The British government's plan to demolish Grenfell Tower, the site of a deadly 2017 fire that killed 72 people, has been met with fierce criticism from bereaved families who want the building preserved as a memorial.
LONDON (AP) – Some of those who lost loved ones in the fire that ripped through London's Grenfell Tower in 2017 have expressed strong opposition to government plans to demolish the remaining structure of the apartment block. They want the building to be preserved as a memorial to the 72 people who died in the devastating blaze.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner met with relatives and survivors on Wednesday to discuss the government's decision prior to a formal announcement scheduled for Friday. Grenfell United, a group representing some of the bereaved families, has criticized the government, alleging that their voices have been disregarded. 'Angela Rayner could not give a reason for her decision to demolish the tower,' the group stated. 'She refused to confirm how many bereaved and survivors had been spoken to in the recent, short four-week consultation.' The remains of the 24-story apartment building continue to stand as a stark reminder of the tragedy that unfolded in the North Kensington neighborhood of west London. The fire, which rapidly engulfed the tower in the early morning hours of June 14, 2017, took the lives of 72 people. While some survivors view the building as a fitting memorial, others believe that redeveloping the site would contribute to the community's healing process. Government officials have chosen not to comment on their decision before the public announcement. The government had previously stated that the Grenfell site would remain untouched at least until the eighth anniversary of the disaster in June. A public inquiry into the disaster concluded that decades of failures by government, regulators, and the construction industry transformed the apartment block into a 'death trap.' The investigation found that there was no single cause of the tragedy but determined that a combination of dishonest companies, weak regulation, and complacent government authorities led to the building being clad in flammable materials. This, in turn, escalated a small refrigerator fire into the deadliest blaze on British soil since World War II
GRENFELL TOWER LONDON FIRE GOVERNMENT PLANS DEMOLITION MEMORIAL BEREAVED FAMILIES PUBLIC INQUIRY
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Grenfell Tower Demolition Sparks Outrage from Bereaved FamiliesThe UK government's plan to demolish the shell of Grenfell Tower, site of a deadly 2017 fire, has been met with anger from some bereaved families who want to preserve it as a memorial. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner met with survivors and relatives, but the group Grenfell United claims their voices were ignored in the consultation process.
Read more »
Grenfell Tower Demolition Sparks Outrage Among BereavedGovernment plans to demolish the Grenfell Tower, site of the 2017 fire that killed 72 people, have been met with anger from some bereaved families who want it preserved as a memorial. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner met with survivors and relatives to discuss the decision, facing criticism for a lack of transparency and consultation.
Read more »
Grenfell Tower to be DemolishedMore than seven years after the devastating Grenfell Tower fire that claimed 72 lives, the damaged social housing block in London will be demolished. The decision was announced to bereaved families and survivors by Britain's deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner. The demolition, which will commence after the eighth anniversary of the tragedy in June, was deemed necessary by engineers advising the government due to the deteriorating structural integrity of the building.
Read more »
What the Demolition of an Oak Cliff Tower Says About Dallas’ Homelessness FightDallas dipped its toe into permanent supportive housing when Cliff Manor opened to the homeless in 2010. Its legacy is mixed.
Read more »
New Fire Tower Planned for Jackson, NJ; Lakewood Tower DemolishedThe New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announces plans for a new fire tower in Jackson, NJ, to replace the recently demolished Lakewood Fire Tower. Funding for the 129-foot tower will be provided through dedicated Corporate Business Tax revenues.
Read more »
Davis County warming center relocates to emissions testing site amid demolition plansAn unexpected change in locations for a Davis County warming center that was in Layton and being moved due to demolitions.
Read more »