17/06/2017 BBC Weekend News

58 people are presumed to have died in the fire at Grenfell Tower.

Police warn that number is expected to rise.

Officers appeal for information from those who were inside the building

and say they'll do everything they can to identify the victims.

You have the absolute commitment of myself,

the Metropolitan Police and other agencies involved that as soon

as we can, we will recover those that have died in Grenfell Tower.

Relatives and volunteers meet with Theresa May at Downing Street

as she admits the Government's response in the hours

after the disaster has not been good enough.

It was a robust discussion, there was forceful emotion

in the room and people were able to say what they wanted to say

and we felt that was listened to and listened to carefully.

The Queen observes a minute's silence at Trooping The Colour and

And, in other news, Bill Cosby walks free from court after a jury

is unable to reach a verdict in his sexual assault trial.

58 people are now presumed to have died in the fire

Police have warned the death toll is likely to rise.

The BBC understands the number of dead or missing could be around 70.

Today, following a meeting with some of those affected,

Theresa May admitted the Government response in the initial aftermath

In the Midsummer heat, Grenfell Tower casts a long shadow.

A new, dark reality on the London skyline

A site which stops you in your tracks.

It is hard to know what to say, yeah.

We just said that everyone is busy talking

Four days on from disaster and with every

Sadly, at this time, there are 58 people who, we have

been told were in Grenfell Tower on the night that are missing and

therefore, sadly, I have to assume that they are dead.

The investigations into how this happened will be complex and lengthy

but the residents association for Grenfell Tower and the surrounding

blocks is already calling for the council

and its management agency to be suspended from their

Andrea Newton says the community felt ignored long before the

These are fundamental questions and we are days after this disaster.

Today, the residents brought those frustrations to

It was a robust discussion, there was forceful

emotion in the room and people were able

to say what they wanted to say and we felt that was listened

In a statement, the Prime Minister said.

An analysis which chimes with the volunteers who have been

working flat out to help victims in the absence of effective

They have been completely let down and it is the same people

that potentially might have caused this matter not

It is tragic and if it wasn't for the community here at the

volunteers, I would dread to think what would have

The Prime Minister says she accepts that there are huge

frustrations here and she is promising to send more support into

It is the sort of help which is desperately needed, but

this community could have used it days ago.

Were you reassured by what Theresa May

With so much pain and frustration here, there are

warnings that government help must work with the community to avoid

And high in Grenfell Tower, the operation

A reminder of what has been lost and the scale of the task ahead.

Jeremy Cooke, BBC News, North Kensington.

Our political correspondent Alex Forsyth is in

Of course that meeting there with those affected by the fire, I guess

in some part to try to soften some of the anger we have seen in the

past few days. What's your assessment of the day's events? The

statement that Theresa May issued after that meeting was clearly an

attempt to countersome of the claims her Government's response has lacked

sympathy and understanding. It was a long statement. In which the Prime

Minister said she had heard the concerns of residents. Their

frustration and their fear their voices hadn't been listened to and

questions were going unanswered. She announced a series of measures,

money immediate for things like food and clothes, a promise to rehouse

people, extra personnel and support on the ground to offer advice. And

the response from some in the community is, so far, cautiously

optimistic. But Theresa May has been under significant pressure, not just

in terms of her handling of what happened at Grenfell Tower, but also

because of the result of the election which left her position

weakened. This was clearly an attempt to try to put her Government

back on the front foot, to show that she understands, that she's offering

support and providing action too. This was her trying to cement her

authority. The question remains whether it will be enough?

Particularly for those in the community which has lost so much.

Thank you. Amid that anger that not enough's

been done to help those affected by the disaster,

some people are still trying to find answers

about what happened to relatives, This is a tragedy that has

shaken faith, in safety, It has brought a tight

community even closer, waiting still for any news

of the missing. Dozens from Grenfell Tower are lost,

faces from the floors that The anger and demands

for accountability are growing. It's always the public

that runs to rescue. Where's the authorities?

Where are they? Forgotten corners of this area have

become shrines to Grenfell, As the days since the tragedy wear

on, the hope of friends The only comfort now would be

answers as to what happened. Instead, there is the

pain of not knowing. Though as time passes,

more are presumed dead. Still missing, 57-year-old Hesham

Rahman, originally from Egypt. His mother and nephew

fear the worst. Hesham called her shortly

after 3.00am as the fire The last thing he said

to my grandmother was, I had spoken to the police,

told them that the smoke was coming into my house and they told me

that they were coming, close your door, put some wet

towels on the floor. We're coming to get you,

it's going to be all right. So, he then said to my grandmother,

once I'm out I'll let How are you bearing

up at the moment? We all want the same answers,

we're all frustrated but we really We all want to achieve the same

thing but not with aggression. A mother who watched her son's

nearby home turn to horror. One story among so many

from the hell of Grenfell Tower. Mark Lowen, BBC News,

North Kensington. The Queen observed a minute's

silence at the Trooping of the Colour parade today in memory

of all those who died in Grenfell Tower and in the recent

attacks Manchester and London. Earlier, she issued an unprecedented

statement on what is her official birthday in which she said

it was difficult to escape the very Our Royal correspondent

Nicolas Witchall reports. On a day intended for celebration,

the Queen led the nation in sorrow. Before leaving Buckingham Palace

for Horse Guards, she stood with the Duke of Edinburgh

for a minute's silence. A moment of reflection,

joined by the Foot Guards on the parade ground and the Cavalry

at the Palace gates in remembrance of those lost at Grenfell Tower

and in the terrorist attacks In a statement issued at 6.00am this

morning the Queen said. Yesterday she had visited the scene

of the fire at Grenfell Tower and met some of those who have lost

friends and neighbours. It had clearly made

a deep impression. The Foot Guards marched and trooped

the Colour of the Irish Guards. And the Royal Family appeared

on the Palace balcony where Prince George,

as usual, stole the show gazing down at the crowds and as then as the RAF

fly-past appeared up at the sky This was a year when the head

of state reflected the country's Nicolas Witchall, BBC

News, Buckingham Palace. Since the fire, the Government

has ordered councils across England to check the safety

of their buildings. Many have sought to reassure tenants

living in tower blocks. But, as our correspondent

Duncan Kennedy reports, it's not just tower blocks that

are coming under scrutiny. In all parts of the country, in all

kinds of buildings, the Grenfell fire is changing people's lives. How

long have you lived here? Nearly 40 years. Like Mo who has lived on the

20th floor of her tower block in Southampton since 1977. Without a

worry, until this week. The block is due to be cladded. But after

cladding came under suspicion in the west London fire, skachlt mo has

called the council to an immediate meeting to express residents'

doubts. Because the flats are a lot of flats are very damp and the heat

something not a very good system and it's quite cold, we were all pushing

for our cladding to be done. And now? To make it warmer. And now, I

want reassurances before I will go as rep to the come to say we will

have it done. Seven years ago, this tower block fire in Southampton

killed two firefighters. There was no connection with cladding, but it

did bring changes. The blaze here led to a complete rethink about

safety. And sprinklers were added not only here but to buildings

across the city. Now in the wake of the Grenfell fire, the Government

has ordered councils to look at all their buildings and not just the

tower blocks. And not just old buildings either. This student

accommodation in Nottingham was built only three years ago and came

with cladding designed into it. But it will also be examined by experts

just to make sure it is fire resistant. It's something they

should look at but it shouldn't worry residents at all. We have fire

alarms tests every week and had another one today. So we keep

checking it. Wherever you go, public sector buildings are being checked.

Here at Hull's Royal Infirmary NHS officials have been trying to

reassure local people. Saying that cladding on the building is safe.

From Cornwall to Lincolnshire, meetings are being held and nerves

steadied. Tower blocks and other buildings once only talked about in

terms of their aesthetics and quality, are now places for

discussions about safety and protection. Duncan Kennedy, BBC

News, Southampton. An investigation has begun into how

a US Navy Destroyer, one of the most sophisticated

warships in the world, was involved in a collision with

a vast container ship off Japan. Seven crew members are still missing

after the USS Fitzgerald, which has now arrived back at port,

was hit by the Philippine vessel The ship's commanding

officer has been taken The husband of Jo Cox -

the MP who was murdered last year - has said his wife would be

incredibly humbled by events held Brendan Cox, who helped organise

"The Great Get Together", said it showed the country

was crying out for a sense The entertainer Bill Cosby has

walked free from a court in the United States after a judge

declared a mistrial in his The jury were unable

to reach a decision on whether the 79-year-old

was guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting

a woman 13 years ago. After so many accused him of being

a calculated sexual predator, Bill Cosby is free now to go

home from court. The jury didn't acquit him,

but they could not unanimously We came here looking

for an acquittal, but like that Rolling Stones song says,

you don't always get what you want - God bless you all,

and happy Father's Day. The mistrial was celebrated like

a victory by Cosby's supporters. What do you say to those

people who say, well, 60 women came forward

and accused him of assault. Back in his heyday,

Bill Cosby was the most prominent African-American,

the highest-paid actor, But dozens of women came

forward saying he drugged Most cases couldn't go

to trial it was so long One case was heard in court, though,

brought by Andrea Constand, a former university employee

who claims that in 2004 Bill Cosby didn't take

the stand during his trial. Instead, his defence

team tried to undermine Women's rights lawyers have

been appalled but say If the court allows more accusers

to testify next time, In other words, it's too early

to celebrate, Mr Cosby. Round two may be just

around the corner. For now, Bill Cosby walks free,

but there is the prospect that he is going to be retried,

and there is no question that in spite of this result,

his reputation as something of an American father figure

has now been tarnished. You can see more on all of today's

stories on the BBC News Channel. That's all from me

and the team here.