London tower fire: British government sends in task force

The British government is sending in outside experts to help oversee recovery efforts from the Grenfell Tower fire, after strong criticism of the local council’s response.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid says an independent task force will help local officials deal with the “longer-term recovery.”

Kensington and Chelsea Council, the local authority in the area where the fire happened, has faced strong criticism for its slow response to June 14 blaze. The fire killed at least 80 people and left scores homeless.

Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack, the officer in charge of the police investigation, said the final death toll would only be known after officers completed a painstaking search and recovery operation, which would take until the end of the year to complete.

Residents have complained about confusion and delays in getting assistance and finding new accommodation.

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Police say the devastation is so catastrophic that it will be months before the full death toll is known.

The Metropolitan Police said Wednesday that 87 “recoveries” of human remains have been made – but that they may not be from 87 different people.