Lakanal House fire: Concerns remain after deadly flat block blaze

Following the 50-day inquest, the coroner Judge Frances Kirkham recorded a narrative verdict and made various recommendations to Southwark Council, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the LFB in the hope of preventing similar tragedies.

Among the recommendations was to retrofit sprinklers in high-rise buildings, review the LFB’s “stay-put” policy and to review building regulations on combustible materials.

But the coroner could not legally compel public bodies to adopt the changes.

Speaking following the inquest’s conclusion in March 2013, Mbet Udoaka, who lost his wife and baby, said: “Nearly four years later and after a long inquest, no authority, organisation or body has said sorry to us or accepted the blame.

“We fear very much that lessons have not been learned.”

Nearly eight years after the Lakanal fire, 72 people died in the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017.

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry will publish its final report in September.