First Grenfell Tower Procedural Hearing Under Way
The Dec. 11-12 hearing will be streamed live on the Inquiry's website.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry's first procedural hearing is taking place Dec. 11-12, as the Inquiry team and its chairman, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, work on case management issues, such as arrangements for taking witness statements and the disclosure of evidence to core participants. The hearing will start on both days at 10:30 a.m. local time, is expected to last all day, and will be streamed live on the Inquiry's website, www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk.
At least 80 people died in the June 14, 2017, fire at the London high-rise residential tower. The Inquiry is charged with investigating what caused the fire and why so many lives were lost, examining the tower's design and renovations, fire and safety measures in place in the building at the time of the fire, management of the tower and communication with residents, and the response from central and local governments to recommendations arising from other fires.
Last month, Moore-Bick appointed three assessors to assist the team. The three assessors -- Joe Montgomery, Joyce Redfearn and Professor David Nethercot -- are assisting in considering several specific issues.
Montgomery will help with issues related to community engagement and the occupation and management of social housing, in particular arrangements made by the local authority for receiving and acting on information relevant to the risk of fire at Grenfell Tower. Redfearn is assisting in identifying best practices among local authorities in matters such as the management of finances and procuring services for the design and construction of residential buildings.
Nethercot has been appointed to assist with technical issues related to the design and construction of the building and its refurbishment. He is Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering at Imperial College London, where he was formerly head of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, and Deputy Principal (Teaching) of the Engineering Faculty.