Louis Browne QC appears at Phase 2 of Grenfell Tower Inquiry

September 20, 2021

Louis Browne QC from Exchange Chambers has today appeared at The Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 on behalf of The Fire Officers’ Association (FOA) and Fire Sector Commander, Richard Welch.

Chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the Inquiry is investigating a list of issues that have been separated into two phases. Phase 1 focused on the factual narrative of the events on the night of 14 June 2017. Hearings for Phase 1 began on 21 May 2018 and concluded on 12 December 2018. The Chairman published his Phase 1 report on 30 October 2019.

Phase 2 of the Inquiry is examining the causes of these events, including how Grenfell Tower came to be in a condition which allowed the fire to spread in the way identified by Phase 1.

In his opening statement, Louis Browne QC described the “wholly impossible” situation firefighters and those in command faced on the night of the fire.

He explained how those in command positions inside and outside the Tower were motivated solely by taking decisions that would, in their honestly held view, facilitate the rescue of those trapped in the Tower.

Louis Browne QC further explained how the Grenfell tragedy was wholly unprecedented in its scale and complexity and the enormous challenges it posed, adding that none of the firefighters, including those in command positions, had any knowledge that Grenfell Tower was clad in such highly combustible rainscreen cladding.

Louis Browne QC is instructed by Burton Copeland Solicitors.

The Inquiry is ongoing.