London's Metropolitan Police on Tuesday said it will seek criminal charges against 57 people and 20 companies over the 2017 Grenfell Tower inferno, Britain's worst residential fire in recent history in which 72 people were killed.

The individuals and companies are suspected of criminal offences including corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, misconduct in public office and fraud, police said.

The Met said it will submit evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which brings public prosecutions in England and Wales, this autumn.

Charges could be brought by June 2027, according to the police – which would mark 10 years since the disaster.

The fire started in a faulty freezer and spread rapidly due to combustible cladding on the 24-storey block, home to hundreds of residents in a deprived part of Britain's richest borough.

A public inquiry report published in 2024 found the deaths were "all avoidable" and blamed "systematic dishonesty" of building firms as well as government and regulatory failures.

Survivors have long accused the government and law enforcement of dragging their feet on criminal probes and housing reforms following the disaster.

Grenfell United, which represents some of the survivors and victims, said the announcement marked an "important step in a process that has already taken far too long."

Met officer Kevin Southworth acknowledged that it had been a "long wait to get to this point" but insisted "our timescales are on track."

"The Grenfell Tower fire remains one of the most complex investigations ever undertaken by any UK law enforcement agency," Southworth said.

"As the files are submitted, we will consider all the available evidence carefully, independently and in line with our legal test," added Frank Ferguson from the CPS.

Prosecutors "are confident" they can make charging decisions before the 10th anniversary of the fire, Southworth added. (AFP)



Edited by Cecil Wong