END OF THE GRENFELL FIRE MYTHS
Tragic final inferno toll debunks lurid claims of cover-up
POLICE definitively debunked conspiracy theories over the Grenfell Tower death toll yesterday.
Despite claims by left-wing MPs and community activists that ‘hundreds’ were killed in the inferno, an exhaustive Scotland Yard inquiry found 71 people lost their lives.
A senior officer expressed incredulity that anyone could still believe the authorities are interested in hiding the truth. Commander Stuart Cundy said: ‘Why on earth would we want to be covering any of this up?’
Police have endured months of inaccurate claims accusing them, the local council and the Government of suppressing the scale of the tragedy.
The cover-up allegations were whipped up on social media as investigators warned it could take months to discover the true figure.
Labour MPs Diane Abbott and David Lammy, as well as a left-wing blog linked to other Jeremy Corbyn allies, helped to fuel the inflammatory speculation.
Mrs Abbott, shadow home secretary, claimed the true number would be in ‘triple figures’, while Mr Lammy claimed official numbers were kept low to avoid riots.
The Metropolitan Police named the final two victims yesterday as Victoria King, 71, and her daughter Alexandra Atala, 40.
Their family said they ‘ died at each other’s side’ after many years living together, and would always be remembered.
The pair joined the roster of 68 other victims, as well as an unborn baby called Logan, who succumbed to cyanide poisoning in the womb.
Work to identify who died at Grenfell Tower, what exactly took place and who is responsible is the biggest operation not related to terror ever conducted by the UK’s largest police force.
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster 400 people were listed as missing, and the death toll was initially feared to be much higher as police took thousands of calls from worried families and friends.
But as officers untangled the reports they discovered one person who was said to be missing 46 times, and others who appeared several times under different names and spellings.
There were also a number of false claims. Eight people have been charged or are under investigation for fraud.
Earlier this month, Anh Nhu Nguyen, 52, admitted two counts of fraud after claiming his wife and son had died in the blaze to pocket £12,500 intended to help victims.
Specialist teams have spent months sifting through hundreds of tonnes of rubble using just their hands and sieves in a bid to retrieve human remains.
Investigators quickly discovered occupant records kept by the council and tenant management organisation were hopelessly inaccurate.
Instead, they used mobile phone location data and even information from local takeaway firms to try to identify every occupant. But the breakthrough came from a CCTV camera which captured footage of everyone who entered and escaped the building.
Officers meticulously identified and counted every person who entered in the hours and days before the fire, and then recorded everyone who had left or escaped.
Mr Cundy said he was aware of ‘speculation and disbelief’ about the final death toll, but he defended his officers’ work.
‘We have done a fingertip search, a forensic search of every single flat and every single communal area. We have pushed the boundaries,’ he said. ‘We have worked with experts and specialists from all over the world because we need the families to have absolute confidence in the process we have undertaken.’
Asked why some people do not believe the police figure, he added: ‘I think there will still be speculation but why on earth would we want to be covering any of this up?
‘We have put huge energy and effort from a huge team to get to this point. I am incredibly proud of this work, which has taken place in incredibly challenging conditions.
‘It is distressing for them but not half as distressing as for those who have lost loved ones.’
Police said the criminal investigation into what went wrong ‘continues apace’, with huge amounts of material collected from dozens of organisations. Officers are also investigating eight alleged cases of fraud, including several by people who falsely claimed they lost loved ones and received handouts.
Searches in the tower are expected to be completed within weeks. It could be released by the police by the spring, and will then be demolished.
Experts have been called in to recreate how the fire started and spread, in some cases using materials recovered from the undamaged lower floors.
Hundreds of tonnes of rubble, which potentially contains incinerated human remains, will be handed over to the coroner and eventually buried.
Asked about whether anyone could face corporate manslaughter charges, Mr Cundy said: ‘Whether we … secure sufficient evidence to prove a criminal offence or ultimately to bring proceedings against an individual or person I’m not in a position to say. It is going to be a long and complex investigation.’
‘Why on earth would we cover this up?’