Relation tells of heartbreaking 999 calls as family died in Grenfell Tower

 A family of five who perished in Grenfell Tower made frantic 999 calls, the inquiry heard yesterday amid a row over the fire brigade’s “stay put” strategy. Hashim Kedir made a series of calls pleading for help as fire and smoke engulfed his family’s flat on the 22nd floor of the tower block.

Mr Kedir, 44, died alongside his wife Nura Jemal, 35, and their three children, daughter Firdows Hashim, 12, and sons Yahya Hashim, 13, and Yaqub Hashim, six.

The Daily Telegraph yesterday disclosed disquiet among some survivors and victims’ relatives over the advice given by London Fire Brigade for the residents to “stay put” and await rescue.

For almost two hours, they were told to remain in their flats before the advice was abandoned.

John Healey, Labour’s shadow housing minister, said yesterday that the policy “clearly wasn’t” the right advice given the catastrophic failure of the tower to contain the blaze in the fourth floor apartment where the fire had begun.

The advice given to Mr Kedir by emergency call handlers was not disclosed at the inquiry yesterday. Evidential hearings begin next month.

But Assema Kedir Habib, Mr Kedir’s sister, said in a statement she had heard recordings of the 999 calls. “I heard my brother calling Yaqub’s name repeatedly in an attempt to keep him conscious, telling him he would be OK… telling him he loves him. I heard Yaqub reply, ‘I love you too, daddy’. All the joy and energy from his voice was drawn out and they were replaced by heart wrecking confusion, sadness and fear.”

London Fire brigade is unable to comment ahead of the inquiry and ongoing police investigation. But it insisted it did all it could on the night to save lives in the fire, which killed 72 people. Mr Healey called on the Government to put in place a national strategy for evacuating towers that have cladding similar to Grenfell.