Grenfell Tower was a ’death trap’ due to failures by U.K. government and industry, inquiry finds

Grenfell Tower inquiry reveals systemic failures leading to deadly fire, calls for justice and accountability.

A damning report on a deadly London high-rise fire concluded Wednesday (September 4, 2024) that decades of failures by government, regulators and industry turned Grenfell Tower into a “death trap” where 72 people lost their lives.

The years-long public inquiry into the 2017 blaze found that there was no “single cause” of the tragedy, but said a combination of dishonest companies, weak or incompetent regulators and complacent government led the building to be covered in combustible cladding that turned a small apartment fire into the deadliest blaze on British soil since World War II.

The inquiry's head, retired judge Martin Moore-Bick, said the victims' deaths were all avoidable residents "were badly failed over a number of years" by multiple people and organizations.

“All contributed to it in one way or another, in most cases through incompetence but in some cases through dishonesty and greed," he said.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologized on behalf of the British state, saying the tragedy “should never have happened” and promising to act on 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 may give survivors some of the answers they have long sought, they must wait to see whether anyone responsible will be prosecuted. Police will examine the inquiry’s conclusions before deciding on charges, which could include corporate or individual manslaughter. They say any prosecutions are unlikely before late 2026.