London fire

In London, grief has turned into anger after a massive fire engulfed a tower block in the centre of one of the global economic capitals. Thirty people have been confirmed dead, 70 are still missing and 70 more are being treated for severe burns after the Grenfell Tower caught fire this week. The number of fatalities could still go as high as 100. The gruesome tragedy is unfortunately a familiar one for the world’s poorest. The Grenfell Tower was designed as high-rise housing for people of low-income backgrounds. The residents had been complaining of the tower being a fire hazard since at least 2011. When the tower received a much-need renovation last year at a cost of 7 million pounds, the residents warned that cheaper quality options were being used. It has now been confirmed that this was indeed the case. Those conducting the renovation chose cheaper cladding, which is less fire resistant than the better quality and more expensive options. The panels were so poor that authorities had only allowed their use on buildings that could be reached by fully-extended ladders carried by the London fire brigade.

The tragedy in London is a reminder to housing authorities around the world that stricter rules are needed to ensure that people live in fireproof buildings, no matter which class they belong to. The London police have launched an investigation while the UK Prime Minister Theresa May announced a five million pound fund for the victims. But none of this will cover for the gross neglect that led to a fire of such magnitude. It seems there were no safety measures in place in the building. There was no alarm. The gas pipes were not placed inside a fire resistant container, and there were no sprinklers. The fact that the tower housed working class and less privileged people is no coincidence. The tale is eerily familiar. Whether it be the gruesome Baldia Town factory fire in Karachi or council housing in London, it seems states are only concerned with the protection of the elite. Ideally, it should not be that difficult to ensure that fire safety guidelines are followed for all – rich or poor. In reality, the political will to protect the poor has largely been absent. It is through such tragedies that this horrifying reality becomes clear: for the elite the poor are easily expendable.