A US judge in Philadelphia has dismissed a lawsuit filed last year against manufacturers Whirlpool, Arconic and Celotex over their alleged role in the 2017 fire at London’s Grenfell Tower, which killed 72 people.
In his 16 September ruling, US District Judge Michael Baylson said the case should be litigated in the United Kingdom, reports the Associated Press.
As GCR reported at the time, attorney Robert Mongeluzzi filed a 143-count wrongful-death and products-liability complaint at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in June 2019.
He wanted a jury trial, compensation and punitive damages on behalf of 247 Grenfell plaintiffs in all.
They claimed Arconic supplied the Reynobond Polyethylene Cladding (PE) panels on the tower; that Celotex supplied the insulation used in the cladding system; and that Whirlpool manufactured the fridge-freezer thought to be linked to the start of the fire.
However, Judge Baylson ruled that it would be more efficient to try the case in the UK, because of the ongoing government investigation into the fire, and the availability of witnesses and potential co-defendants.
In response to the ruling, attorney Robert Mongeluzzi said his clients were considering their options, including an appeal.
Image: Grenfell Tower still burning at 4.43am on 14 June 2017, London (Natalie Oxford/CC By 4.0)
