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[Reelya]

This is the right thread for it, since on of Theresa May's new advisors is taking flak because he was the minister in charge of housing before the election (he lost his seat but May just appointed him as a replacement advisor for her other disgraced advisors).

He'd received official reports recommending putting sprinklers and improved fire safety into high rise buildings back in 2010 and 2013, following some other fatal highrise fires, which he effectively ignored completely while fobbing it off with constant claims of "we're looking into it". So ... Theresa May might need new new advisors now.

May is also reportedly "saddened" by the fire, but only Corbyn is actually saying "we really should implement those fire safety recommendations about now, right?" Theresa May doesn't give enough fucks to actually follow the government report that said to install sprinklers.

It's also relevant to the thread because we can imagine if this fire had occured a couple of weeks ago, we might well be in a whole different world now ...

[martinuzz]

What really struck my about May is her abscence in the media during the inferno. I watched for hours, saw Khan make a few speeches, but didn't see May anywhere expressing condoloances or grief.

[Starver]

I got the opposite impression, strangely. But not in a good way. May was reported as saying that there would be a "proper investigation", leaving me to wonder why May seemed to be calling for something that was going to happen anyway... It isn't down to her. There'd be various agencies and organisations already lined up to investigate for civil and, possibly, criminal  investigation, as with any (even less-but-still fatal) incident.

Not the ill-judged nature of a typical Trumpism, but instead trying too hard to 'own' the story. Keep to just the expressions of sorrow, you're not responsible for the investigative process on a case-by-case basis, unless you're pulling pretty tenuous strings to stop it.

[martinuzz]

Mayor Khan said in a press conference that sadly the rescue teams have to assume that there aren't any survivors left in the building. Khan says it is likely going to take many weeks to reach and search all apartments in the building. Death tolls will most likely have to be estimated from occupancy lists and missing person reports.

[Sheb]

Mayor Khan said in a press conference that sadly the rescue teams have to assume that there aren't any survivors left in the building. Khan says it is likely going to take many weeks to reach and search all apartments in the building. Death tolls will most likely have to be estimated from occupancy lists and missing person reports.

That seems long. I guess they need to make sure everything is structurally sound before moving in.

[sluissa]

Digging through a building of that size. Weeks easily. Months on the short end for the full investigation.

[Sheb]

Digging through a building of that size. Weeks easily. Months on the short end for the full investigation.

Is it? i mean, there is 120 flats, and a human body isn't easy to hide. Getting a good number should be quite quick.

[smjjames]

Digging through a building of that size. Weeks easily. Months on the short end for the full investigation.

Is it? i mean, there is 120 flats, and a human body isn't easy to hide. Getting a good number should be quite quick.

Even if it sounds like it might be quick, they still have to clear debris and check for structural integrity, so, it's wise to take it carefully. I suppose using camera bearing drones would speed it up, theres an idea.

[sluissa]

From personal experience, a fire like that turns everything to ash and rubble. Some metal might remain in relatively recognizable shape, but bodies will likely be only moderately recognizable as such assuming they aren't covered by a layer of debris which would mean careful excavation with hand tools.

Once lawyers get involved and preservation of evidence becomes a concern you're looking at a day or more for each individual apartment, assuming they're even reachable safely.There's going to be olebty of people wanting a bite out of anything they can pin a tiny bit of blame on, from the government to the building managers, to the makers of whatever started the fire, to the contractors that made any recent changes and the suppliers of their materials. And beyond that

[smjjames]

You're a firefighter yourself sluissa?

[martinuzz]

Digging through a building of that size. Weeks easily. Months on the short end for the full investigation.

and a human body isn't easy to hide.

Ashes don't hide, they scatter and fall on your car's windscreen. Fire that big leaves just ashes and teeth. Well at least in those appartments that were in the full blaze, which looking at the videos, is most of the building.

[sluissa]

You're a firefighter yourself sluissa?

No, worked for a time as an assistant to an investigator who did cause and origin reports for insurance companies and lawyers. Luckily I was usually just in charge of writing notes and occasional muscle, no real training, but I've seen some shit.

[scriver]

It's hard to judge how badly the interior might be burnt by pictures of the flames on the outside given that from what I heard they believe that it spread on the exterior rather than the usual apartment-to-apartment inside.

[Leafsnail]

What really struck my about May is her abscence in the media during the inferno. I watched for hours, saw Khan make a few speeches, but didn't see May anywhere expressing condoloances or grief.

She did show up for photos, but apparently didn't speak to any survivors.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/grenfell-tower-fire-latest-theresa-may-visit-jeremy-corbyn-resident-london-kensington-a7791726.html

[martinuzz]

Mass protests against May, after she gave a 'heartless', 'inhuman', and 'cold' interview on the BBC about the Grenfell fire.
Earlier, she was boo'd and ranted at when she visited the site of the disaster by an angry crowd.

Hundreds of protestors occupied the district office of Chelsea & Kensington friday night, after which they marched on to the BBC, the parliament and Downing Street.
They demand that the disaster survivors will be rehoused in the same neighborhood, demand clarity about the number of dead, and demand the boards, politicians and investors involved are brought before court.
Her BBC interview put May at the centre of scorn. "Bloody coward!" was yelled at her by the crowd in Kensington.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail found out that the building's owner, Ray Bailey, has many offshore funds to avoid taxes, and deliberatly let one of his business go bankrupt to escape creditors.

the May interview: https://youtu.be/ftY1NlPk5YY