Work has begun to cover the charred remains of Grenfell Tower, nearly four months after a horrendous blaze there killed nearly 80 people.
Scaffolding has been put up alongside the residential block in North Kensington, west London, so white sheeting can be put in place, floor-by-floor, to shield it from public view.
Remnants of the cladding system widely suspected of fuelling the inferno on June 14 will also be stripped back and taken away for examination by investigators, authorities say.
White sheets have appeared on the outside of Grenfell Tower in west London (pictured) to cover up the charred remains of the fire there nearly four months ago
Scaffolding has been erected around 18 of the 24 storeys of the block in North Kensington in a bid to start covering up the blackened exterior
A crane is pictured next to Grenfell Tower as work finally begins to cover up the blackened exterior of the building, which mental health experts claim could be worsening the effect on victims. Nearly 80 people died in the fire on June 14
Local authority the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) said the work was expected to be completed in the first few months of 2018.
Around 80 people died and hundreds were left homeless in the disaster, which triggered the launch of a public inquiry and an enormous criminal investigation.
Since the night of the fire, the building’s blackened exterior has been a haunting reminder of the disaster against the capital’s skyline.
Mental health professionals voiced concern the sight of the tower was worsening symptoms of trauma for those living nearby.
Last month, Dr Alastair Bailey, the clinical psychological lead at the NHS Grenfell trauma service, said: ‘The fact that the tower is still there and is very high and visible from a number of different places, it can act as a trigger for a lot of people.
‘So we know lots of people are avoiding the area, some people who are not avoiding the area are actively avoiding looking at the tower nearby.’
The remains of the 24-storey clad tower block in west London has haunted survivors and neighbours since the blaze
He added that the material should have encased the first five floors by the end of next week and then go up to the same pace as the scaffolding, around one week per floor.
The scaffold structure is already in place up to the 18th floor on the building’s east face and at the fifth floor on the other three sides.
Grenfell Tower is earmarked for demolition towards the end of next year, but police are still picking through the remains in search of evidence.
Meanwhile, a hoist is being assembled on the east side of the roof, allowing material to be extracted from the upper floors.
Recovery workers are also removing bags of the debris which rained down from the 24-storey structure and piled up at its base.
Lorries have been drafted in to help remove the loose wreckage, which will be taken to a secure depot and stored in metal containers, the Grenfell Response Team said.