The State we are in
James Butler · ‘This much evidence, still no charges’: On the Grenfell inquiry
James Butler on the Grenfell inquiry in the London Review of Books.
The fire at Grenfell tower on 14 June 2017 killed 72 people, 18 of them children. Most died from asphyxiation after inhaling toxic smoke from the cladding on the block, which acted like a coat of petrol on the walls. Some died leaping from the building. Families died together, huddled under beds, having been told to stay where they were. Disabled residents died waiting for a rescue that never came. Every death was avoidable. Every death was the result of choices – acts of negligence, carelessness, contempt, incompetence and deliberate deceit – made by individuals, corporations and elected officials. The residents had the right to expect their landlord, in this case a subsidiary of local government, to ensure their homes were safe. They had the right to expect their government to enforce safety rules and to identify and combat fraud and malpractice by suppliers and fitters. Instead, those in power at every level abdicated their responsibilities.