After more than seven years since the devastating fire that engulfed London's Grenfell Tower, some families of victims have been retraumatized by recent notifications stating that human remains, potentially belonging to their loved ones, are still in storage.
The inferno, which occurred on June 14, 2017, claimed the lives of 72 people, marking Britain's deadliest residential fire since World War Two. This tragic event sparked a national reconsideration of the social housing conditions for low-income individuals.
While officials and police have meticulously identified every victim and endeavored to return remains to families, the discovery that unidentified remains may still exist has been jolting for many.
"It's like opening their graves again," expressed Sawsan Choucair, who tragically lost six relatives in the fire. She and her brother, Hisam, believed they had laid all their family members to rest in 2017.
Receiving a letter from the police in November reopened wounds for the Choucair family as it informed them that the remains of their loved ones might still be among a few unidentified remains in storage, possibly intermingled with those of other victims.
This retraumatization, occurring at the wrong time and in the wrong manner, is deeply distressing, unnecessary, and poorly managed, lamented Hisam.
The looming Grenfell Tower, shrouded in protective covering, remains a poignant reminder in west London, standing amidst a backdrop of both affluent and impoverished neighborhoods. The government is anticipated to provide a future plan for the site next month.
The families, addressed in the recent letter, were asked whether they preferred the remains to be interred or kept in storage, particularly in cases where the remains were found mixed with other victims and could not be conclusively identified.
How can we decide about potentially mixed remains that might include those of our loved ones? questioned a man who chose to remain anonymous, having lost his father.
Unavailability of information or inventory regarding where the remains are being kept adds to the families' distress. The impersonal nature of the communication only exacerbates their pain, leaving them with unsettling questions.
This callous approach is inhumane, reopening our wounds continually, emphasized a woman who lost two family members in the tragedy and wished to remain unidentified.
At present, the coroner seems to be waiting for a decision on a memorial to proceed with the burial of the remains. A proposed 2023 memorial report hinted that remains could be incorporated into the memorial, a consideration unbeknownst to the Grenfell Next of Kin (GNK) group.
Voices from Lancaster West, representing residents of the estate where the tower stood, have criticized the handling of the situation, labeling it as incompetent.