Tributes paid as Grenfell Tower inquiry opens in London

Families of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire had a chance to pay tribute to them on Monday as the first hearings of the inquiry into the devastating blaze took place in London.

The fire in the 24-story tower block on June 14 killed 72 people, with the last victim dying in hospital in January.

Although it is not expected every family will take part, there will be no time limit on how long families will be allowed to talk at the commemoration hearings, which are expected to last up to two weeks.

The lead counsel to the inquiry, Richard Millett, said starting this way would ensure "we will never lose sight of who our work is for and why we are doing it". The youngest victim was a seven-month-old boy, stillborn in hospital after his parents escaped the fire.

After a 72-second silence, their names were all read out at the start of the hearings at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in West London.

Following the commemoration stage, the inquiry, presided over by retired judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick, will take evidence from those directly involved and affected by the fire, as well as industry expert witnesses, in Holborn in central London.

Barrister Kieran Mitchell, representing the families of three of the fire's victims, said it had been "a long time coming" for them to have their voices heard.

"Starting this inquest process with statements and images means we have a stark understanding of how this horrific event has obliterated so many lives. However, this is just the beginning," he said. "We must get the answers everyone craves and understand how this tragedy could ever have been allowed to happen. Ultimately our clients want justice and we will not rest until those culpable are held accountable."

The fire, which police say was not started deliberately, was caused by an overheating fridge freezer on the fourth floor. Flammable cladding, installed during renovation, is thought to have caused it to spread quickly.

After the fire, documents seen by the BBC suggested that during refurbishments, zinc cladding was rejected in favor of cheaper, less fire-resistant aluminum.

The first call to the emergency services was made at 12.54 am. A total of 200 firefighters and 40 fire engines attended, with the burning building visible across London. The incident was also shown to the wider world by one of the victims, 30 year-old Rania Ibrahim, uploading a Facebook live video.

Kensington and Chelsea is one of London's richest boroughs, but Grenfell Tower is in one of its less affluent areas, and the local authority's handling of the incident provoked a furious row.

After much public criticism council leader Nick Paget-Brown stepped down, saying he had to "share responsibility" for "perceived failings", a move welcomed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan who said "it has been clear that the local community in and around North Kensington has lost trust in the council and that the administration is not fit for purpose".

julian@mail.chinadailyuk.com

(China Daily 05/22/2018 page11)