Grenfell fire was ‘national atrocity’ says victims’ lawyer

A lawyer for the families of victims of the Grenfell Tower blaze has branding the fire a ‘national atrocity’.

At the first day of a public inquiry into the west London fire which killed 71, Michael Mansfield QC said bereaved families want accountability and a clear identification of what went wrong. 

He said: ‘How on earth, in the 21st century, in one of the richest boroughs of the United Kingdom, can a block like this just go up in flames with so many casualties involved?’

Mr Mansfield said public confidence needed to be restored and the immediate cause of the fire was not necessarily the most pressing issue. 

He added: ‘People had given warnings about this before. In a community that has been ignored, what has happened since then has not restored their confidence. There’s a distinct feeling that they have not been involved.’  

Charges of corporate manslaughter could be brought against those behind the Grenfell fire

Michael Mansfield arrives at the hearing. He told the inquiry Grenfell was a 'national atrocity'

Michael Mansfield arrives at the hearing. He told the inquiry Grenfell was a ‘national atrocity’

The judge-led probe into the disaster is holding two days of hearings, featuring representations from lawyers speaking on behalf of those affected.

Richard Millett, counsel to the inquiry, said evidence from those who escaped the blaze or lost loved ones could help ensure ‘something like this never happens again’.

He told a hearing at the Holborn Bar in central London: ‘Giving that evidence is also one aspect of the way that each of them individually can be heard and perhaps find some measure of closure.’

The June 14 inferno, he said, was an ‘utterly appalling event and the experiences of it are stamped on the memories’ of those who lived there or lost loved ones.

But the concerns which have dogged the public inquiry since its inception were flagged by several lawyers representing victims and survivors. 

Mr Millett said in his opening statement: ‘As to the Grenfell Tower survivors, residents and bereaved, it is of great importance to the inquiry that each individual voice of those most affected by the fire is heard.

‘This is a shared trauma, a community devastated, but each of them has their own story to tell.

‘Their evidence will be crucial to the inquiry’s understanding of what happened inside and around Grenfell Tower before the fire, during the fire and after the fire – their evidence can and will help us save the lives of others.’ 

Sir Martin Moore-Bick (left) and Richard Millett, counsel to the inquiry (standing, centre), started the first day of the Grenfell Tower inquiry in central London today

Sir Martin Moore-Bick (left) and Richard Millett, counsel to the inquiry (standing, centre), started the first day of the Grenfell Tower inquiry in central London today

The Metropolitan Police are now investigating offences including misconduct in public office, manslaughter, corporate manslaughter and breaches of fire safety regulations in relation to the fire, it was heard.

Jeremy Johnson, representing the force, said that outside of major counter-terror operations, the police inquiry into the Grenfell Tower tragedy was ‘unprecedented’.

Detectives have acquired 31 million documents, seized 2,500 exhibits and interviewed more than 1,000 people.

‘The Metropolitan Police is committed to carrying out a meticulous, thorough and fearless investigation to identify all those who may have committed criminal offences and to refer files to the Crown Prosecution Service for decisions on prosecutions,’ Mr Johnson told the hearing.

Many survivors of the fire were at the hearing, where proceedings took place in a wood-panelled room.

The tower where 71 people died still hangs over the surrounding west London housing estate

The tower where 71 people died still hangs over the surrounding west London housing estate

Danny Friedman, representing 62 bereaved families, said: ‘I’m repeatedly told and I have seen that the overriding things our clients seek right now is a restoration of respect for their human dignity.’

He added: ‘That is what the beginning of justice will look like.’

Core participant status has now been granted to 424 individuals and groups, allowing them access to evidence and the right to suggest lines of questioning, it was heard.

Sir Martin Moore-Bick hopes to deliver an interim report into the fire’s causes and the emergency response by next autumn, it was heard.

A total of 270,000 documents are expected to be submitted to the inquiry to assist its work, it was heard.

Of those granted core participant status, 60 are from families of the victims, 193 were former residents of Grenfell Tower, four were leaseholders, 124 from the nearby blocks and one survivor who was not a resident, as well as other organisations such as Kensington and Chelsea Council, it was earlier heard

Evidence will come from three types of witnesses, those affected by the fire, firefighters and expert witnesses. 



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