Reasonable grounds to suspect corporate manslaughter, say Grenfell Tower police
Detectives investigating the Grenfell Tower fire have "reasonable grounds" to suspect that corporate manslaughter offences may have been committed, Scotland Yard has said.
In a letter to residents, the force said that senior figures from Kensington and Chelsea Council and the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation faced being interviewed by police.
The letter said: "We have seized a huge amount of material and taken a large number of witness statements.
"After an initial assessment of that information, the officer leading the investigation has today notified Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that each organisation may have committed the offence of corporate manslaughter under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007."
At least 80 people were killed when the blaze ripped through the 24-storey block of flats in west London on June 14.
It added: "In due course, a senior representative of each corporation will be formally interviewed by police in relation to the potential offence.
"This interview will not take place immediately, since it is important that all relevant facts and information have been gathered before any such interview is conducted."
The force added that the facts were "simply an update on the investigation so far", adding: "The content of this note should not be taken to conclude that the identified offences and organisations are the only offences, organisations or individuals that are being investigated."
The Metropolitan Police said it was committed to keeping those affected by the fire updated on the investigation.
It said in a statement: "The Met started an investigation into the cause and spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June.
"Since then we have stated that it is a criminal investigation, considering the full range of offences from corporate manslaughter to regulatory breaches.
"This is a complex and far reaching investigation that by its very nature will take a considerable time to complete.
"The Met has made a commitment to the families who lost loved ones in the fire and survivors that they will be kept updated, as far as we possibly can, as the investigation continues.
"As is routine, we will not give a running commentary on this investigation."
