Grenfell survivor: We’ve been denied swift justice
GRENFELL Tower residents are still being “denied swift justice” four years on from the catastrophic fire, a survivor of the disaster has said.
Tiago Alves, along with his father, mother and younger sister, all escaped from their home on the 13th floor in the early stages of the deadly blaze on June 14, 2017.
On the night of the fire his parents, returning home after dropping off family members at a hotel, became aware of smoke on the fourth floor.
Mr Alves’s father woke his sleeping children and alerted other residents on their floor to get out of the building. The fire would ultimately claim 72 lives.
Ahead of the fourth anniversary of the disaster yesterday, Mr Alves recalled the “frightening” and “chaotic” scenes, adding that he was “disappointed” at the progress since.
Mr Alves, 24, said: “There was a long time where I did feel like it could have been different, it could have been me.”
He said recommendations from the phase one report of the ongoing
inquiry into the fire had not been implemented, and noted the absence of the social housing white paper in the recent Queen’s Speech package of proposed legislation.
Police have been told to wait until the public inquiry has published its final report before passing evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service to
consider any criminal charges. Mr Alves said: “Implementing recommendations and the social housing white paper are important pieces of legislation for us to feel like it’s moving forward.
“Because a criminal investigation can’t go ahead until the inquiry is over, it does feel like we’re being denied swift justice. It still doesn’t feel like we’re any closer to achieving the justice that people who passed away deserve.”
A kitchen fire in Grenfell Tower, in Kensington, west London, turned into the most deadly domestic blaze since the Second World War.
Grenfell United, a group of survivors and bereaved families, said: “We hear more damning evidence every week at the public inquiry. Yet four years on, the Government are as determined as ever to avoid taking any meaningful action to prevent another Grenfell.
“We’re determined to keep the pressure on Government to break this cycle of inaction and indifference, and to confront those guilty parties.”
Community members marked the fourth anniversary yesterday, paying their respects at a memorial.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “This government is committed to ensuring this never happens again.”
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “The Government will continue to stand with the community to honour those that lost their lives and ensure justice is delivered.”