Deadly fire at London’s Grenfell Tower was the result of ‘decades of failure’, inquiry says

The Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017, in which 72 people died, was the result of “decades of failures” by government and construction industry bodies. These are the conclusions of a damning investigation report published on Wednesday, September 4.

The fire took less than half an hour to spread throughout the 24-storey tower block, which is home to mostly low-income families in an upmarket area of ​​west London.the dead would have “all could have been avoided”retired judge Martin Moore-Bick, who led the report, said on Wednesday as he released its findings. The inquiry report singled out the deregulation policies of successive governments that put pressure on civil servants to cut red tape. Concerns have therefore been raised “ignored, delayed or neglected”.

The report also highlights the “systematic dishonesty” building materials companies. They have adopted “deliberate strategies (…) to manipulate the testing process, distort data and mislead the market”the report accuses.

London Fire Brigade firefighters have also been heavily criticised for failing to learn lessons from a previous fire in 2009, which “should have alerted them” on their difficulties “to fight fires in high-rise buildings”.

The government will ensure that this”can never happen again”promised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who presented an apology before Parliaments “in the name of the State”. “The country has failed in its most basic duty: to protect you and your loved ones, the people we are supposed to serve. And for that I am deeply sorry.”he added.