‘We will become invisible again’: Grenfell survivor launches petition calling for consultation on demolition

A survivor of the Grenfell Tower tragedy has launched a petition calling for a halt to the planned demolition of the structure until proper consultations have been conducted.

Emma O’Connor, 36, lived on the 20th floor of the high rise in North Kensington for six years before the fire that killed 72 people in 2017.

On Friday, housing secretary Angela Rayner formally announced plans to deconstruct the 24-storey structure, after informing bereaved families and survivors of the decision on Wednesday.

But Ms O’Connor said: “We have not been properly consulted or engaged in making the decision. There has been no justice. Until there is, Grenfell Tower must stand.”

Her Change.org petition, which launched on Thursday, demands that every bereaved family member, survivor and resident of the surrounding Lancaster West estate and Notting Dale ward be given the opportunity to vote on the tower’s future.

Ms O’Connor said: “If Grenfell Tower is taken down now, we will become invisible again.

“There will be no focus, no justice and our loved ones will have died in vain. Grenfell Tower is an immense symbol of strength and unity.”

Ms O’Connor is not alone in her anger at the decision. Grenfell United, which represents some bereaved and survivors, said it was “disgraceful and unforgivable” that their voices had been ignored. 

The spokesman for the group said Ms Rayner had refused to confirm how many bereaved people and survivors had been spoken to in the “recent, short four-week consultation”.

On June 14, 2017, Ms O’Connor and her partner Luke Towner narrowly escaped in the lift as the blaze engulfed the tower block.

She said: “I remember coming out of the tower and the shock hitting me.

“Sirens still terrify me. There was an occasion when I froze in the middle of Kensington High Street because a fire engine was approaching.

“That fire happened because there was no communication. It is a standing reminder that deregulation killed people.” 

The final report of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, published in September, concluded the fire was the result of “decades of failure” by central government to stop the use of combustible cladding, as well as the “systematic dishonesty” of multimillion-dollar companies and “persistent indifference” to fire safety issues from the local authority’s housing management.

Ms O’Connor said: “The government is so keen to spend money on pulling down Grenfell before the 10th anniversary, but why not spend that money on removing dangerous cladding on all the other buildings?

“We are fighting for measures that will save many thousands of people from having to endure what we endure daily.”

The decision to dismantle the building came after engineers advised the tower was significantly damaged, the government said.

It added that experts advised that the condition of the building would “continue to worsen over time” and that it only remained stable due to additional protective measures put in place.

Ms O’Connor said: “If there are safety concerns we understand that, but it should not come down before we are listened to.

“Angela Rayner said she understands our struggle. But she must stand with us, show us respect and help us maintain dignity for our loved ones who were killed in such a barbaric manner.”

To view Ms O’Connor’s petition, visit: Change.org/GrenfellMustStand.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “The Deputy Prime Minister understands that decisions about the future of the Tower are deeply personal to the Grenfell community, especially bereaved families. She is committed to keeping their voice at the heart of this process.

“The Deputy Prime Minister has met bereaved families, survivors and residents in the immediate Grenfell community to share her decision, reached after sensitively listening to the community and considering expert advice, that Grenfell Tower will be carefully taken down.

“Her commitment to the community continues, and she will ensure that the community continue to have opportunities to speak with her and the Building Safety Minister on issues that matter to them most.”

Pictured top: Grenfell Tower (Picture: PA)