00:00A public inquiry into the devastating 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, which claimed
00:0772 lives, has placed the blame squarely on government failures, the construction industry,
00:14and most notably, the companies responsible for installing flammable cladding on the building's
00:19exterior.
00:20The fire ripped through the 23-story social housing block in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods
00:25in the early hours of June 14, 2017, becoming the deadliest residential blaze in Britain
00:31since World War II.
00:33The simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable, and those who lived in
00:40the tower were badly failed over a number of years and in a number of different ways
00:46by those who were responsible for ensuring the safety of the building and its occupants.
00:52In its long-awaited final report, the inquiry assigned the greatest responsibility to the
00:57companies involved in the maintenance and refurbishment of the tower, highlighting systemic
01:02failures by local and national authorities.
01:06The report also condemned companies for dishonestly marketing combustible cladding materials as
01:11safe.
01:12Spanning nearly 1,700 pages, the report described the disaster as the result of decades of failure
01:20where profit was prioritized over people's safety.
01:24Grenfell United, a group representing some survivors and bereaved families, criticized
01:29the government for enabling corporations to profit while dictating regulations.
01:34Today, we send a message to Keir Starmer and his government.
01:39This country has been failed by governments of all political persuasions.
01:44Our expectation is your government will break old habits and implement all the recommendations
01:50made by Sir Martin Morbick's report without further delay, because the time to address
01:56this is already three decades too late.
01:59In Parliament, Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued an apology on behalf of the British
02:04state to the victims' families and survivors, acknowledging that they had been failed for years.
02:10I want to start with an apology on behalf of the British state to each and every one
02:17of you and indeed to all of the families affected by this tragedy.
02:24It should never have happened.
02:27The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty, to protect you and your loved ones.
02:34Mr. Speaker, today is a long-awaited day of truth, but it must now lead to a day of justice.
02:41Justice for the victims and the families of Grenfell.
02:44But also a moment to reflect on the state of social justice in our country and a chance
02:49for this government of service to turn the page.
02:52Because this tragedy poses fundamental questions about the kind of country we are.
02:58A previous report by the Inquiry in 2019, which focused on the events of the night,
03:03revealed that an electrical fault in a fourth-floor refrigerator sparked the fire.
03:08The flames spread rapidly due to the building's exterior cladding, installed during a 2016
03:14refurbishment, made of flammable aluminum composite material that acted as a fuel source.
03:20The harrowing testimonies, including recordings from those who perished while awaiting rescue
03:25after following official guidance to stay put, sparked widespread anger and national
03:30introspection about building standards and the treatment of low-income communities.
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