The second fall of Grenfell Tower
On the evening of 14 June 2017, the nation was shocked to witness one of its worst modern disasters. What started as a small kitchen fire in a fourth floor flat, quickly spread and resulted in the subsequent deaths of 72 people. The most horrifying aspect of the disaster was the speed with which the fire spread. Although much of the building was flattened or gutted by the fire, it now seems there is to be a second and final fall of Grenfell Tower. Some survivors of the fire and friends of the families who died oppose this move, while others agree that the building must come down. There does not seem to be a compromise position.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who is also Housing Secretary, recently announced that the Grenfell Tower will be ‘carefully’ demolished in a process that would start some time in June and likely take two years. Many people reacted angrily to this announcement claiming the government is ignoring the voices of their bereaved and on the future of their loved ones’ grave sites. They claim this is disgraceful and unforgivable. To make matters worse, it has also been suggested that the whole Grenfell fire disaster occurred primarily because of the race and ethnicity of many of the residents who lived in the building.
On the face of it, this might sound a little alarmist; but according to a BBC report in July 2020, Leslie Thomas KC, who was representing the bereaved families, said the fire was ‘inextricably linked with race’. He believed there were ‘parallel themes’ between the Grenfell fire, the killing of George Floyd in the US and the ‘disproportionate’ number of deaths caused by the coronavirus among people from minority ethnic backgrounds. Furthermore, the same report by the BBC claimed that in 2017-2018, some 40 per cent of people living in high-rise buildings in the social rented sector are Black, Asian or other, which is three times higher than the majority White population. Once again, it seems, the views of the poor, many of whom are from ethnic minority backgrounds, are being ignored.
Despite the obvious feelings of pain on the part of the survivors and relatives and friends of the bereaved, there are many reasons why the existing building must be demolished. The bottom line is that the current building is not safe. The cynic could obviously ask why safety concerns were not top of the agenda when the building was constructed about fifty years ago. However, following years of debate since the disaster, between government officials, engineers and residents’ groups, it was decided to demolish the building. There will have to be careful measures to contain hazardous material including asbestos from spreading to surrounding areas. To ensure deaths and memories are never forgotten, the government has promised to use some material from the original building to create a memorial structure where, presumably, people would be able to come and commemorate those who were lost in this disaster. Although this is a very sensitive and difficult issue, a few of the relatives of those who died, agree that the existing building is a serious health hazard and needs to come down. Therefore, as painful as this might be, it seems Grenfell Tower will experience a second and final fall.
Dr. Tony Talburt is a Senior Lecturer at Birmingham City University, Uk.
