Grenfell Tower, Where Fire Killed 72, Will Be Demolished, Families Say

Almost eight years after 72 people died when a devastating fire ripped through a tower block in central London, the government is set to announce that the building will be demolished, according to former residents and survivors’ groups.

Survivors of the fire at Grenfell Tower responded to the plans after a meeting on Wednesday with the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, ahead of an official announcement on the future of the structure, which is expected on Friday.

One group condemned the decision to demolish the remains of the building. In a statement on social media, Grenfell United, a group representing residents, said that Ms. Rayner “could not give a reason for her decision to demolish the tower,” and that she could not say “how many bereaved and survivors had been spoken to.”

But another group that represents some of the bereaved families, Grenfell Next of Kin, acknowledged that the tower could not be allowed to remain a permanent feature of the London skyline for structural reasons, saying in a statement: “Do we wish the whole tower could stand forever? Yes. Is that an option? Not from a structural point of view. Do we need a way forward? Yes.”

Since 2017, the shell of the tower — covered in a protective wrap — has remained a visible symbol of Britain’s most lethal residential fire since World War II.

Some former residents would like some or all of the building to remain in place as a lasting reminder and warning — or at least for it to remain until any possible prosecutions begin in connection with the disaster. That may not happen before 2027.