Adele joins mourners for Grenfell fire tragedy
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Survivors of London’s Grenfell Tower fire disaster joined relatives of the dead and thousands of supporters including bestselling pop star Adele in poignant tributes to the 71 killed in the inferno a year ago on Thursday.
The mournful crowd marched in silence in the shadow of the charred shell of the tower after a church service in which grieving families, many in tears, clutched white roses in memory of Britain’s deadliest domestic fire since World War II.
Adele, Grime artist Stormzy, singer Marcus Mumford and Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, joined in the procession through the west London neighbourhood.
The names of the dead were read out and candles lit in their memory and relatives held up images of their loved ones. Many mourners were dressed in green, the adopted colour of the tragedy.
As Britain held a national minute’s silence at midday, members of parliament stood in the House of Commons with their heads bowed.
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a green outfit, stood alongside her grandson Prince Harry’s wife Meghan on a visit to Cheshire, northwest England.
Graham Tomlin, the Bishop of Kensington who was among the service leaders at St Helen’s Church in North Kensington, west London, said the memorial was a chance for people to mourn together.
“People are still grieving, are still recovering. A lot of people are dealing with their memories. They seek justice, they seek some answers,” he told AFP.
“But there is positivity as well, as this community is extremely resilient.
“It will take time for people to heal. We will never forget the people who died.”
Jane Lanyero, a member of the African Women’s Care group, told AFP: “It brings all the memories back… There is hope but also frustration. So little has been done for the victims.”
The Kensington and Chelsea local authority said that of the 203 families needing re-housing, 83 were in permanent homes, 52 in temporary housing and 68 in emergency accommodation, mainly hotels.
On Wednesday night, survivors and relatives held an emotional walk through the area at the time the fire broke out.
The procession ended in the shadow of the burnt-out block just before 12:54am, the time the London Fire Brigade received the first emergency call.
One by one, relatives announced the names of the deceased, before pinning their pictures at the “wall of truth” — a section of the fencing around the tower featuring messages and candles.
The crowd then marked an eerie silence for 72 seconds — in memory of each of the people who perished, along with a stillborn baby.