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		</div><p>Retired Court of Appeal judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick has been appointed to lead the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster, sources have confirmed.</p>
<p>The death toll from the fire is now believed to be around 80, the vast majority of whom were from just 23 flats.</p>
<p>Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted residents will be given a say over the direction of the investigation and Sir Martin&#8217;s appointment is expected to be officially announced on Thursday.</p>
<p>As a lawyer, Sir Martin specialised in commercial law before spending more than 20 years as a judge of the Commercial Court and Court of Appeal.</p>
<p>Survivors and the families of those who died in the devastating blaze will be given state funding for legal representation at the probe.</p>
<p>The Prime Minister said a full judge-led inquiry was needed to ensure the events at the 24-storey block were &#8220;properly investigated&#8221;.</p>
<p>The Metropolitan Police has said it will be months before the final roll call of victims is established.</p>
<p>Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack said contact had been made with at least one occupant from 106 of the 129 flats in the building.</p>
<p>From those properties, 18 people are dead or assumed dead, meaning the remaining victims are thought to have been in the flats wiped out by the inferno.</p>
<p>She said: <i>&#8220;There are 23 flats that, despite huge investigative efforts, we have been unable to trace anyone that lives there.</p>
<p>&#8220;At this stage we must presume that no-one in those flats survived, that includes anyone who lived there or was visiting them.&#8221;</i></p>
<p>Pressed on whether the death toll could climb to triple figures, Ms McCormack said: <i>&#8220;I&#8217;ve said I believe it could increase, I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s going to be triple, no.&#8221;</i></p>
<p>A six-month-old baby was among the latest victims to be identified, found dead in her mother&#8217;s arms in the smoke-filled stairwell.</p>
<p>Westminster Coroner&#8217;s Court opened and adjourned inquests into seven Grenfell Tower victims, including baby Leena Belkadi and her eight-year-old sister Malak.</p>
<p>As the vast criminal investigation into the fire continues, 60 organisations have been identified as having a hand in the tower&#8217;s refurbishment, which is suspected to have helped the blaze spread.</p>
<p>Mrs May confirmed on Wednesday that 120 tower blocks across 37 local authority areas had flammable cladding on their exterior.</p>
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