Grenfell fire: Families of victims 'left in limbo' over tower's future

Families who lost loved ones in one of the UK's worst modern disasters have said they have been left in limbo.

Seventy-two people died when the Grenfell tower block in west London caught fire in June 2017.

No decisions have been made about the tower's future.

The Grenfell Next of Kin group said discussions with the government had been "brutal", but the government said it would handle plans for the memorial "sensitively".

The 23-storey tower, in North Kensington, currently stands covered in protective wrap, adorned with a green heart and the words "forever in our hearts".

Kimia Zabihyan, from the Grenfell Next of Kin group, said the tower was a "sacred place" for the community.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Ms Zabihyan said: "The reality is that for the majority of the people who died, they died in the tower and the families did not have anything to bury.

"So the tower itself is a sacred place for those who lost their parents and children and siblings and partners."

Ms Zabihyan said the government's handling of the tower and a decision regarding its demolition had been "brutal and traumatising".

"They've had warnings about how they were going about it and they've just chosen to ignore it," she said.

"They've spent a lot of time going around and around and around in circles asking people 'what would you like?'," she said.

This had resulted in the conversation focussing on "inane things" like a "tree", "fountain" and "goldfish pond", Ms Zabihyan added.

"The important thing is the tower itself," she said. "You cannot design a memorial if you do not know whether this huge tower is going to be part of the memorial or not.

"The actual ministers cannot make a decision when the structural engineering work hasn't been done to ascertain whether it is even possible to retain some of the tower or not."

The government said it was waiting for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report to be published and a decision about the tower would be handled "sensitively".

The Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission has been gathering views from bereaved families, survivors and local residents about options for a future memorial.

Possible options for the site, if the building is taken down, include a memorial garden, monument or museum.

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said it was "committed" to supporting the memorial commission and the community "in their creation of a lasting memorial to honour those who lost their lives in the tragedy".

They added: "The Secretary of State and Baroness Scott continue to meet with bereaved families, survivors and residents to hear their views."

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