The families of victims who died in the Grenfell Tower fire said they have been sent letters telling them unidentified human remains are still in storage, and could be their loved ones.
“It’s like opening their graves again,” said Sawsan Choucair, who lost six members of her family in the fire.
She and her brother Hisam thought they had laid all of their family to rest when they buried the remains they were given in 2017.
Then, in November, they received a letter from the police, sent on behalf of the coroner.
It said remains of their relatives could still be among a small quantity of unidentified remains in storage, but may possibly be mixed up with other victims.
“This retraumatisation, triggered at the wrong time in the wrong way, is deeply distressing, unnecessary and badly handled,” said Hisam.
It is almost eight years since Britain’s deadliest residential fire since the Second World War ripped through the 23-storey building, killing 72 people. It began a national reckoning over the safety and conditions of social housing.
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The letter, sent to the families about the unidentified remains, asked relatives if they wanted the remains to be buried or held in storage.
“How can we make a decision about comingled ashes that may or may not be our loved ones?” asked a man who lost his father and spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity. “We are left with a lot of deep and disturbing questions.”
Grenfell Next of Kin, a group representing family members, said they did not know where the remains were being stored.
‘Cold’ and impersonal letter
Family members criticised the police for the “cold” and impersonal letter, rather than sending someone to tell them in person.
“This is a really inhumane way of dealing with us, and constantly refreshing this wound,” she said.
The shell of the tower remains covered in protective wrap, with the government expected to make a statement on the site’s future next month. A 2023 report looking at a future memorial site said some remains had not been identified and remained in the care of the coroner.
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“After the tragedy, the coroner met with bereaved families, and faith and community leaders,” the report reads.
“It was agreed that these remains should be laid to rest respectfully and in accordance with the families’ wishes. Early conversations indicated that this could be as part of the memorial at the site.”
Read more on the Grenfell tragedy:
‘Path to disaster’ – key findings from the inquiry report
These are the people who died
Work to remove deadly cladding slow
The coroner’s office and the British department for housing, communities and local government declined to comment when approached by Reuters.
London’s Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Stuart Cundy said the force would not comment on personal and confidential matters.
