Work to Remove Grenfell Tower to Begin

THE PROCESS to take down Grenfell Tower is about to begin, the government has announced.

It says it will “ensure all work at the site respects the significance of the building, is considerate, trauma aware and minimises disruption taking down the tower.”

Information issued to the bereaved families and survivors sets out how the tower will be removed.

Deconstruct UK (DUK), the contractor working at the Grenfell Tower site since 2017, will remove the tower.

Work to Remove Grenfell Tower

Taking place behind the scaffolding wrapping, work will start at the top of the building and progress down floor by floor. Each floor is expected to take around a month.

Smaller parts of the Tower will be brought down inside the building. Larger parts, such as the external columns, will be removed in sections and taken down in covered containers outside of the building by crane. Preparatory works over the summer will see the crane installed at the east side of the tower.

Everything that is removed from the tower will be loaded onto unmarked lorries and covered before being removed from the site.

A second scaffolding ‘shelf’ is being added to the tower with framing for a second banner with the distinctive green heart design associated with the Grenfell fire tragedy. It will be displayed half way down the tower so that it remains visible while the floor storeys are being removed and will continue to be lit up at night while the work is done.

Laid to Rest

The government says it will lay to rest materials from the tower with respect and care. Materials will be made available for inclusion in a memorial, if families wish, including the tower’s architectural crown which will be preserved in storage.

The government is currently talking to bereaved families and survivors about a second site, separate to the memorial site in North Kensington, where materials from the tower could be also laid to rest. Faith leaders are advising on the preparation of the land, laying the materials to rest and long-term care.

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