Grenfell survivors heckle Campbell

– Survivors of last month’s deadly tower block inferno in London packed a tense meeting on Wednesday and heckled the new leader of the local authority that has been attacked for its handling of the disaster.

Under tight security prompted by previous confrontations with the angry residents, at least 70 people who lost their homes in the devastating blaze crowded into the Kensington and Chelsea town hall.

The councillors’ election at the meeting of Elizabeth Campbell as their new chief was met by boos and shouts of “shame on you”, with the heckling a sign of survivors’ continued anger at the authorities’ handling of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

“I am deeply sorry for the grief and trauma that you are suffering. I am truly sorry that we did not do more to help you when you needed it the most,” said Campbell.

At times she could not be heard over angry shouts for her to resign.

Campbell took over after her predecessor Nicholas Paget-Brown who resigned following criticism at his response to the inferno, which spread ferociously through the 24-storey west London block and killed at least 80 people.

Black-clad private security staff doing bag searches and wielding hand-held metal detectors were brought in as the council upped security after dozens of people stormed the town hall last month following the June 14 fire.

Piers Thompson, behind a petition calling for local residents to have a greater say in decision-making, told the council “maybe things would have been different” if they had spent as much time on tower safety as they had controlling the meeting.

On Wednesday police said 39 victims have been identified so far.

This figure includes a five-yearold boy and a baby who was stillborn in hospital on the day of the fire. – AFP