‘87 recoveries’ of human remains made since fire

Officers have been sifting through debris by hand

The “last of the visible human remains” have been recovered from Grenfell Tower, according to police who are investigating the devastating fire.

Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy said “87 recoveries” had been made in the three weeks since fire ripped through the high-rise block, but stressed “the catastrophic damage” inside meant “that is not 87 people”.

A total of 21 bodies have been formally identified by the coroner and their families informed.

Specialist officers have begun “meticulously” sifting through about 15.5 tonnes of debris on each floor by hand for any human remains.

Mr Cundy said: “Tragically, there are still 23 flats where despite our investigative efforts we have been unable to trace or speak to anyone who was in those properties on the night.

“We assume that sadly no one from any of those flats survived.”

He was unable to say “with any certainty” how many people may have been in those flats, either as occupiers or visitors, until the search was complete.

Most survivors displaced from Grenfell Tower and Walk are still living in hotels as the Government attempts to find them suitable accommodation.

Fourteen households hoping to be moved out of emergency accommodation have accepted offers for permanent or temporary living arrangements, Grenfell Response Team (GRT) said.

The places offered have been in Kensington and Chelsea, a neighbouring borough, or another area of London following a specific request.

A specialist taskforce will be sent in to Kensington and Chelsea Council to take over the running of key services, following heavy criticism of its response to the disaster.

Campaigners and residents claim little headway has been made, with residents said to have been offered homes that are either out of the borough, too expensive or on a one-year contract.

A total of 139 offers had been made following 158 housing needs assessments by yesterday, the threeweek deadline the Government set itself for offering housing to all of those displaced by the blaze.

GRT said every household that wanted to move from emergency accommodation had been made offers in Kensington and Chelsea or neighbouring boroughs, while 19 families were contacted and had either refused assistance or were abroad.

This was for a range of reasons, including some relatives who were looking after loved ones in hospital, and the response team was “ready to provide them with accommodation when they were ready”.

One resident reported being shown a two-bedroom property when they required three bedrooms, others had been offered places in high-rises, and another survivor was said to have been offered accommodation with the caveat that no guests could stay overnight.

GRT has said rent will be suspended for one year and thereafter will be of a “similar scale to a council house social rent”.

Grenfell Tower in west London.