Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LIKE HELL ON EARTH
Horror as residents say they predicted a tragedy 4 years ago New cladding may have boosted inferno that killed at least 12
SURVIVORS of the horror flats inferno told how the blaze ripped through the block in no time – as it was revealed residents warned the building was a deathtrap. At least 12 people died in the fire and police said that figure was likely to rise, with 18 people still fighting for their lives last night. Emergency crews said they were faced with a blaze “unprecedented in scale, speed and spread” which left people trapped in their flats as flames and thick smoke engulfed them. And it was still ablaze last night, nearly 24 hours after it started. Eyewitnesses told of babies being flung from windows to people waiting below. No alarms were heard as frantic neighbours tried to alert others as they fled when the inferno took hold shortly after 1am – with some saying it was caused by an exploding fridge. And residents spoke of their fury after claiming warnings about the Grenfell Tower block in Kensington, West London – which had recently undergone a £8.6million refurbishment by Rydon Construction – being a fire hazard were ignored. The Grenfell Action Group, which wrote about the dangers in November, said: “All our warnings fell on deaf ears and we predicted a catastrophe like this was inevitable and just a matter of time.” David Collins of the block’s residents association added: “We repeatedly reported concerns to the Tenant Management Organisation of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, including fire safety concerns, which were not investigated during the regeneration. Concerns over locations of boilers, about fire escapes and lighting, the list goes on. I spoke to councillors and they refused to investigate.” The GAG had warned in 2013 that emergency access to the tower was blocked, fire extinguishers were out of date and there had been a series of power surges that caused smoke to pour into flats from electric appliances. Local campaigner Piers Thompson said: “There are a lot of people who have a lot of questions about this. When we get over the grieving, we’re going to be looking to see justice done. In terms of the number of fatalities, we’re expecting something really, really dreadful.” The TMO said it was “too early to speculate what caused the fire and contributed to its spread”. It added: “We are aware that concerns have been raised historically by residents.” The blaze started as most people, many with young children, were in bed. They had been advised to stay in their flats and block underneath doors with towels if there was a fire and that help would come within an hour. But as the scale of the danger became clear, it was too late for some to get out as their homes succumbed. Those who did flee unharmed told of corridors and stairwells filled with thick black smoke, ensuing panic and dashes to safety with young children. Dad-of-two Mahad Egal, who lives on the fourth floor, said the first he knew about the blaze was when a neighbour knocked on his door. He added: “It was so dark. I wrapped some wet towels around the kids’ heads to protect them from the smoke and then we ran. “Outside, we were confronted by my neighbour who said, ‘Are you OK? It was my flat. My fridge exploded.’” Mahad’s neighbour, pregnant Maryam Adam, 41, added: “The neighbour knocked on the door and said there was a fire in his flat. “When we got up I saw outside his flat his luggage. That means he took the stuff then he told the neighbours.” Yahaya el Mohammed, 16, said: “I was awoken by the screams as I live nearby. I ran outside and saw the flames. I saw at least three or four kids wrapped in blankets and carpets who were thrown to safety. People caught
them.” Ahmed Chellat, 60, spent yesterday walking the streets looking for his relatives, who lived on the 21st floor. He added: “I was on the phone to my sister-in-law saying, ‘Get out, get out’ but she said they’d been told to stick towels under the door and stay inside and wait to be rescued. “She said, ‘Smoke is coming through, it is coming under the doors’ and then I got cut off. That is the last time I heard from her. I don’t know what has happened to them.” Met chief Stuart Cundy warned “the number of fatali- ties will sadly increase”. He added: “I don’t anticipate further survivors.” The London Fire Brigade’s Steve Apter would not confirm the exploding fridge sparked the disaster. He added: “The investigation’s in its preliminary stages.” Experts believe rain cladding added to the tower may have caused the inferno to spread faster. Chartered surveyor Arnold Tarling said it makes a gap between the insulation which can act like a “chimney”. He added: “It produces a wind tunnel and traps burning material. So had it been insulated per se, the insulation could fall off, but this is all contained inside.” Rydon insisted its work “met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards”. There were last night fears the building could collapse. Theresa May said: “An investigation will take place into the cause of the fire.” Community centres, churches and mosques opened their doors to the residents as donations of food, water, clothes and essentials piled up.