Long wait to identify London fire victims

A coroner and police commander have told families of victims of the London tower block fire that some relatives may not be identified until the end of the year.

The families of victims of the London tower block fire have been told at a meeting with a coroner and the police that their relatives may not be identified until the end of the year.

At least 80 people died or are presumed missing after the block of flats caught fire early on June 14.

The private meeting took place on Tuesday at the Olympia London in West Kensington, just over a mile from the Grenfell Tower, with Westminster coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox and Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy in attendance.

Lotifa Begum, a coordinator for the charity Muslim Aid, said the families had been told that the "recovery phase", where the authorities identify bodies, could take until the end of the year.

She said some of the families inside the meeting were "very upset and angry", and a few had been overwhelmed and had to leave.

The family of Jessica Urbano, who lived on the 20th floor of the building, arrived at the meeting wearing t-shirts saying 'Happy Birthday Jessie' along with a picture of the girl, on what a family member online said was her 13th birthday.

Families of victims greeted each other at the entrance before going inside, some ushered in by police staff.

The families were told before the meeting that they would not be allowed to put questions directly to Dr Wilcox or Commander Cundy, and had to email their questions in by 11am the day before.

The Press Association understands that some family members were not happy with how the meeting was organised.


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Source: AAP



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