Grenfell Tower inquiry chairman says deaths of 72 people in the 2017 fire were ‘all avoidable’

Grenfell Tower inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick said the deaths of 72 people, which included 18 children, in the 2017 fire were “all avoidable”.

He said: “The simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable and that those who lived in the tower were badly failed over a number of years and in a number of different ways by those who were responsible for ensuring the safety of the building and its occupants.”

He listed a number of bodies involved in the running of Grenfell, which included the Government, the tenant management organisation, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the manufacturers of the refurbishment, the London Fire Brigade, the architect, Studio E and the principal contractor, Rydon Maintenance Ltd, among others.