Survivor hits out at Rees-Mogg ‘common sense’ comments
TORY MP SHOULD HAVE ‘MEASURED HIS WORDS’ OVER STAY-PUT STRATEGY
A SURVIVOR of the Grenfell fire has urged politicians to think before speaking about the tragedy.
His comments come after Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg told a radio show it was “common sense” to get out of the tower block rather than follow the fire brigade’s “stay put” advice.
Mr Rees-Mogg told LBC Radio host Nick Ferrari on the morning of November 5: “The more one’s read over the weekend about the report and about the chances of people surviving, if you just ignore what you’re told and leave you are so much safer.
“And I think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. It just seems the common sense thing to do. And it is such a tragedy that that didn’t happen.”
His comments shocked many in the Grenfell community who faced the reality of the horrendous dilemma during the disaster, unlike Mr ReesMogg.
Restaurant owner Antonio Roncolato, who lived in the tower for 27 years, quickly exposed the naivety of Mr Rees-Mogg’s comments, saying he had made a number of attempts to ignore advice and get out of the tower but that it was impossible to escape.
He made a number of attempts to escape from his flat but was engulfed in smoke and had to return. He finally got out with the help of firefighters.
Mr Roncolato said of the comments: “A person who is well known has to measure their words. Before you say something, have your analysis and count to 10.
“It is still upsetting. It is a very delicate matter and you do not want to upset people – you have to divert sometimes.”
Mr Roncolato lived in flat 72 on the 10th floor of Grenfell Tower.
He told last year’s Grenfell Inquiry he had many happy memories of life in the tower, but he recalled being unable to breathe as smoke filled the area outside his flat as the disaster, which killed 72 of his neighbours, unfolded.
“The entire communal landing was full of smoke and I could not see anything. The smoke was very smelly and hot. It was suffocating,” he said in his evidence.
He made several attempts to leave the building and described how at 4am “smoke engulfed me” when he opened his flat door.
Eventually he escaped at around 5.46am, guided by two firefighters who were wearing breathing apparatus.
He said he was drenched when he got out at 6.05am, hours after the fire started.
Grenfell United, which represents bereaved, survivors and their families, said: “The Leader of the House of Commons suggesting that the 72 people who lost their lives at Grenfell lacked common sense is beyond disrespectful. It is extremely painful and insulting to bereaved families.”
Mr Rees-Mogg has since apologised for the comments. In a statement issued to the Evening Standard, he said: “I profoundly apologise.”
He added: “What I meant to say is that I would have also listened to the fire brigade’s advice to stay and wait at the time. However, with what we know now and with hindsight I wouldn’t and I don’t think anyone else would.
“I would hate to upset the people of Grenfell if I was unclear in my comments.
“With hindsight and after reading the report, no one would follow that advice. That’s the great tragedy.”
It is extremely painful and insulting to bereaved families