The statement refers to the tragedy that occurred at Grenfell Tower in West London on 14th June 2017, where 72 people died in a fire that has been branded the deadliest residential fire in Britain since World War II. According to a report released afterwards, the disaster was a culmination of “decades of systemic failures” regarding building safety measures.
The report mentioned a number of key failures, including the use of combustible cladding materials during a refurbishment of the tower in 2016, poor fire safety practices, and slow response by the fire brigade. It led to renewed calls for a complete overhaul of fire safety regulations and procedures in the UK. The tragedy provoked national outrage and led to a public inquiry into the circumstances of the fire.
