The pain in the heart of London

(Baonghean.vn) - It has been 6 months since the terrible fire on the night of June 13 and the morning of June 14 in London, England. Life is gradually returning to normal in the densely populated Noth Kensington neighborhood, but there is still pain and anger among the people when recalling the fire that killed 71 people.

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Grenfell Tower after the fire on the night of June 13 and morning of June 14. Photo: Internet

Tragedy inNorth Kensington

On the night of June 13 and 14, a fire broke out at the Grenfell Tower in London, killing at least 71 people. The fire spread quickly because of the flammable insulation.

Most of the residents of the 24-storey building were trapped in the fire. The accident sparked anger and solidarity in the densely populated area of ​​the British capital.

Six months on, today, winter is coming, the streets of North Kensington are starting to be decorated with Christmas trees - a sign that life is gradually returning to normal.

Buses and subways have reopened, and notices for missing relatives in the fire have been removed.

Down Westway, overlooking the building that was destroyed by fire, many Londoners came to lay flowers and paintings in memory of the victims.

The candlesticks are still there. On a dark December night, two men are still writing “Tomorrow is brighter” and “Love For Grenfell” can still be seen on the facade of a closed pub.

But the scars remain. Grenfell Tower can be seen from the windows of local churches and from the exits of Latimer Road metro station. At night, images of the building are still shown on Sky News television.

“The building was a source of pain in the community,” said Mike Long, pastor of Notting Hill Methodist Church. “Now the anger has subsided, the streets are quieter, colder, darker and there are still many people in pain and trouble.”

The past six months have been a long, tiring time for the people of North Kensington. It has taken them a long time to find the bodies of their loved ones and to organize funerals. Recently, the authorities have just finished excavating each room of the building.

The process of relocating families affected by the fire has also been prolonged despite the government’s promise six months ago. By early December, local authorities said only 42 families had been moved out completely, with 209 others still waiting.

On December 14, London police announced the mobilization of 200 police officers to investigate the incident and determined that the investigation could last for many years.

Authorities are still trying to determine whether negligence in the building's renovation, improper work procedures or materials installed on the facade had anything to do with the rapid spread of the fire.

Community joins hands, speaks up to demand public investigation

Flowers and candles placed in memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Photo: AFP

Faced with these difficulties, instead of waiting for the government, the people in the Noth Kensington neighborhood took action themselves. Abdul, a resident here proudly declared that “the government did nothing while the community stood up to protect the people”.

In North Kensington, the community has formed a “virtual fence” to protect survivors and families of missing people from journalists.

Many public areas have been renovated by local people with their own money into community centers such as the old high school on Westway Street, Notting Hill Cathedral, Latymer Church, the Muslim community...

For Piers Thompson, who lives in a house in Whitstable, near Grenfell Tower, and is trying to protect the social diversity of the neighbourhood, solidarity has always been a founding value. “Poor people develop self-help networks because that’s all they have when they don’t have much money,” he said.

Meanwhile, the government’s investigation, which was promised after the fire, officially began to be announced to the public earlier this week with two days of preparatory hearings. However, many members of the community have expressed doubts about the progress of the investigation and have called for it to be as transparent and credible as possible.

A petition signed by thousands of people has been submitted to the government. The families of the victims are particularly calling for the investigation to be carried out not by a single judge but by a panel of experts and stakeholders.

“After all they have been through, the families of the victims and survivors of Grenfell Tower deserve to be heard throughout this inquiry,” said Shahin Sadafi, head of Grenfell United.

During the investigation, many shortcomings in the building's construction and renovation were quickly discovered in regards to fire safety. An inspection was then carried out at many other buildings across the UK.

At least 52 buildings in London are lined with flammable insulation, according to a BBC survey. Four buildings in Camden, north London, had flammable lining like that at Grenfell Tower removed.

“Safety is now assured,” the contractor said, lamenting that “it was a costly mistake.” Workers on the job said they would have to wait until next year to complete the new coating.

Returning to the Grenfell incident, local councillor Elizabeth Campbell said £28m had been released by the government and £10m would be set aside for “additional psychological support services” for victims and the community.

However, Andrea Newton, a resident living near Grenfell Tower, said: “A week after the fire, the only support we received was from the community” and asked the authorities to learn to treat everyone equally.

Chu Thanh

(According to Le Monde)