A comprehensive report released on Wednesday concluded that decades of negligence by the government, regulatory bodies, and industry transformed Grenfell Tower into a “death trap” where 72 lives were tragically lost.
The public inquiry into the 2017 fire found no singular cause for the catastrophe but determined that a combination of dishonest corporations, ineffective or incompetent regulators, and an apathetic government led to the building being clad in combustible materials, turning a minor apartment fire into the deadliest blaze in Britain since World War II.
The inquiry’s head, retired judge Martin Moore-Bick, declared that the deaths were preventable and that “all contributed to it in one way or another, in most cases through incompetence but in some cases through dishonesty and greed.”
apologized on behalf of the British government, stating that the tragedy “should never have happened” and pledging to implement the report’s recommendations.
“Today is a long-awaited day for truth but it must now lead to a day of justice,” he told Parliament.
While the report might provide some answers long sought by survivors, they must wait to see if those responsible will face prosecution. The police will scrutinize the inquiry’s findings before deciding on charges, which could include corporate or individual manslaughter.
They anticipate that any prosecutions are unlikely before late 2026.
Natasha Elcock of the group Grenfell United urged authorities to deliver justice.
“We paid the price for systematic dishonesty, institutional indifference and neglect,” said Elcock, a survivor who lost her uncle in the fire.
The fire erupted in the early hours of June 14, 2017, in a fourth-floor apartment and rapidly spread up the 25-story building like a lit fuse, fueled by flammable cladding panels on the exterior walls.
The tragedy deeply shocked the nation and raised a critical question, as the report stated: “How was it possible in 21st century London for a reinforced concrete building, itself structurally impervious to fire, to be turned into a death trap?”
The pursuit of answers focused on a refurbishment completed in 2016 that enveloped the 1970s building in aluminum and polyethylene cladding — a layer of foam insulation topped by two sheets of aluminum sandwiched around a layer of polyethylene, a combustible plastic polymer that melts and drips when exposed to heat.
The report strongly criticized the companies that manufactured the cladding. It stated that they engaged in “systematic dishonesty,” manipulating safety tests and misrepresenting the results to claim the material was safe.
It found that insulation manufacturer Celotex acted unscrupulously, and another insulation firm, Kingspan, “cynically exploited the industry’s lack of detailed knowledge.” Cladding panel maker Arconic “concealed from the market the true extent of the danger,” the report said.
The three companies expressed sympathy for the bereaved but all denied responsibility for the deaths. Arconic asserted that its products were not unsafe. Kingspan stated that its “historical failings” were not “causative of the tragedy.” Celotex claimed that the decision to combine its insulation with combustible cladding panels had been made by others.
The inquiry found that the combustible cladding was used due to its low cost and because of “incompetence of the organizations and individuals involved in the refurbishment” -– including architects, engineers, and contractors — who all believed that safety was someone else’s responsibility.
It concluded that the failures multiplied because bodies entrusted with enforcing building standards were weak, the local authority lacked interest, and the “complacent” U.K. government — led in the seven years before the fire by the Conservative Party — disregarded safety warnings due to its commitment to deregulation.
The inquiry has conducted over 300 public hearings and examined around 1,600 witness statements.
An initial report released in 2019 criticized the fire department for initially advising residents to remain in their homes and await rescue. By the time this advice was changed, it was too late for many on the upper floors to escape.
London Fire Brigade received further criticism for a “chronic lack of effective management and leadership,” inadequate training in high-rise fires, and outdated communication equipment.
The Grenfell tragedy sparked introspection about inequality in Britain. Grenfell was a public housing building located in one of , near the expensive boutiques and elegant homes of Notting Hill. The victims, predominantly people of color, hailed from 23 countries and included taxi drivers and architects, a poet, an acclaimed young artist, retirees, and 18 children.
The report stated that the inquiry had “seen no evidence that any of the decisions that resulted in the creation of a dangerous building or the calamitous spread of fire were affected by racial or social prejudice,” though it noted that the public body that managed Grenfell had failed to treat residents with “understanding and respect.”
The prime minister said the tragedy “poses fundamental questions about the kind of country we are, a country where the voices of working class people and of those of color have been repeatedly ignored and dismissed.”
Following the fire, the U.K. government prohibited metal composite cladding panels for new buildings and ordered the removal of similar combustible cladding from hundreds of tower blocks across the country. However, the work has not been completed on some apartment buildings due to disputes over who should bear the cost.
Starmer stated that the work had been “far, far too slow.”
The report made numerous recommendations, including stricter fire safety regulations, a national fire and rescue college, and a single independent regulator for the construction industry to replace the current patchwork of bodies.
The ruined tower, which stood for months after the fire like a black tombstone on the west London skyline, still stands, covered in white sheeting. A green heart and the words “Grenfell forever in our hearts” are displayed at the top.
Sandra Ruiz, whose 12-year-old niece, Jessica Urbano Ramirez, perished 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.”