Last of ‘visible human remains’ removed from Grenfell Tower

Police investigating the Grenfell Tower disaster said they have recovered the “last of the visible human remains” from the high-rise, three weeks on from the devastating blaze.

Commander Stuart Cundy, who is overseeing the Metropolitan Police response, said 87 “recoveries” had been made, but stressed “the catastrophic damage” inside the building meant “that is not 87 people”. So far 21 bodies have been formally identified by the coroner and their families have been informed.

Specialist officers have begun “meticulously” sifting through about 15.5 tonnes of debris on each floor by hand for any human remains still within the tower, Mr Cundy said. He added: “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 said he did not want there to be any “hidden victims” but 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.

It also emerged that a specialist taskforce will be sent in to Kensington and Chelsea Council to take over the running of key services, following heavy criticism of the council’s response to the fire.

It comes as most of the displaced survivors are still living in hotels three weeks after the deadly blaze 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.

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

Some 139 offers had been made following 158 assessments by Wednesday. 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. The team was “ready to provide them with accommodation when they were ready”.

GRT has said rent will be suspended for one year and thereafter will be of a “similar scale to a council house social rent”, while survivors should feel under no pressure to take up the first offers. 0 Specialist officers have begun sifting through debris on each floor of the tower by hand to check for any other human remains