Up to 20 companies and 57 individuals could face criminal charges in connection with the Grenfell Tower fire, according to an update issued by the Metropolitan Police Service as its long-running investigation moves towards completion.
The investigation was launched following the June 2017 disaster in west London, in which 72 people lost their lives after fire spread rapidly through the residential tower block.
Police confirmed that the investigation is expected to conclude by September, when evidence files will be submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service for charging decisions.
Potential offences under consideration include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, misconduct in public office, fraud and breaches of health and safety legislation.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth said: “The Grenfell Tower fire remains one of the most complex investigations ever undertaken by any UK law enforcement agency. Our investigation began in June 2017 and has continued relentlessly since.
“We have been working in close partnership with the CPS for many years already and are on schedule to submit all files this autumn. The CPS will then consider them in detail to make charging decisions and are confident they can do so before the 10th anniversary of the fire.”
The Metropolitan Police said investigators have taken around 14,400 witness statements during the course of the inquiry. More than 27,000 exhibits are also being stored and examined, including cladding panels, insulation materials, doors, windows and other building components recovered from the tower.
According to police, the evidence archive extends to individual fixtures and fittings, including screws, nuts and bolts, reflecting the scale and technical complexity of the investigation into the causes and spread of the fire.
