ANGRY residents have criticised managers of Grenfell Tower for having been “invisible in the aftermath of the tragedy”, as the death toll continues to mount.
The group, made up of victims, residents, community leaders and volunteers, said they were grateful to Prime Minister Theresa May for listening to their concerns but demanded “real action and immediate results”.
They criticised Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation for its reaction to the disaster.
The group said: “In our meeting at Downing Street, we explained to the Prime Minister the anger of all residents towards the management of the estate over a long period of time, paving the way to this
tragedy.
“With the exception of very few junior officers, the estate managers have been invisible in the aftermath of the tragedy.”
Police believe that more than 58 people were killed
Some of the victims may never be identified, Commander Stuart Cundy said.
He added: “The conditions due to the fire damage verge on indescribable, which is why this will be such a lengthy operation, taking weeks to complete.
“We must also prepare people for the terrible reality that some people may not be identified due to the intensity of the fire.
“Sadly that work leads me to believe that the number of people missing, but as yet unaccounted for, has risen from yesterday’s figure of 58.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan said the disaster was a “preventable accident” after “years of neglect” by successive governments
After attending a church service near the tower, he said local people were “frustrated” and “angry” in the wake of the blaze.
Outside St Clement’s Church, Mr Khan said: “There is a feeling from the community that they have been treated badly because some of them are poor.
“The tragedy we’re seeing is because of the consequences of mistakes and neglect from politicians, from the council and from the Government.”
But Nick Paget-Brown, the Tory leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, defended the relief effort.
He insisted officials were on the ground “very soon” after the fire broke out – following criticism from Mrs May, who said the support given to residents was “not good enough”.
But he sidestepped questions over whether he felt guilty about the tragedy, telling Radio 4’s The World At One: “I feel terrible about the whole position we find ourselves in.
“All I’m keen to say is there is an effective, co-ordinated relief effort on the ground and I’m sorry if people haven’t seen that.”
Eleanor Kelly, chief executive of Southwark Council, said on behalf of the newly established Grenfell Fire Response Team: “We want to make clear that while the emergency and local community response was nothing short of heroic, we know the initial response was simply not good enough on the ground.
“People are angry, and rightfully so. Our focus is now on ensuring those
affected are being cared for and looked after."
A company involved in the renovation of the tower was forced to deny its cladding was banned in the UK after comments made by Chancellor Philip Hammond.
It was reported the material used in the cladding was Reynobond PE, a cheaper, more flammable version of two available options.
On The Andrew Marr Show, Mr Hammond said: “My understanding is the cladding in question, this flammable cladding which is banned in Europe and the US, is also banned here.”
John Cowley, managing director of CEP Architectural Facades, which produced rainscreen panels and windows for the tower’s cladding subcontractor Harley Facades Ltd, said: “Reynobond PE is not banned in the UK. Current building regulations allow its use in both low-rise and high-rise structures.”
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