On September 4th, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued an apology on behalf of the British state to the victims of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire. The tragic blaze, which occurred in the early hours of June 14, 2017, claimed the lives of 72 people and engulfed the 23-storey social housing block in one of the wealthiest areas of west London. It remains the deadliest residential fire in Britain since World War II. 

"I want to start with an apology on behalf of the British State to each and every one of you, and indeed, to all of the families affected by this tragedy," Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Parliament, in response to the release of a public inquiry report into the Grenfell Tower fire. 

"It should never have happened. The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty: to protect you and your loved ones, the people that we are here to serve, and I am deeply sorry," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. 

In its long-awaited final report, the inquiry placed the majority of the responsibility for the Grenfell Tower disaster on the companies involved in the maintenance and refurbishment of the building. It also highlighted failings by both local and national authorities, as well as companies that dishonestly marketed combustible cladding materials as safe. 

The report condemned firms that manufactured and sold the cladding and its foam insulation, specifically naming Celotex, Kingspan, and Arconic Architectural Products, the French subsidiary of US company Arconic. The inquiry concluded that these companies engaged in "systematic dishonesty." 

The report stated that the companies engaged in "deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing processes, misrepresent tested data, and mislead the market." It also issued widespread criticism and blame towards the then-government, the local authority of Kensington and Chelsea, the industry, regulatory groups, specific individuals, and an inadequately prepared fire brigade for their years of inaction regarding fire safety in high-rise buildings. 

Government figures from July revealed that 3,280 buildings in Britain, standing at 11 meters or higher, still had unsafe cladding, with remediation work yet to begin on more than two-thirds of these structures. 

Image source: WION