Grenfell Tower

Grenfell Tower is a 24-storey residential tower block in North Kensington, West London, England, built in the 1970s as part of the Lancaster West Estate.

Grenfell Tower is a 24-storey residential tower block in North Kensington, West London, England, built in the 1970s as part of the Lancaster West Estate. It became internationally known after a catastrophic fire on 14 June 2017 killed 72 people and led to major scrutiny of building safety, regulation, and fire response in the United Kingdom.

History

Grenfell Tower was built in the 1970s and formed part of the Lancaster West housing estate in North Kensington. It was a residential block used as social housing before the 2017 fire.

2017 fire

On 14 June 2017, a fire began in a flat on the fourth floor and spread rapidly through the building. The blaze killed 72 people and became one of the deadliest structural fires in modern UK history.

Inquiry and findings

A public inquiry examined the causes and handling of the disaster over several years. Reporting in 2024 described a chain of failures by regulators, government bodies, and companies, and identified combustible cladding as a major factor in the fire's spread.

Aftermath

The fire became a major reference point in debates over housing inequality, building safety, and regulation in Britain. It also led to policy changes affecting combustible cladding and high-rise fire safety standards.