May visited the scene of the fire and later announced that a proper investigation would be done so as to establish the cause of the Grenfell Tower fire. The inquiry will give answers to those who lost their family members on what caused the fire. Emergency teams that handled the incident said that the fire spread rapidly and that the building had one entrance and exit route. May, however, failed to meet residents that were affected. This angered some members of the public and raised concerns as to whether the government is fully committed to the welfare of its people.

Past safety concerns

The company that managed the building once informed the residents to stay indoors in case of a fire. It also stressed that their doors could survive a fire incidence for up to half an hour. In May of last year, occupants also received newsletters from the company that stated that smoke detectors are working and that occupants will be safe as long as the fire does not get into their homes. The newsletter also stated that in the case of a fire, the fire brigade would arrive quickly. Health and safety checks that were done in 2012 revealed that the firefighting equipment of the building had not been tested for up to four years.

Grenfell Action Group which defends the rights of those living in Lancaster West Estate stated that the management of the building and the area district cabinet member for housing and property were contacted regarding the safety concerns, but never replied.

Grenfell Action Group in January last year also warned that if a fire broke out, people would be trapped in the building because the building only had one exit and entrance.

The group warned of the risks of a fire occurring in the building for years and has on numerous occasions posted its concerns regularly on its blog. The group was also threatened with legal action by the area district council for its investigative findings on the Grenfell Tower terming them as harassment and defamation.

What happened on June 14

The fire started from a fridge that caught fire early morning on June the 14th at around 00.54 British Summer Time. Residents later claimed that the fire alarm never went off. The fire started on the second floor and spread up the building and onto one side. People were trapped inside, and couldn't find a way out because of the heat and limited exit options and as a result, 17 People died, 77 were injured, 17 are in critical conditions while 400 others are missing.
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