BBC announces three-part drama about Grenfell Tower fire tragedy

After more than five years and still unknown circumstances, the BBC announced a three-part drama about the Grenfell fire. The series will be produced by writer and director Peter Kosminsky and explore the events of the 2017 fire in the west of London, where 72 people were killed.

It is assumed that on June 14, 2017, a refrigerator sparked a fire in London's Grenfell Tower. Because the event took place at night, many people were at home. This resulted in the deaths of over 70 people and the injuries of another 70. Almost 200 people had to flee their homes from the fire, which burned for more than two days.

The upcoming drama will "shine light on the human stories of those caught up in the tragedy". The stories show various perspectives and give deep insights into what occurred.

The research dates back to the night of the fire in 2017. It will be based on information obtained from public sources, extensive interviews conducted by Kosminsky, and information received from the enquiry hearings held in the aftermath of the fire.

BAFTA award winning director Kosminsky said "Occasionally, events occur in our national story which touch us all. The fire at Grenfell Tower is such an event."

"We remember what we were doing when we heard about it, remember the pictures, the saturation coverage," he continued. "And yet, despite this, despite the many newspaper pages and TV hours devoted to the story, we may be left with a less than clear sense of exactly what happened, what went wrong.“

According to the BBC, the drama will aim to provide a comprehensive account of the events leading up to, during, and after the fire.

"In our drama, we attempt to pick our way through hours of public testimony, as well as original interviews conducted by our team, to reach the heart of this catastrophe: how such a thing can have happened, how we can avoid it ever happening again," Kosminsky said.

 

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It is expected that Grenfell will highlight a range of stories, from those who survived the fire to those who lost loved ones. Also included are the emergency services who responded to reports of a fire on the evening of June 14, 2017, as well as the community within which the remains of Grenfell Tower still stand.

The production company, The Forge, will produce the series for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Ahmed Peerbux will thereby serve as associate producer. Mark Pybus for The Forge, and Lucy Richer for the BBC will serve as executive producers.

Associate producer Peerbux said: "We have been working on this drama for more than five years now, and it is only right that such a terrible event, seared into the national psyche, should be approached with rigour and not rushed.“

"We are immensely grateful to the men and women who have shared their stories with us, and let us into their lives - we couldn't possibly hope to honour their experiences without the time and trust they have given us."

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said "Grenfell was a tragedy that touched the entire nation, and is one of the most significant and devastating events in our recent history“.

"In the trusted hands of Peter, Ahmed and their dedicated team, Grenfell will utilise drama's unique ability to sensitively and respectfully show the human side of what happened, and to offer a response to some of the many unanswered questions that remain."