby, on the top floor of the tower.

16 We walked with Miriam (Debbie's mum) out to where the service was being held and the silence and gravity was unbearable. The company sang Will Todd's 'Amazing Grace'. James and I spoke a few words. Remembering Ms Lamprell, Mr Volpe said she was a popular member of staff at the theatre and was "always smiling and straightforward", so if she saw hazards "she would come marching up to the boss and say 'this has got to be dealt with'". "So right at the end, even though she was frightened, she was calm and trying to give advice in a terrifying situation." Speaking on the fifth anniversary of the fire which killed 72 people, Mr Volpe said: "We do know that on that night Debbie was in a room with several people and in a sense playing that role. A friend said her actions "form part of her legacy", as a "caring, considerate person who did her best to the end".

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