The Hammersmith area of London, where the Grenfell Tower is located, has been gentrified. As a cosmetic measure, the Grenfell Tower was refurbished in 2014. Repeated warnings from the Grenfell Tower residents that this was a disaster waiting to happen were ignored. The Grenfell Tower disaster is a product of a deep societal divide in Britain, where wealth is increasingly concentrated among a small minority. If cities are to reduce the risk of disasters, like the Grenfell fire, we must focus on social justice in urban development.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 21, 2017 18:11 UTC