Grenfell Tower fire tragedy: Final inquiry report blames government failures and corporate greed

The devastating Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed 72 lives in 2017, was the result of “decades of failure” by the UK government and “systematic dishonesty” by multimillion-dollar corporations, according to the final report from a seven-year public inquiry.

The 1,700-page document, authored by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, lays bare how regulatory lapses and corporate greed led to one of the deadliest residential fires in British history.

The tragedy unfolded on June 14, 2017, in a 23-storey social housing block located in one of London’s wealthiest areas, making it the deadliest fire in a residential building in Britain since World War II.

In the wake of the report, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a public apology to the victims’ families, acknowledging the state’s failure to protect its citizens:

The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty—to protect you and your loved ones. I am deeply sorry… 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.

Corporate misconduct and its deadly consequences

The inquiry squarely blames three major companies—Arconic, Kingspan, and Celotex—for their roles in the disaster.

Moore-Bick’s report accuses these firms of “deliberate and sustained strategies” to mislead the market about the safety of their products, which were instrumental in the rapid spread of the fire.

Arconic, the US-based company that supplied the plastic-filled cladding panels, was found to have “deliberately concealed” the dangers of its product, Reynobond 55 PE, especially when used on high-rise buildings like Grenfell Tower.

Celotex, the manufacturer of the tower’s combustible foam insulation, was accused of engaging in a “dishonest scheme” to mislead customers.

Meanwhile, Kingspan, which supplied a smaller portion of the insulation, was found to have “knowingly created a false market” by falsely claiming its product was suitable for high-rise buildings.

Despite the damning findings, Arconic denied any wrongdoing, asserting that its panels were legally sold in the UK and that it had made test reports available to customers.

Kingspan acknowledged “historical failings” but argued that its insulation was not the primary cause of the fire’s spread.

Source: Belfast Telegraph

Government failures: A legacy of neglect

The inquiry also placed significant blame on successive UK governments for their failure to act on known risks associated with highly flammable cladding.

The report highlights how the government’s “bonfire of red tape” under Prime Minister David Cameron, aimed at deregulating to boost the economy, led to dangerous neglect of fire safety measures.

Former housing secretary Eric Pickles came under particular scrutiny.

The inquiry found that Pickles “enthusiastically supported” the deregulation agenda, leading to delays in crucial fire safety reforms.

Notably, Pickles failed to act on a coroner’s recommendation in 2013 to tighten fire regulations following a deadly cladding fire at Lakanal House, another London council block.

This failure proved fatal when similar cladding contributed to the rapid spread of the Grenfell fire four years later.

Moore-Bick was unflinching in his criticism, stating that Pickles’ testimony during the inquiry was “flatly contradicted” by evidence from his officials.

The report paints a damning picture of a government more concerned with economic priorities than the safety of its citizens.

Local authority and contractor negligence

The report also condemned the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and its Tenant Management Organisation (TMO) for consistently ignoring residents’ fire safety concerns.

The TMO, which managed thousands of homes for RBKC, treated fire safety as “an inconvenience” and engaged in a “pattern of concealment” regarding safety matters.

Contractors involved in the tower’s refurbishment—Studio E, Rydon, and Harley Facades—were also criticized. Studio E, the architects responsible for the refurbishment, showed a “cavalier attitude” towards fire safety regulations.

Rydon, the main contractor, displayed a “casual attitude” to safety, while Harley Facades, which installed the lethal cladding system, bore a “significant degree of responsibility” for the fire.

Source: GOV.UK

Community resilience amid official failure

Despite the damning findings, the report also highlighted the resilience and solidarity of the Grenfell community.

Survivors and local residents, many of whom were observing Ramadan at the time of the fire, were described as being “left to fend for themselves” in a scene some compared to a “war zone.”

The report praised residents for their efforts to support one another, contrasting their actions with the “muddled, slow, and indecisive” response from RBKC and other authorities.

A call for reform

The inquiry report made several recommendations for reform, including establishing a new construction regulator and urgently reviewing building regulation guidance on fire safety.

It also suggested that town halls could lose their building control functions, with a national authority taking over these responsibilities.

Moore-Bick emphasized that these changes are necessary to prevent another disaster like Grenfell from occurring.

As the UK government and implicated corporations grapple with the findings, the survivors of Grenfell Tower and the families of the victims continue to seek justice.

The Metropolitan Police’s criminal investigation is ongoing, with potential charges ranging from corporate manslaughter to gross negligence manslaughter.

However, any trials are not expected to begin until 2027, leaving many to wonder if justice will ever be fully served for the 72 lives lost in the Grenfell Tower disaster.

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