On the 14th June 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower, resulting in the death of 72 people. Since then, there has been an ongoing investigation into how this incident could have occurred. The final report for the investigation, which was published in September, found that this was due to ‘decades of failure’ by construction companies and the government. The housing secretary Angela Rayner, has just announced that they will be moving forward with the demolition of the building.
This decision has reportedly been made due to reported safety concerns that have arisen surrounding the remaining structure of the building. However, this decision has come with some backlash and anger. The Grenfell United group said in a statement posted to X (formally Twitter) that “ignoring the voices of bereaved on the future of our loved one’s gravesite is disgraceful and unforgivable”.
In is unclear when the tower will be demolished, but the government has stated that there will be no changes to the structure until after the 8th anniversary of the tragedy and the entire process could take up to two years. It has also been suggested that some form of memorial will be erected in the area.
There has been a mixed reaction to this decision. Some welcoming this decision and wanting a memorial in place of the tower, while others think the tower is a lasting reminder of the lack of care by the housing department. One Victim, Hamid Ali Jafari, who lost his father in the fire, has said that he feels “like they are trying to erase people’s memories”, while another, Emma O’Connor, said that survivors had not been properly involved in the decision.
It is unknown what form of memorial will take the place of the tower; it has been suggested that materials from the tower itself might be used. However, this decision will continue to be a controversial one and will likely continue to spark outrage during the towers destruction.
