Five Years Since The Grenfell Fire

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire where so many lives were cruelly taken. It is unconscionable that in the years following this terrifying blaze, little has changed. Recently the government went against the recommendations following the public inquiry into the fire. They decided not to require multi-storey buildings like Grenfell to have evacuation arrangements in place for Disabled residents to be able to escape. Making the decision that Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) would be impractical and too costly illustrates the attitudes towards Disabled people and our safety.

 

We strongly urge the government to do better, as endangering the lives of Disabled people must not be considered as a money saving option. To truly honour the lives that were taken that day, standards must be raised for the homes still vulnerable to such cladding. Accessibility must be ensured at all stages of building a home, including when it needs to be evacuated.

 

The DDPO, Action Disability Kensington and Chelsea, has put out a statement about the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower that you can read on their website.