Government officials ‘did not heed’ coroner advice after fatal Lakanal House fire

By Emily Twinch2022-03-17T12:45:00

Source: Shutterstock.com

The former head of the communities and local government department tells Grenfell Tower inquiry that officials were “dismissive” of recommendations made after another fatal tower block fire in 2009.

Recommendations made by a coroner after a fatal tower block fire in 2009 were not considered “particularly important for public safety”, a former senior civil servant has told the Grenfell inquiry

Melanie Dawes, who was permanent secretary of the then named Department for Communities and Local Government, from 2015 until 2020 explained officials thought the coroner’s recommendations after the Lakanal House fire were “not particularly well-written” and were “probably a little bit dismissive of them”.

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