‘They want Grenfell to be forgotten’: Anger at plans to demolish tower

Four years on from the fire that killed 72 people at Grenfell Tower, the building is reportedly set to be demolished amid safety fears.

Structural engineering experts have “unambiguously and unanimously” advised the government that the tower should be “carefully taken down”, according to The Sunday Times.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has also been warned that the tower poses a safety risk to the nearby Kensington Aldridge Academy, a secondary school attended by 1,200 children.

Bereaved families have been told by government officials to expect a decision on the tower’s future later this month.

However Grenfell United, a group made up of survivors and bereaved families, said less than 10 of the bereaved or survivors have been consulted on the matter.

A statement from Grenfell United reads: "Given what we went through, safety has always been paramount and we have had previous assurances that the tower can be kept safe for as long as it needs to be and that it poses no risk to the community around it.

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter ‘The Viral Democracy’

“It seems to us that removing Grenfell from the skyline while the inquiry and police investigation still continues to only serve those accused or those that haven’t acted".

Speaking on LBC this morning, Karim Mussilhy of Grenfell United said the plans are “insensitive and disrespectful” and vows that “nothing is going to happen to that tower unless we say so and when I say ‘we’ I mean the bereaved, survivors, and the community.”

He said: “They want this tower down as quick as possible, they want Grenfell to be forgotten and the only thing that’s reminding everybody about what happened at Grenfell is the tower standing the way it’s standing so proud at the moment.”

Mussilhy also mentioned how the tragedy highlighted the issue of unsafe cladding on other buildings.

The government identified 462 high-rise residential buildings with dangerous cladding, and as of April, it has been fully removed from more than 200 of these, according to the BBC.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) spokesperson said: “We know how important and sensitive this decision is and no decision has been taken.

“Following important independent safety advice from structural engineers, we are engaging closely with the community as we consider the evidence including the safety concerns raised, and what the future of the Grenfell Tower should be.

“We have now published this advice to ensure those most affected have access to the information that will inform a decision on the Tower before one is reached.”

A new documentary, Grenfell: The Untold Story, will air on Channel 4 on Wednesday at 10 pm.