LONDON -- Tuesday's memorial service marked five years since the tragedy. It included the names of 72 victims who were killed in the tower fire at London High Rise.
Sadiq Khan, London Mayor and former Prime Minister Theresa May joined Grenfell Tower survivors at the Westminster Abbey service in memory of those who lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire. This was the worst fire to hit British soil since World War II.
Rev. The Dean of Westminster David Hoyle said that the anguish and loss were "still vividly and sharp."
He said, "Here we renew and remember our commitment to remember those who have died,"
The congregation recited in unison, "Forever in Our Hearts" as religious leaders read the names of the victims.
Grenfell Tower's inferno, a public housing tower in Britain's richest borough, Kensington and Chelsea, shocked the nation. It prompted soul-searching about officials and businesses who contributed to so many deaths.
In the middle of the night, the fire started in a kitchen on fourth floor of the tower. It quickly spread outwards like a lit fuse. The fire erupted because of a flammable panel installed on the tower's outer walls.
Community groups will meet in the shadows behind the tower on Tuesday to place flowers and wreaths. Local residents will join a silent walk that begins at the tower's base and will be joined by firefighters from all over the country to form a guard.
The disaster has been the subject of a long-running investigation by a public inquiry. A large police investigation is ongoing. Police have stated that no one has been arrested and there will not be any prosecutions until the public inquiry is complete.
This has led to many bereaved families and survivors being frustrated. The Rev. The Rev. Graham Tomlin is the bishop of Kensington. He said that many families can't move forward until they find justice.
He told Times Radio that "they can't find any sense or acceptance of what's occurred in their lives." "They cannot rebuild their lives until they feel justice. People believe that something was wrong at Grenfell, but no one has been held accountable."
The British government has banned the use of metal composite cladding panels in new buildings. Officials also issued new safety regulations that require similar dangerous cladding to go from tower blocks all over the country. It's a costly job, and some apartments have not been completed because of disputes over who should pay.
