Grenfell victim’s bone is found in washing machine

THE widow of a man killed in the Grenfell Tower tragedy told of her anger yesterday after a piece of his bone was found in a washing machine.

Flora Neda, 56, had already buried Mohamed Saber Neda’s remains and said she had been devastated to learn the bone fragment had been missed.

Police have apologised to the family after cleaners discovered the fragment a few weeks ago, seven months after the deadly fire killed 71.

Mrs Neda and her son Farhad, 24, held a second funeral to bury the fragment inside Mr Neda’s grave. Police said it was discovered after officers sent his clothes to be professionally cleaned, before they were due to be returned to his family.

Mrs Neda told Channel 4 News: ‘ They found one piece of his bone in the washing machine. I’m angry with that. We are angry. Why didn’t they check proper? Why did it take so long?’ The body of Mr Neda, 57, was found outside the 23-storey tower, suggesting he jumped to escape the flames. A postmortem examination found he had died from multiple injuries consistent with a fall.

Police said the examination, and a separate CT scan of the body, had not identified that any of his remains were missing.

A Metropolitan Police Service spokesman said the family had been informed as soon as possible and the fragment was returned to them at their request. She said: ‘The MPS has apologised to the family of Mohamed Neda for the distress that this has caused... The police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire is one of the most complex investigations undertaken in the history of the Metropolitan Police.’

Mrs Neda and her son were the only residents from the top floor of Grenfell Tower to escape alive after deciding to ignore official advice to stay in their flat and wait for rescue. Mr Neda, a taxi driver, said he would follow them but is believed to have stopped to try to help others. Mrs Neda said: ‘I’m proud of him, he helped people and he died because he wanted to help more people.’