THE demolition of Grenfell Tower could mean that the injustice of the fatal fire is put “out of sight and out of mind,” a survivor warned yesterday.

The government’s decision, shared with families at a private meeting on Wednesday evening, prompted anger and claims that the voices of many loved ones had been ignored.

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner was met with gasps from a shocked room of mostly bereaved people, who felt there had not been enough consultation.

Grenfell United, which represents some bereaved and survivors, said it appeared from the room that no-one supported her decision, some asking if it could be reversed.

An official update is expected today, but the government previously said there will be no changes to the west London site before the eighth anniversary of the disaster, which claimed 72 lives in June 2017.

What remains of the tower has stood for years, covered with a large green heart and the words “forever in our hearts.”

In a previous update, the government said structural engineering advice remained unchanged, recommending that the significantly damaged part of the building be carefully taken down.

Grenfell United said in a statement: “Angela Rayner could not give a reason for her decision to demolish the tower.

“She refused to confirm how many bereaved and survivors had been spoken to in the recent, short, four-week consultation.

“But judging from the room alone — the vast majority of whom were bereaved — no-one supported her decision. But she claims it was based on our views.”

Emma O’Connor, who lived on the 20th floor and escaped the burning block, said some had hoped that while part of the tower might come down, some of it could be retained and made into a standing memorial.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If it’s really unstable then it should be taken down from the top to the 10th floor, which they say is the most unstable.

“To me, it just seems like if it’s out of sight, it’s definitely out of mind for the people that are actually responsible.”

A government spokesperson said Ms Rayner’s priority is to “meet and write to the bereaved, survivors and the immediate community to let them know her decision” on the site’s future.

Views have varied on what should happen to site, with some feeling the tower should remain in place until criminal prosecutions take place over failings which led to the fire.

The final report of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, published in September, concluded that the disaster was the result of “decades of failure” by government and the construction industry to act on the dangers of flammable materials in high-rise buildings.

Police and prosecutors have said investigators would need until the end of 2025 to complete their inquiry, with final decisions on potential criminal charges by the end of 2026.