Prime Minister, Theresa May, on Monday apologised for failing to meet survivors in the immediate aftermath of the devastating fire that killed 71 people in 2017 at London’s Grenfell Tower.
May said: “It was a tragedy unparalleled in recent history and, although many people did incredible work during and after the fire.
“It has long been clear that the initial response was not good enough. I include myself in that.
“The day after the disaster I made the first of a number of trips to the site, thanking the firefighters for their work and holding a short meeting with the team in charge of the response.
“What I did not do on that first visit was meet the residents and survivors, who had escaped the blaze.”
An inquiry was opened recently into how the fire had rapidly engulfed the 24-storey, 120-home social housing block in west London.
The former judge leading the inquiry has promised to examine the cause of the fire, its spread and the responses of national and local authorities and firefighters.
Local residents and politicians have raised concerns over housing policies, fire safety, external cladding that helped the fire rise up the building, evacuation procedures, and the initial response of firefighters.