Sep. 04, 2024 13:00 PM EST

Reactions To The Final Report On The 2017 Grenfell Tower Disaster

By DANICA KIRKA and PAN PYLAS
Associated Press
Relatives of the deceased and people directly affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, sit in front of a photo montage of the those who died, as they react to the final report into the fire being released in London, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. The report on the Grenfell Tower fire in which 72 people were killed in June 2017, says decades of failure by government and industry made the high-rise a "death trap". (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Frank Augstein, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Relatives of the deceased and people directly affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, sit in front of a photo montage of the those who died, as they react to the final report into the fire being released in London, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. The report on the Grenfell Tower fire in which 72 people were killed in June 2017, says decades of failure by government and industry made the high-rise a "death trap". (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

LONDON (AP) — “Today’s report speaks to the lack of competence, understanding and fundamental failure to perform the most basic duties of care. We paid the price for systematic dishonesty, institutional indifference and neglect.” — Natasha Elcock of Grenfell United, a group of survivors and bereaved family members of the fire.

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“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. — Grenfell Tower Inquiry chairman Martin Moore-Bick.

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"I want to start with an apology on behalf of the British state to each and every one of you and indeed to all of the families affected by this tragedy. It should never have happened. The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty, to protect you and your loved ones, the people that we are here to serve and I am deeply sorry. — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

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"Whilst the publication of the second phase of the inquiry is an important step on this journey, it is not the end. Those responsible must now be immediately held to account for their systematic dishonesty, corporate greed, institutional indifference and neglect.'' — London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

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“I can’t pretend to imagine the impact of such a long police investigation on the bereaved and survivors, but we have one chance to get our investigation right. We will be thorough and diligent in our investigation while moving as swiftly as possible. We owe that to those who died and all those affected by the tragedy.” —Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy.

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“Construction companies gamed the system to maximize their profits. A system of semi-privatized building control put commercial interests ahead of regulatory duties. Firefighters and fire control staff were put in an impossible position, forced to respond to a fire in a high rise building effectively wrapped in petrol. Again and again, residents and firefighters warned of the dangers of combustible cladding but were ignored. — Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary

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“Maybe I will die without having justice." —Karim Khalloufi, brother of Khadija Khalloufi, who died at Grenfell Tower.

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