The burnt-out shell of London's Grenfell Tower will be demolished, almost eight years after deadly fire

The UK government announced on Friday its plan to dismantle the remains of Grenfell Tower in London. The fire, which occurred nearly eight years ago, was the worst in Britain since World War II, engulfing the high-rise apartment building and resulting in the deaths of 72 people. This confirmation follows previous speculation and has immediately drawn criticism from survivors and families of the victims.

Some of those who lost loved ones in the fire, which broke out in the early hours of June 14, 2017, have criticized the decision, hoping to preserve the building's charred skeleton as a memorial to the deceased. However, the government stated that leaving the structurally unsound remains in place is unsafe. While acknowledging differing viewpoints, the government essentially supports those who believe that rebuilding the site will help the community heal, as removing the remains of the 24-story building could lessen the impact on the surrounding community by eliminating its constant reminder of the tragedy.

In a statement, the government said, "Grenfell Tower will be carefully taken down to ground level." The removed materials will be transported back to the site to become part of a memorial designed by an independent commission. Since the fire, Grenfell Tower has become a symbol of government failures, corporate greed, and inequality, with the blaze also prompting a nationwide overhaul of building regulations. Residents of the North Kensington public housing project stated that their safety concerns were repeatedly ignored by local authorities, as the community is a low-income area within one of Britain's wealthiest boroughs.

A public inquiry concluded that decades of failures by the government, regulators, and industry had turned the building into a "death trap." The inquiry found that the tragedy had no "single cause" but was instead the result of dishonest companies, weak oversight, and complacent government authorities, which allowed the building to be fitted with flammable cladding during a renovation, causing a small refrigerator fire to spread rapidly and trap dozens of residents in their homes.

Before deciding how to proceed with Grenfell Tower, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government Angela Rayner held a series of meetings with survivors and families. She met with them again on Wednesday to inform them in advance of Friday's announcement. The "Grenfell United" group, which represents some of the victims' families, stated that none of those who attended Wednesday's meeting appeared to support the government's decision. "Ignoring bereaved families' views on the future of their loved ones' burial ground is disgraceful and unforgivable," the group said in a statement. But another survivors' group, "Grenfell Next of Kin," said the decision was "very sensitive and difficult" and that its members "understand the hard facts around safety."

The government stated that the process of dismantling Grenfell Tower will take approximately two years to allow the work to be carried out with care. The work will begin after the eighth anniversary of the disaster in June. But the statement also made it clear that there is little room for further discussion. The government said that the building was severely damaged in the fire and has only remained stable because of the additional supports that have been put in place to protect it. "Over time, the condition of the building will continue to deteriorate," the government said. "Engineers have also advised that it is not practical to retain large sections of the building in situ as a permanent memorial."

Fairness to all the bereaved families also played a role. "Taking into account engineering advice, the Deputy Prime Minister concluded that it would be unfair to retain some floors of the building that have significance for some families, and not be able to do so for others, and knowing that for some this would cause great distress," the government said.