Police make first arrest in investigation into Grenfell Tower blaze that killed 72 people in 2017
- Unnamed man, 38, was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice
- He was taken to local police station and since been released under investigation
- The arrest was not made in relation to the public Grenfell Tower inquiry this week
The Metropolitan Police have made their first arrest during their investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire.
A 38-year-old man has been arrested in the Sussex area on Saturday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
The unnamed man is the first person to be arrested by police investigating the fire.
The Metropolitan Police have made their first arrest, an unnamed 38-year-old man, during their investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire
He was taken to a local police station and has since been released under investigation.
The arrest was not made in relation to events heard at the Grenfell Tower inquiry this week, police said.
A total of 72 people lost their lives as a result of a fire at the west London block of flats in June 2017.
A public inquiry, chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, examining the circumstances and causes of the disaster, is ongoing.
The man’s arrest was not made in relation to events heard at the Grenfell Tower inquiry this week
The inquiry is not scheduled to finish hearing evidence until December 2021 at the earliest.
This comes after a project manager on the Grenfell Tower refurbishment admitted ‘binning’ her notebooks despite knowing a public inquiry and police investigation were under way.
Scotland Yard is assessing whether Claire Williams, who worked for Grenfell landlords the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (TMO), committed a crime.
Claire Williams, (pictured) a project manager on the Grenfell Tower refurbishment, binned her notebooks despite knowing an investigation was underway
The inquiry into the disaster has already ruled that this cladding was the main reason for the rapid spread of the fire.
Grenfell survivors and relatives of the bereaved have launched a lawsuit against Arconic, the construction giant who supplied the cladding, in the US.
District Judge Michael Baylson said the allegations of ‘cost saving’ is ‘strong evidence of egregious conduct’ by Arconic, which has an annual revenue of £11billion.
The company denies any wrongdoing.
The tragedy claimed 72 lives (pictured) on June 14, 2017
