Grenfell Tower fire: Families demand criminal prosecutions after inquiry
Prosecutors have waited for final inquiry report
Criminal charges might not come until late 2026
Disaster blamed on failings by state, firms and industry
72 people died in blaze
By Catarina Demony
LONDON, Sept 4 (Reuters) -Hisam Choucair lost his sister, his brother-in-law and three young nieces when a devastating fire engulfed Grenfell Tower, a 23-storey social housing block in west London, seven years ago.
"Words cannot describe the pain I have gone through," said the 46-year-old, as he held back tears at a news conference on Wednesday to mark the release of the final report by a public inquiry into the tragedy that killed 72 people, including his loved ones.
The inquiry panel blamed the disaster on failings by the government, construction industry and, most of all, the firms involved in fitting the tower's exterior with flammable cladding.
Choucair thanked the inquiry for its findings and recommendations, but said the probe had delayed the justice his family deserved as it did not allow for criminal proceedings to begin.
A public inquiry seeks to establish facts but it is not a criminal court. The Crown Prosecution Service said it did not expect to make any charging decisions until the end of 2026, meaning trials might only take place a decade after the blaze.
Choucair said the inquiry not only delayed justice but it was also distressing to watch.
"I have seen witnesses laugh while giving evidence, knowing they are partially to blame for what happened on the horrific day," he said.
Karim Khalloufi, from Morocco, whose sister Khadija died in the fire, said the inquiry "robbed" him and other family members and survivors of justice, but the time for it had now come.
"The minimum we are asking is criminal prosecution for manslaughter," Khalloufi said, promising to fight on.
'LIVING IN FEAR'
Khalloufi said the group he is part of, the Grenfell Next of Kin, which organised the news conference, would meet with the government and other authorities, including police and prosecutors, to ensure justice was served.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday's release of the final report was a "long awaited day of truth but it must now lead to a day of justice".
Some are not hopeful. Shah Aghlani, who lost his mother and aunt in the fire, said he was pessimistic about criminal prosecution, saying he expected "smaller charges" that might only lead to fines and not jail time. .
If there is no adequate criminal prosecution, unsafe cladding such as that used at the Grenfell Tower will continue to be an issue in Britain and around the world, Aghlani argued.
"There are no consequences," he said. "Seven years on and people are living with this cladding, they are living in fear."
As of July 2024, 4,630 buildings standing at 11 metres or higher still had unsafe cladding, with remediation work yet to start on half of them, Britishgovernment data showed.
Maryam Adam, a survivor of the fire, said she wanted everyone to remember that the 72 who died were "people who lived and had dreams".
"I just want justice for them."
Reporting by Catarina Demony
Editing by Alexandra Hudson
免責聲明: XM Group提供線上交易平台的登入和執行服務,允許個人查看和/或使用網站所提供的內容,但不進行任何更改或擴展其服務和訪問權限,並受以下條款與條例約束:(i)條款與條例;(ii)風險提示;(iii)完全免責聲明。網站內部所提供的所有資訊,僅限於一般資訊用途。請注意,我們所有的線上交易平台內容並不構成,也不被視為進入金融市場交易的邀約或邀請 。金融市場交易會對您的投資帶來重大風險。
所有缐上交易平台所發佈的資料,僅適用於教育/資訊類用途,不包含也不應被視爲適用於金融、投資稅或交易相關諮詢和建議,或是交易價格紀錄,或是任何金融商品或非應邀途徑的金融相關優惠的交易邀約或邀請。
本網站的所有XM和第三方所提供的内容,包括意見、新聞、研究、分析、價格其他資訊和第三方網站鏈接,皆爲‘按原狀’,並作爲一般市場評論所提供,而非投資建議。請理解和接受,所有被歸類為投資研究範圍的相關内容,並非爲了促進投資研究獨立性,而根據法律要求所編寫,而是被視爲符合營銷傳播相關法律與法規所編寫的内容。請確保您已詳讀並完全理解我們的非獨立投資研究提示和風險提示資訊,相關詳情請點擊 這裡查看。