Just announced
“A new inquest is due to start today into the deaths of 13 black partygoers in a fire more than 20 years ago. It follows a long campaign after the first hearing - weeks after the tragedy in Deptford - returned open verdicts. The new inquest will last three months and feature more than 100 witnesses.Those who died at the party in New Cross Road, in 1981, were between 15 and 20. Circumstances surrounding the outbreak of the blaze have never been fully established.” Evening Standard
I cannot help but wonder is this is worth the millions this enquiry will cost.
I believe the enquiry is being demanded because there were rumours that the fire was started by a firebomb thrown by racists. There were furious protests at the time and even today some radical black groups insist this is what happened. The problem is that there is little to support this supposition. As the BBC says “The forensic evidence did not bear the firebomb theory out and today there are few who remain convinced that racists were to blame”.
According to Precious magazine “Detectives investigating the 1981 New Cross Fire have revealed that it was started deliberately. Using new forensic techniques the Metropolitan Police, Race and Violent Crime Task Force have now detected that a naked flame and not a cigarette was placed next to an armchair to start the blaze”. This sound to me like a prank gone horribly wrong. One of the partygoers started the blaze and 14 people died. It is a case of mass manslaughter or possible mass murder (but I doubt it).
In any case, continued police investigation is sufficient but an enquiry is excessive. If 14 white people had died in the blaze 20 years ago, I doubt there would be an enquiry. This looks like a very expensive community relations exercise for little or no good.
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