Haunting reminder of Grenfell disaster saved from demolition by families

A wall inside Grenfell Tower bearing handprints thought to belong to victims trapped inside during the disaster has been saved from destruction.

Bereaved families spotted the sections of stairwell walls during visits to the site before demolition work began there last September.

The handprints appear to belong to those caught in the staircase between floors 12 and 14 when the fire broke out, killing 72 people, in June 2017.

The families appealed to the government to preserve the walls, saying former housing secretary Angela Rayner had promised parts of the tower could be saved for a memorial.

But the government later said they would not keep any sections above the ninth floor, citing concerns about sensitivity and the loss of life on the upper levels.

A wall bearing the inscription ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is greatest) between the 17th and 18th ​floors has already been destroyed.

Families filed a pre-action ​letter last week seeking a judicial review of the decision.

Grenfell Next ​of Kin (GNK), which advocates for families of the deceased, urged the government to protect the areas while discussions with families and memorial designers ​take place.

‘Due to ​ongoing legal ⁠action, we have paused deconstruction works in the relevant areas,’ a spokesperson for the government ministry responsible for ​Grenfell said.

GNK said the protection was secured only ​because bereaved ⁠families were forced to take legal action.

The government’s legal department said sections between the 12th and 14th floors would be cordoned off while demolition ⁠continues ​elsewhere.

Demolition work in those areas has ​been halted pending response to the pre-action letter.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: ‘Due to ongoing legal action, we have paused deconstruction works in the relevant areas.’

They added: ‘We are committed to ensuring what happened at the Tower is remembered, with the community’s voice at the heart of our work. 

‘We remain fully committed to handling elements of the Tower with utmost care, sensitivity and respect.’

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