THE chairman of the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower inferno has delivered his opening statement at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London.
Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the retired judge chosen by Prime Minister Theresa May to lead the inquiry, said he hoped the inquiry would bring some “solace” to survivors and families of the 80 known victims.
Leading a minute's silence before opening the hearing, Sir Martin: "The inquiry can and will provide answers to the pressing questions of how a disaster of this kind could occur in 21st century London."
He further revealed a list of 13 key issues that will be investigated during the inquiry, but said the checklist “should be viewed more as a statement of current thinking” rather than being set in stone. You can read the opening statement in full here.
See the 13 issues which will be investigated in the Grenfell Tower inquiry below...
1. Grenfell Tower’s original design, construction, composition
- Did the tower comply with relevant regulations and legislation?
2. Subsequent modifications prior to the most recent
- What assessments were made and who was responsible?
3. Modifications to the interior of the building
- Were any of the modifications inadequate, and where did failures occur?
4. Modifications to the exterior of the building 2012-2016 (including cladding and insulation)
- Why were they carried out, and who was responsible for any failures?
5. The fire and safety measures within the building at the time of the fire
- What fire safety measures were in place and were they compliant with building regulations?
6. Inspections
- Were inspections compliant with relevant standards?
7. Governance/Management
- What was the legal relationship between the different persons and organisations who were responsible for fire safety at Grenfell Tower?
8. Communications with residents
- What concerns, warnings and other statements were expressed about the fire safety of Grenfell Tower by its residents or any other person before, at the time of or after the recent renovations, and what was done in response?
9. Fire advice to residents 2012-14 June 2017
- What was the advice, and was it reviewed regularly?
10. Response to recommendations
- To what extent did any failure to implement any recommendations relevant to fire risk cause or contribute to the manner and speed of the spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower, the extent of the damage and the number of casualties?
11. The fire
- What was the cause of the fire, how did it progress, and what contributed to it?
12. The response of the emergency services
- What plans and strategies did the fire and rescue service have for dealing with a major fire in a high-rise residential building, and what actions were taken on the night of the blaze, including any “stay-put” policy?
13. The aftermath
- Was the response of all agencies involved adequate, and if not in what respects was it inadequate?
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