Grenfell fire evidence files sent to prosecutors for review

The Metropolitan Police has sent prosecutors evidence concerning 54 people and 20 companies in connection with the Grenfell Tower fire, asking the Crown Prosecution Service to consider potential criminal offences. The submission does not mean charges have been brought: prosecutors must assess the evidence and decide whether any cases should proceed. The potential offences include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, health and safety offences, fraud and related offences, and misconduct in public office. The Crown Prosecution Service has said it expects to make charging decisions before the 10th anniversary of the fire, on June 14, 2027. Trials are not expected to begin before 2029, according to reporting on the investigation. The fire broke out at Grenfell Tower in west London in June 2017 and killed 72 people. A public inquiry concluded in 2024 that the disaster was avoidable and identified failures involving government and the building industry. Its findings described the dangers of combustible materials used on high-rise buildings and failures in the handling and testing of fire-safety products.