Final death toll for London housing block inferno put at 71

LONDON: The final death toll from the fire that destroyed the Grenfell Tower social housing block in London in June was 71, police said yesterday.

Police had previously said about 80 people died in the blaze, but officers now believe all those who died have been recovered and identified.

The figure has come down because some people were reported missing several times; some residents who were feared dead were found to have been elsewhere on the night, and some people were reported dead by fraudsters.

The final death toll includes 70 adults and children, and one baby who was stillborn after the mother escaped from the 21st floor, suffering severe smoke inhalation on her way down. The mother survived.

“Specialist teams working inside Grenfell Tower and the mortuary have pushed the boundaries of what was scientifically possible to identify people,” said Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy.

The tower was home to a multi-ethnic community in a deprived social housing estate within the wealthy Kensington and Chelsea borough.

A criminal investigation is under way that could result in individuals or organisations being charged. A separate public inquiry aims to shed light on any flaws or irregularities in the design, construction or maintenance of the tower.

Police officers, assisted by forensic anthropologists, archaeologists and specialists in dental science, searched every flat on every floor and every communal area. The search involved sifting through tons of debris by hand to identify all human remains in the charred building.

In parallel, huge amounts of investigative work were undertaken to identify who was in Grenfell Tower on the night of the fire, who was missing and presumed dead.