The 72 deaths in the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017 were all “avoidable” a report into the tragedy has concluded.

Delivered following a six year inquiry on Wednesday, the final report stated that decades of government failure, indifference to safety by authorities, dishonest and incompetent manufacturers and installers of building materials, and a lack of strategy by firefighters were the main contributors to the shocking death toll.

Those in 24-story block were “badly failed” over a number of years, said inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick. He added that the inquiry has taken longer than hoped due to its broad scope and because “many more matters of concern” had been discovered than originally expected.

The long-awaited report said that the elements identified contributed to varying degrees. This was largely due to incompetence, the chairman said, but in some cases due to “dishonesty and greed”.

The lapses and mistakes detailed in the report into the blaze could trigger criminal charges, although police have said that charges will not be filed before 2026.

This is a developing story. More to come…