Anger over tower blaze
Fire safety specialists and experts say exterior cladding might have accelerated inferno
ASOLEMN Queen Elizabeth II marked a minute of silence yesterday for victims of the London high-rise inferno that killed at least 30 people as exhausted firefighters continued their grim search for more bodies.
Public anger was mounting as residents and neighbours demanded answers for how the blaze spread so quickly amid reports that contractors installed a cheaper, less flame-resistant type of exterior panelling in a renovation of the Grenfell Tower that ended in May 2016.
Around 70 people were missing, said Britain’s Press Association, and identification of victims proving difficult.
British health authorities said 19 patients were still being treated at four London hospitals. Of those, 10 remained in critical condition.
The queen marked her official birthday yesterday by saying Britain remained “resolute in the face of adversity” after the horrendous fire and recent extremist attacks in London and Manchester.
The 91-year-old monarch said it was “difficult to escape a very sombre mood” on what was normally a day of celebration.
The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, stood silently on the steps of Buckingham Palace before the start of the Trooping the Colour that each year marks the queen’s official birthday, which is traditionally celebrated in June when the weather is warm.
There is simmering anger in the multi-ethnic Kensington area hit by the blaze, and public fury has been directed at senior government figures, including Prime Minister Theresa May, when they visited the stricken area.
Rescue personnel had difficulty reaching the top floors of the charred, 24-storey tower. Officials warned that no further survivors were likely to be found.
Hundreds of people have been left homeless by the blaze, putting more pressure on officials in a city already plagued by a chronic housing shortage.
The government has promised a full public inquiry, but that has done little to a sense of frustration at the lack of information about how the fire moved so quickly to engulf the building.
Engineering experts and fire safety specialists believe the building’s exterior cladding may have quickly fuelled the blaze, overwhelming fire protection devices.
British officials have ordered a review of other buildings that have had similar renovations.
The horrific fire early on Wednesday morning has put increased pressure on May and her senior ministers at a time when her authority has been weakened by an election that saw her Conservative Party lose its majority in Parliament. May was jeered after she made a visit to the community on Friday.
The tragedy has provoked a gigantic response from nearby communities, who have donated food and shelter to the victims.
Many of the displaced are living in churches and community centres.
There is ample food and water, but very little privacy or proper bedding.
Scuffles broke out near the Kensington and Chelsea town hall offices on Friday as demonstrators chanting, “We want justice!”, surged toward the doors.
Some residents had warned months ago that the tower represented a dangerous fire risk. They say their complaints were ignored. – Associated Press