The Police of the United Kingdom reported this Wednesday that it has referred to the Prosecutor's Office the files of 20 entities and more than 50 people whom it points to for manslaughter by gross negligence, fraud, and other possible crimes linked to the Grenfell Tower fire in London, in which 72 people died in 2017.
Specifically, the Metropolitan Police has asked the Public Ministry to consider bringing charges against 20 companies and organizations and 54 people for corporate manslaughter by gross negligence, violations of health and safety regulations, fraud, and fraud-related offenses, as well as for misconduct in public office.
The Prosecutor's Office has committed to making a decision on the possible charges before the tenth anniversary of the disaster, in June 2027.
Deputy Commissioner Kevin Southworth stated this Wednesday that the body is facing "a decisive moment in the police investigation of this devastating tragedy." "Our team, made up of 220 investigators, has worked tirelessly to fulfill our commitment to the families of the victims, the survivors, the residents, and all the people affected by the fire, and to do so within this timeframe," he noted.
At the same time, he admitted that nine years have already passed since the fire and defended that it is "one of the most complex investigations ever carried out" by a British agency. "Its magnitude is truly enormous," he added.
"Although we know this has had a considerable impact on those waiting for answers, it has necessarily taken all this time to ensure that our investigation is thorough and presents the Prosecutor's Office with the strongest possible evidence so that it can make decisions about the charges," he reiterated.
As he detailed, the Police have analyzed the involvement of more than 15,000 people and 700 organizations related to Grenfell Tower, have produced reports totaling 12,600 pages, and referring to more than 45,000 documents, images, and other pieces of evidence.
In the context of this investigation, 165 million electronic files have been gathered, and 14,700 statements have been taken, while more than 27,000 pieces of evidence remain in custody, including cladding, insulating materials, doors, windows, and other components of the building, down to screws and nuts.
The Grenfell Tower fire caused 72 deaths and triggered a deep political crisis in the Government of then-Prime Minister Theresa May due to the poor construction of this social housing block, which facilitated the rapid spread of the fire.
May had to face strong public pressure amid a wave of reproaches from relatives and survivors, who denounced an absolute state of marginalization and total contempt for their lives. An electrical fault in a refrigerator shortly after midnight on June 14, 2017, originated a fire of such intensity that more than 250 firefighters needed 24 hours just to manage to control the flames.