Ferraris and Opera Were Urgent, but Grenfell Tower Risks Went Unheeded
At one public housing project, Grenfell Tower, residents had complained about fire safety issues for years: power surges
that blew up television sets and filled rooms with smoke, outdated fire extinguishers and the absence of a communal fire alarm.
The contempt directed at those raising concerns about fire safety at Grenfell Tower was not an exception, residents said,
but the fire exposed the disconnect between an elitist council and poor residents in the north.
Niles Hailstones, whose youngest son attended school with several children who died in the fire, said, "How do you think our children feel seeing people not care about their mothers,
fathers, grandparents, uncles, aunties?" He added: "We watched the building burn down in front of our eyes." Today, the face of London is the Muslim son of a bus driver.
On Tuesday, the head of the inquiry into the fire said it would examine the conduct of the local authorities
but would not take into account the broader issues involving social housing, although Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "determined" to address those questions.
The whole street, once filled with social housing, is being redeveloped as "Portobello Square." Conservative councilors argue
that they have done their best to protect public services and have invested over £70 million in North Kensington infrastructure in recent years, including the ill-fated renovation of Grenfell Tower.
Daffarn said that This council does not represent the people of North Kensington,