The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Wife died ‘due to failure of system’
A Grenfell Tower survivor whose wife is considered the 72nd victim of the fire has claimed authorities missed vital warning signs about her deteriorating health.
Nicholas Burton, 50, mourned the loss of his wife of more than 30 years, Maria del Pilar Burton, seven months after they were rescued from their 19th floor flat in the west London block.
The former catering manager, who was a leaseholder in the building, said the displacement caused his 74-year-old partner, a dementia sufferer known as Pily, great distress and confusion.
She suffered a stroke at a care home in the first few days of 2018 and never recovered, dying on January 29.
In his first detailed interview since her death, Mr Burton claimed his wife “passed because of the failing of the system”, adding: “She didn’t pass because it was her time.”
He described Pily as Grenfell’s 72nd victim because the couple were “never reunited” after they escaped the inferno.
Mr Burton said: “It’s now five months since my wife passed on and I’m still waiting for answers from the people I’ve asked these questions of, nothing has come from that.”
The widower stressed Pily’s death was not the “fault” of the care home, instead expressing frustration at the doctors and mental health services who assessed her.
He added: “With all the problems I was highlighting to them, they, the powersthat-be, didn’t act on it.”