Grenfell Tower

Where are the authorities? Where is Red Cross, where is the list of the residents? It is startling how slow the reaction of those who should know better. It also mirrors the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and how suddenly death has become a racial issue. It has most certainly become a political one. What happened to humanity, the last few days have witnessed double standards and how we react to the plight of differing ethnic groups. The latest reports from the forest fires in Portugal give an estimation of 64 dead, that was an act of mother nature and totally unpredictable and sadly unpreventable. However, here in the richest borough of London in a so-called modern high-rise apartment block, they Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) didn’t even have the inclination to heed the warnings as far back as 1984 in an Adam Curtis Documentary, and as recently as November 2016. The report shows how the tower blocks are fundamentally flawed in design; not even a sprinkler system was in place to which, it most certainly could have slowed the advancement of the fire that befell the residents of Grenfell Tower.

What sickens me, is this incident and the other earlier events could have been prevented, had the inspections took place thoroughly and recommendations been adhered, put forward and actioned. Fundamental change has to happen, the investigation into the Grenfell incident has to be a transparent act, which will benefit the residents, their families, the community and future generations who are housed in apartment blocks. A standard which is high should be set for all and not just the upper echelons of society. Fire Safety should not be compromised. The public inquiry has been launched, Scotland Yard has launched their own criminal investigation, and of course, the London Fire Brigade have launched their own respective inquiry, as to the cause of the fire. Whilst many of those who managed to evacuate the premises have speculated that a white-goods appliance was to blame, others have suggested it could have been a grow*, gone wrong. Regardless of the cause, the main protagonist for the fire enveloping the building is no doubt the materials specified for the cladding. 

Eye-witness reports have documented as to why the fire spread so quickly on the outside of the block was the cladding, here then lies the blame and initial lead for the inquiry, though LFB has suggested it could be years before we have answers. Seemingly another failing of the authorities, this is, it would seem is Britain’s, ‘Hurricane Katrina’. 


* Grow - Homegrown Cannabis Utilising LED Hydroponics

Using Format