Grenfell fireman told not to douse flat where fire began

A GRENFELL Tower fireman was told not to douse the flat where the blaze began, an public inquiry heard, as the man who lived in the apartment gave evidence saying that he sometimes wished he had died with his neighbours.

Michael Dowden, a watch manager, spotted that a blaze on the fourth-floor was spreading on to the external facade but was initially advised not to spray it with water by his colleague.

Fresh details about the response of the London Fire Brigade were outlined in a detailed report published yesterday titled Operational Response to Grenfell Tower, covering between 12.50am and 2am on June 14.

At around 1.06am, the report said: “(Watch Manager) Dowden notes from his position at ground-floor level that the fire has breached the window of flat 16 and he wants to put a covering jet onto it.”

Christopher Secrett, the crew manager, then advised him not to, saying it would put members of the crew who were about to enter the flat at risk.

Behailu Kebede, 45, an Ethiopianborn Uber driver and the tenant of the flat, said: “Sometimes I wish I had burned in the tower with the others. I have been burning inside ever since.”