Detectives investigating the Grenfell Tower fire have carried out three interviews under caution over potential offences related to the disaster – including manslaughter.
The interviews have taken place since late June but were only confirmed yesterday (July 19) by Scotland Yard. Possible charges being considered include gross negligence manslaughter, corporate manslaughter and breaches of the Health and Safety Act.
A spokesperson said in a statement: “The police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire has moved to a new phase with a planned programme of interviews under caution.”
Metropolitan Police would not confirm whether three separate suspects had been interviewed, or whether the same suspect had been quizzed more than once.
No one has been arrested for offences relating to the fire –in which 72 people lost their lives – though individuals who allegedly falsely claimed to have lived in the tower to receive compensation have been arrested on suspicion of fraud.
Yvette Williams from campaign group Justice4Grenfell welcomed the development in the investigation. But she added: “It’s unfortunate that it’s taken months after it happened, because if it had been somebody responsible like a member of the public, they would have been called in in June last year.
“But we do look forward to the police doing a thorough investigation.” Officers have spent more than 12 months gathering forensic evidence at the burnt-out tower block and plan to hand back control of it to Kensington and Chelsea council in early August.
Commander Stuart Cundy said: “The handover of Grenfell Tower by the police will only occur once we are entirely confident that all police work has been completed at the tower. Handing the tower over to the responsible body will have no bearing on the ongoing criminal investigation. The concerns of the bereaved, survivors and residents as well as the wider community will be central to how the handover takes place.”
