Covering of Grenfell Tower to begin within three weeks
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Version 1 of 5. An operation to cover the blackened hulk of Grenfell Tower will begin in the next three weeks and is likely to take until mid-autumn because of its complexity. Michael Lockwood, who is in charge of site recovery, told a meeting of local residents on Wednesday evening that scaffolding would begin to be erected around the tower in the next two to three weeks, and the operation to wrap the tower would take a minimum of 12 weeks. The wrapping would prevent dust and ash being distributed in the area, Lockwood said. Scaffolding would permit a lift to be installed in the tower, allowing recovered material to be removed. The stability of the tower had been a “big issue” over the six weeks since the devastating fire in which at least 80 people died, he added. The building comprised a core and four columns, one of which was badly damaged in the fire. A “significant amount of propping” had been required to make the column, in the north west corner of the tower, safe. Work was continuing in the interior, in which some floors and ceilings were at a small risk of collapse. About 1,800 props will be put in place in the next few weeks to shore up vulnerable parts of the interior. The basement of the tower was structurally sound after about 600,000 litres of water had been pumped out, Lockwood said. The recovery operation, assisted by advisers from the 9/11 attack in the US, and criminal investigation was continuing, with 50 people working inside the tower seven days a week. Recovery was expected to last until close to the end of the year, and the criminal investigation likely to conclude in early 2018. “It is being done respectfully and with dignity,” Lockwood told the meeting. “We need to maximise the evidence and make sure justice is done.” He said that 12 flats in the block were completely undamaged in the fire, and another 21 had been partly damaged. Personal items from these flats would be retrievable in the coming weeks. Decisions will be taken early next year about what happens to the building in the long term. Lockwood said he was aware of online petitions for a memorial garden or park and promised to “have that discussion with the community”. Residents at the meeting attacked Elizabeth Campbell, the leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, and her deputy Kim Taylor-Smith for failing to listen to the community and to respond to its needs. Ramiro Urbano, the father of 12-year-old Jessica who died in the fire, raised questions over the figure of “at least 80” casualties given by police. “Why are you so scared of going beyond that number? For us the figures don’t add up,” he said, saying 600 people had been in the tower at the time of the fire. Ellie O’Connor, the Metropolitan police’s borough commander for Kensington and Chelsea, said the police were saying 80 “because that’s what we believe. We do say it might go up, but we don’t believe it will go up substantially.” Recovery and identification was a very difficult task, she added. “If [the death toll] goes to 80, 90, 100 we will be honest with you.” People living in the area around the tower spoke of the adverse effects of the fire on their health, citing nosebleeds, asthma, headaches, dizziness and chest pains A man who lives near the tower said he represented the “silent victims” of the fire. “On top of what we’ve seen, we’re experiencing every day noise, pollution, disturbances,” he said. “My chest is wheezing.” Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, also wrote to residents promising them that the taskforce brought in after public outrage over the response to the disaster would be in place for “however long is necessary”. In the letter, which was available at the public meeting, Javid wrote: “I envisage them to be in place for however long is necessary to get the job done - in reality, this is likely to mean for at least one year.” The meeting was the fourth organised by the Grenfell Response Unit in the past month. |