Fire chiefs questioned over Grenfell orders
Leaders questioned under caution over response to tower block blaze that claimed lives of 72 people
London fire chiefs have been interviewed in relation to health and safety offences that may have contributed to the deaths of 72 people in Grenfell Tower. Scotland Yard is examining whether the brigade breached the law when it urged people to “stay put” as the blaze raged around them. It is feared that the delay in ordering a full evacuation of the 24-storey building in North Kensington on June 14 2017 may have contributed to the high death toll.
DETECTIVES investigating the Grenfell Tower inferno have interviewed leaders of the London Fire Brigade in relation to health and safety offences that may have contributed to the deaths of 72 people.
Scotland Yard is examining whether the brigade, as a corporate body, breached the law in relation to both its own firefighters and the residents trapped inside who were urged to “stay put” as the blaze raged around them.
Fire crews and 999 operators spent the first two hours of the disaster telling the block’s occupants to remain in their flats – before realising the blaze, which broke out on June 14 2017, was wildly out of control.
It is feared the delay in ordering a full evacuation of the 24-storey building in North Kensington may have contributed to the high death toll. Questions have also been raised about the delay in learning lessons from the Lakanal House fire in Camberwell, south London, which killed six people in similar circumstances in 2009.
Dany Cotton, the commissioner of the London Fire Brigade who faced fierce criticism over the emergency response, yesterday confirmed an interview had been conducted with police under caution.
She said: “Hundreds of firefighters, officers and control officers have already provided voluntary police interviews and we will continue to do all we can to assist investigators.
“The bereaved, survivors and residents need answers and we must all understand what happened and why to prevent communities and emergency services from ever being placed in such impossible conditions ever again.”
Police have so far conducted 17 interviews under caution in relation to offences of gross negligence manslaughter, corporate manslaughter and health and safety issues.
Equipment shortages, ineffective communications systems and faulty gear were said to have hampered the work of firefighters who rushed into the burning building.
Brien O’keeffe, a watch manager from the Kensington crew, said he was forced to act “way outside policy” by asking firefighters to travel as far as they could through the smoke-logged corridors without using their oxygen supplies as there were shortages of extended-duration breathing apparatus.
Breaches of health and safety laws by a corporate body can result in unlimited fines but police have said charges are unlikely to be brought until 2021, after the conclusion of the parallel public inquiry into the fire.
Grenfell United, which represents several survivors and bereaved families, said yesterday: “It is only right that serious questions are being asked of the London Fire Brigade.”
Meanwhile, planning officers for the local authority responsible for Grenfell Tower have recommended refusing planning permission for a £2.4million community project.
Youth charity Spid has submitted proposals to refurbish and extend the community rooms in North Kensington’s Kensal House estate after securing the necessary funding.
But the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is not willing to approve the plans after taking residents’ concerns on board.