Key facts
- The Metropolitan Police submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for charging decisions regarding the Grenfell Tower fire.
- Files relate to 20 companies and 54 individuals, with potential charges including corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, health and safety offences, fraud, and misconduct in public office.
- The CPS is expected to make charging decisions before the 10th anniversary of the fire in June 2027.
- The police investigation examined over 15,000 individuals and 700 organizations.
The Metropolitan Police have submitted extensive files to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to consider charges related to the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed the lives of 72 people. The submission includes information on 20 companies and 54 individuals, with potential charges ranging from corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter to health and safety offences, fraud, and misconduct in public office. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth described the submission as a "milestone moment" in an investigation that has involved examining the roles of over 15,000 individuals and 700 organizations. The police investigation has been described as one of the most complex ever undertaken by UK law enforcement, gathering 165 million electronic files and taking 14,700 statements. The CPS has committed to making its charging decisions before the 10th anniversary of the fire in June 2027. Bereaved families, organized by Grenfell Next of Kin, have demanded manslaughter charges, with member Kimia Zabihyan stating that "Justice means manslaughter charges, not health and safety [charges]." A recent public inquiry concluded the disaster was the result of decades of failures by government, regulators, and companies involved in Grenfell Tower's refurbishment.