Reading of witness statements from Gloria Trevisan's parents, Emmanuelle Oda Sorro and Loris Trevisan. Describes their daughter's final phone calls from Flat 202 on the 23rd floor, where she died alongside Marco Gottardi and two neighbors.
00:14:01 yes mr. Rohit good afternoon sir if I may continue with our task of putting into the record your name is from the bereaved survivors and residents and
00:14:12 bereaved survivors and residents and there are two more statements to deal with today right the first statement is that of mrs. Emmanuelle Oda sorrow can I please have iws five zeros five four
00:14:24 please have iws five zeros five four three on the screen please if we could go to page 15 and we see on that page
00:14:36 go to page 15 and we see on that page that the statement is signed and carries a statement of truth although it isn't dated there on the front page if we go back to that that carries the date of the first of June 2008 mrs. de sorrow is
00:14:50 the first of June 2008 mrs. de sorrow is the mother of Gloria Trevisan who died on the night of the fire yes and I would propose to read a number of the paragraphs from that statement if I may yeah and I begin with paragraph 1 I am the mother of Gloria Trevisan who
00:15:04 I am the mother of Gloria Trevisan who at the age of 26 lost her life alongside her boyfriend Marco guitar D in flat 202 on the 23rd floor of Grand Hall tower during the terrible fire that took hold on June
00:15:15 terrible fire that took hold on June 14th 2017 I now understand that Marjorie in Ernie Vittal who also lived in the tower took refuge in flat 202 and also lost their lives there Gloria was born
00:15:29 lost their lives there Gloria was born on 2nd December 1990 I felt like we were joined together by fate her father Loras and I bought Gloria up in the family
00:15:40 and I bought Gloria up in the family home in campus mpro in the province of padua in the Veneto region of Italy she was younger than her brother Julia Julia and Gloria had a very close relationship
00:15:51 and Gloria had a very close relationship very affectionate Julia would call her my doll he was protective of her if I continue at paragraph 5 mrs. de cera statement continues Gloria was so good
00:16:04 statement continues Gloria was so good at design that after she finished school she went on to study at a higher level art school but knowing you cannot live off art alone she decided to enroll in an architectural Institute because she
00:16:15 an architectural Institute because she had an interest in old buildings and wish to work in restoration she studied architecture specializing in new an antique buildings at IU AV which is the University Institute of
00:16:26 is the University Institute of architecture of Venice Gloria had a particular interest in the restoration of old buildings and aspired to find a job that would allow her to do this it was while studying at university the
00:16:39 it was while studying at university the glory met Marco who was also an architecture student they were very happy together Gloria who lived at home throughout her studies graduated on 18th October 2016
00:16:51 studies graduated on 18th October 2016 and then tried to find work near where we were Marco had graduated some time before her in July 2016 Gloria did find a job but it didn't give her any
00:17:02 a job but it didn't give her any satisfaction because there wasn't the opportunity to do restoration work and the pay was low Gloria and Marco had life plans together and they would not be happy just surviving they were both
00:17:14 be happy just surviving they were both in a similar situation so they talked about it and in around December 2016 they decided to move to London simply because they could learn English and could turn their hand to any sort of work their dream was to become part of a
00:17:27 work their dream was to become part of a studio where they could fulfill their professional aspirations and where the quality of their work would be appreciated speaking economically Gloria didn't want to be a further burden on the family they spent some time making
00:17:41 the family they spent some time making plans to move to London they would learn English and find a job if they could not find a job related to that profession they would do something else moving to
00:17:52 they would do something else moving to London Gloria and mark eventually moved to London on 4th March 2017 they had a basic understanding of English and did an intensive two-week English course they spent their first
00:18:03 English course they spent their first fortnight studying and living with the family they stated one Marcus cousins until the end of March while looking for a flood in their search for a home together
00:18:13 together Gloria and Marco viewed two or three flats they ventured chose flat 202 on the 23rd floor of Granville Tower they moved in around early April and seemed
00:18:24 moved in around early April and seemed to be very happy there gloria found work before marco after applying for a job at peregrine bryant architecture and building conservation in full and palace she told me mum pray
00:18:36 in full and palace she told me mum pray for me that they take me on when she learned that she had secured her dream job she rang me and said mum i'm happy that they want me she had achieved her main aim it could have taken years
00:18:47 main aim it could have taken years before she mam but she managed to find it in a few weeks gloria loved where she worked and sent me photographs of the beautiful surroundings around her office on her first day on the morning she arrived on
00:18:58 first day on the morning she arrived on 5th June 2017 she told me look mum where I'm working it's in a wonderful Park it was stupendous were exactly what she wanted and the wage matched her capacities she felt that she had been
00:19:11 capacities she felt that she had been justified she was finally doing the work that she dreamed of doing helping to restore old buildings to their former glory
00:19:18 glory a little after Brewer found her job Marco also found work as an arti as an architect at CIA Oh creative ideas and architectural office limited Gloria was
00:19:30 architectural office limited Gloria was so happy because she'd found what she wanted but she missed her home very much she missed the food the son and her family her brother and their friends they didn't have the same friends in
00:19:41 they didn't have the same friends in England but she was happy with work I used to speak Leonora almost every day and when she didn't speak to me she would speak to her father she would also speak to her cousin Georgia everyday
00:19:52 speak to her cousin Georgia everyday they were like sisters so I now move on to the next part of mr. Saurez statement which begins the day of the fire and if I pick it up at
00:20:05 the fire and if I pick it up at paragraph 15 it continues I know Gloria went to work and from a photo I have been shown by the police she came back to the tower at 7:55 p.m. with Marco and
00:20:16 to the tower at 7:55 p.m. with Marco and they took the lift to the 23rd floor the 14th June 2017 was our wedding anniversary this is the irony of fate I had asked glory to come back for our
00:20:27 had asked glory to come back for our ninfa for our anniversary however it was Marcos birthday the week after and so they planned to come to us the following week they had booked flights home for the following Wednesday
00:20:38 the following Wednesday first June calls from Gloria on Wednesday 14th June 2017 in the early hours of Wednesday 14th June we received
00:20:51 hours of Wednesday 14th June we received a series of whatsapp calls and voice messages from Gloria Italy was one hour ahead of the UK so the times I mentioned are times other times in Italy throughout the night I would always wait
00:21:03 throughout the night I would always wait for Gloria to call because I didn't want to interrupt them in case they were able to escape at the end of each core Gloria would say mum I'll call you later I
00:21:14 would say mum I'll call you later I didn't know what she was going to do in the meantime to flee or whatever it was but I didn't want to interrupt by calling her I thought they would get out or someone would come and get them I didn't want to disturb them in total we
00:21:27 didn't want to disturb them in total we received four calls but we only recorded part of the third call and the whole of her final call she also left three voice messages to her friends her cousin Georgia and to me much of our
00:21:40 Georgia and to me much of our conversation that night was personal and I wish to keep that private between us call 1 234 AM 134 a.m. UK time a 234 AM
00:21:53 call 1 234 AM 134 a.m. UK time a 234 AM lorises phone rang he answered but couldn't hear anything call to 234 AM 134 AM UK time then straight after at
00:22:07 134 AM UK time then straight after at 2:34 a.m. my mobile phone rang it was Gloria first thing I thought was that she wanted to wish me a happy anniversary instead the first thing she said to me was that there was a problem
00:22:19 said to me was that there was a problem she told me straight away that a fire had broken out she was obviously very frightened she said she woke up because she could hear hard knocks on the door there was a woman shouting and screaming
00:22:31 there was a woman shouting and screaming Gloria and marker opened the door and found two people outside a young man and a woman Gloria thought that they must have lived on the same floor they let them come into the flat these are the
00:22:44 them come into the flat these are the only two other people Gloria talked about that night I now know from the police that these two people stayed in the flat until the fire came they died alongside Gloria and
00:22:55 fire came they died alongside Gloria and Marco I only found out last month that the woman and Sun came up to the 23rd floor from a lower floor because they were told by firefighters to go up to seek refuge rather than to go downstairs
00:23:07 seek refuge rather than to go downstairs they knocked on the door an hour and a half before the end surely there would have been time for them to get downstairs Gloria Marco were two young people they could have got out when Gloria Marco
00:23:19 could have got out when Gloria Marco opened the door they could see straight away that the floor was filled with a thick dense smoke they ran straight to the window she told me that there was fire downstairs she was extremely
00:23:30 fire downstairs she was extremely frightened and I couldn't calm her down the first thing I asked was what floor was the fire on I was trying to understand the seriousness of it she said she thought
00:23:41 seriousness of it she said she thought it was the third or fourth floor she told me there were firefighters downstairs and a lot of people there Gloria was so frightened that I asked to speak to Marco I wanted to speak to him
00:23:53 speak to Marco I wanted to speak to him because he was very reasonable and never exaggerated I asked Marco to tell me what the situation was he said the firemen are there there were a lot of people downstairs everything
00:24:04 a lot of people downstairs everything seemed to be under control I don't know how they were told but Gloria told me that they were told to stay inside Marco said I shouldn't be worried because it wasn't that serious according to him there will be a solution
00:24:16 there will be a solution knowing Marco knowing that he's not someone who lies he's a very sound grounded person he wasn't lying so I was therefore reassured he calmed me down saying the fire brigade was there I don't know if
00:24:28 fire brigade was there I don't know if Marco ever spoke to the fire brigade marco was very rational he didn't use the instinct he used reason he wouldn't allow himself to be panicked he followed the rules if someone said don't go out
00:24:40 the rules if someone said don't go out he wouldn't go out my own son would do the opposite Marco then passed me back to Gloria she told me that she Marco and the two people who had wakened them up were making signs to make themselves
00:24:52 were making signs to make themselves visible
00:24:53 visible I told Gloria the first thing you have to do is to get a wet towel put it around your mouth and get down stares Laura said they absolutely could not get out because there was too much smoke so I told her to go up to the roof
00:25:07 smoke so I told her to go up to the roof she said they could not because there was a lot gate blocking the door to the roof they decided to stay inside they were saying they told us to stay inside but I don't know who they is Gloria was
00:25:20 but I don't know who they is Gloria was extremely afraid really terrified I told her to get her documents put them in a pocket and go downstairs I was thinking at least if they faint and a rescued the emergency services will be able to
00:25:31 emergency services will be able to identify them sometime after the fire I saw a youtube video by a man who I think lived on the same floor I saw a woman knock on a door we heard Marcos voice
00:25:42 knock on a door we heard Marcos voice respond and say we can't get out I believe the video is still available on YouTube and will endeavor to provide a link to this Gloria told us that the doors are very hot and Marco had put a
00:25:53 doors are very hot and Marco had put a wet towel at the door to stop the smoke from the stairs coming in and that they could hear a siren but I don't know if it was the emergency services outside or an alarm inside the building I told
00:26:05 an alarm inside the building I told Laura to keep the towel and breathe in and to go and wave out the window so the firefighters could see her the call lasted 30 minutes and 53 seconds and ended at 3:05 a.m. 2:05 UK time call 3
00:26:22 ended at 3:05 a.m. 2:05 UK time call 3 308 a.m. 208 a.m. UK time a 308 a.m. Gloria left or whatsapp voice message to her group of friends saying goodbye I
00:26:33 her group of friends saying goodbye I have since heard this message the call lasted a few seconds the girls in the group could hear an alarm in the background I think this sound came from the building call 403 12 a.m. o to 12 a.m.
00:26:48 building call 403 12 a.m. o to 12 a.m. UK time a 3:12 a.m. gloria called me again i could hear an alarm in the background gloria was talking to Marco I heard them say what are they going to do
00:26:59 heard them say what are they going to do then I heard Marco speaking in English as someone else but I don't know who Laura told me I'm putting the phone down now I assumed this meant they had found
00:27:10 now I assumed this meant they had found way out and they would talk to me later call 503 13 a.m. Oh 2:13 a.m. UK time at 3:30 a.m. gloria called back this time
00:27:22 3:30 a.m. gloria called back this time with a video call an alarm can need to continue to go off in the background she was very frightened she said they were just waiting to know what they should do if they should go out
00:27:33 if they should go out I told Gloria to go and breathe out of the window she told me no I'm not going to do that but I don't know why I thought perhaps the firefighters were there but I didn't know Gloria just
00:27:44 there but I didn't know Gloria just didn't know what to do and told me it's not a small fire it's a very large fire look London is locked up have a look and then she put the phone out of the window
00:27:55 then she put the phone out of the window she showed me outside outside the window I could see three or four fire engines lots of lights and from either left or right I could see fire but I don't know which side I
00:28:06 fire but I don't know which side I couldn't see Gloria probably because there was smoke or because there was no light I don't know I kept telling her to go to the window put her head outside the window to breathe Gloria said
00:28:17 the window to breathe Gloria said they're never going to put out the fire it's too big it's impossible it has come to the 23rd floor and they have fire inside the home the smoke has reached the windows of the sitting-room and it's
00:28:28 the windows of the sitting-room and it's black
00:28:28 black she said the smoke is coming in through the living room windows I said I think that's because they're broken and Gloria said it's black smoke I can't understand how this fire is so big she said we're
00:28:41 how this fire is so big she said we're trying to understand what we can do and where can we go Gloria kept saying smoke is coming in from everywhere I kept recommending her to keep the wet towel in her mouth and breathe through the
00:28:52 in her mouth and breathe through the towel
00:28:52 towel Gloria continued to cough I heard her shouting help out of the window Gloria asked me how long a fireman's ladder usually is because they could see firefighters extending their ladders and
00:29:04 firefighters extending their ladders and wanted to know if they would reach them I didn't know how to respond she said I don't know what to do mum I'll call you later
00:29:13 later Gloria's final call call 6:00 3:45 a.m. 2:45 a.m. UK time the last call came at 3:45 a.m. and lasted 22 minutes I put
00:29:27 3:45 a.m. and lasted 22 minutes I put the call on loudspeaker and my husband recorded the conversation on his phone probably because we saw the fire on television in knew we should do it I realized at this point that there was no hope Gloria told me I'm throwing myself
00:29:40 hope Gloria told me I'm throwing myself out of the window I swear to you the fire is here it's in the sitting room the fire is everywhere we're just waiting Laura told me that marco was calling his parents I asked Gloria just she Marco and this
00:29:54 I asked Gloria just she Marco and this other woman and young man were the only people in the flat Gloria said mum the fires outside my window she said pieces of glass were coming in through the window she said we've closed the window
00:30:05 window she said we've closed the window because there are bits coming in then she said several times she's afraid we'd
00:30:16 she said several times she's afraid we'd need a miracle she's sorry that she came here and left us it seems impossible that everything is over for us both she repeated some of the things she had already told me about the people the smoke she told me that she cannot get
00:30:28 smoke she told me that she cannot get out I asked several times if they had asked for help and she said yes but she can't get out she said I don't believe it's ending like this I don't want to believe it she told me she couldn't see
00:30:39 believe it she told me she couldn't see anything outside absolutely nothing at all she asked me to take care of her cousin Georgia she told me thank you so much
00:30:48 much Gloria told me that her eyes were burning and person I asked her if they had both done everything they thought they could do Laura said yes I asked are you definitely on the 23rd floor Laura
00:31:00 you definitely on the 23rd floor Laura said yes she said we can see the fires too big and they've stopped trying to go up I believe she was referring to the firefighters and the fact that they would not be coming to save them Gloria
00:31:11 would not be coming to save them Gloria said I can't see anything from the window for example I can't see a helicopter that can come and get us I can't see anything I can't breathe you could tell she was having problems talking her throat was burning she was
00:31:24 talking her throat was burning she was starting to feel unwell and she wanted to go quicker at a certain point she told me fire was coming through the window she wanted to stop the call I said no I don't want you
00:31:35 stop the call I said no I don't want you to I want you to pass me Marco Gloria said Marcus on the phone with his dad I told her I felt powerless she continued to say she couldn't breathe she told me again what she felt for us and that we
00:31:47 again what she felt for us and that we have to say goodbye and we had to be strong at that point Gloria said she was cutting off the phone because she didn't want me to hear anything and she said goodbye to us she wanted to cut off the
00:31:58 goodbye to us she wanted to cut off the phone because she didn't want me to hear her scream she said she just wanted to faint and she wouldn't feel anything and said I just want to stay with Marco now on this last call I could not hear any alarms observations from the calls
00:32:12 any alarms observations from the calls alarms and smoke Gloria had no health problems that would have affected her getting in and out of the flat throughout the calls I could hear alarms in the background until Gloria's last call when I could not hear them as a
00:32:25 call when I could not hear them as a fire worse than Gloria went through various stages panic terror concern awareness and then resignation acceptance of how things were going to turn out
00:32:34 turn out growers said right from the beginning what the smoke was like that it was hard to breathe she was coughing a lot her eyes and throat burned and as time went on the smoke was getting more black from
00:32:46 on the smoke was getting more black from the first call she was describing the flames but not in her flat she was saying she could see flames and bits of things flying she could see the firefighters below Gloria didn't give a description of the fire but I was able
00:32:58 description of the fire but I was able to see the fire when she made the video call Gloria put the phone out of the window and I could see flames below I can't say which direction they were in but they were to the right of Gloria and I could see the color of fire I don't
00:33:11 I could see the color of fire I don't know what room Gloria was in as I'm not familiar with the apartment I couldn't even see Gloria I could only see black darkness at about 3:30 a.m. Italian time I began watching the fire
00:33:23 Italian time I began watching the fire on Rai news channel I didn't want to believe it I refused to believe that what I was seeing was real if I could turn forward to the statement in paragraph 39 please there's a section
00:33:37 in paragraph 39 please there's a section which begins access to the roof and the statement continues Gloria Marco had tried to escape to the roof early on in the night towards the start of the fire at 1:34 a.m. she told
00:33:49 start of the fire at 1:34 a.m. she told me there was a door to the roof but that they could not access it because it was blocked by a locked gate a Francona I continued just to paragraph 42 which is under a heading stay put
00:34:02 under a heading stay put Gloria told me that the mother and son who I now understand from the police were margarine Ernie fatale and who first alerted them to the fire had told him that firefighters had sent them upstairs I don't know where the order
00:34:14 upstairs I don't know where the order came from but I know for sure that these two people who came up to the apartment were also told to stay put but came upstairs because they were trying to survive they also died in flat 202 alongside Gloria and Marco I want to
00:34:27 alongside Gloria and Marco I want to thank their family for knocking on Gloria's door I'm waking up her and Marco and given me the chance to hear my daughter's voice one last time Gloria told me that they had been told to stay in the flat I do not know who told them
00:34:39 in the flat I do not know who told them this it may have been passed on to them my neighbors or perhaps a firefighter its general if I could turn out just the with finishing with this damages to the last paragraph which is paragraph 54 in
00:34:52 last paragraph which is paragraph 54 in the last page yes thank you and it is headed the loss of Gloria and it reads as such I miss Gloria so much nothing will bring her back that will stay with me forever my state of mind is
00:35:03 stay with me forever my state of mind is totally empty however I have no feelings of hatred for anybody the loss of Gloria has left a big emptiness and that's all I propose to read from this statement mr. chairman the final statement that we
00:35:16 mr. chairman the final statement that we put into the record today is that of Gloria Everson's father Loris Trevisan and it is iws five zeros by for one
00:35:27 we go to the last page of that which is page six
00:35:35 again it is signed and carries a statement of truth that there is no date there is a date on the front page please don't and if I could just again read some extracts from that I start off
00:35:48 read some extracts from that I start off with paragraph nine on page three please
00:35:54 paragraph nine reads as follows and mister Trevisan has set out in preceding paragraphs just an account of how his daughter had decided to move to London
00:36:05 daughter had decided to move to London which echoes what we've just heard from his wife's statement but he says that after Gloria had moved to London I spoke to Gloria almost every day on the phone or on a video call she spoke to my wife
00:36:17 or on a video call she spoke to my wife a lot they were very close I guess she also wanted to talk to her more as she did not have as many friends in England yet as she did here in Italy and I came home from work I've asked my wife if
00:36:28 home from work I've asked my wife if she'd spoken to Gloria this was really the first time that she had been away from home properly if I could now take us to paragraph 14 and in that paragraph
00:36:41 us to paragraph 14 and in that paragraph mrs. trevethan begins setting out his recollection of the events of the night and it is under a heading telephone calls from Gloria on the night of 14th June 2017 on the night of 14th June I
00:36:54 June 2017 on the night of 14th June I was woken up by my mobile phone ringing at 2:38 a.m. italian time it was an audio call from Gloria she seemed a bit frightened and alert she wants to talk
00:37:05 frightened and alert she wants to talk to her mother I woke up my wife we then called Gloria back from her phone from that moment on I did not talk to Gloria directly however I heard the conversation that my wife was having with her Gloria told my wife that there
00:37:18 with her Gloria told my wife that there was a problem and that there was a fire while they were talking the phone kept cutting off there must have been around ten phone calls I don't really remember what happened or what was said I have a
00:37:29 what happened or what was said I have a very confused memory of it all the only thing I could do in that moment was to cry I lost my head my wife asked if they had called the fire brigade and I know that Gloria said Marko
00:37:40 that Gloria said Marko seen them arrived from down below it is difficult for me to quantify how long it took us to fully understand the seriousness of the situation I remember that I switched the TV on and saw on Sky News the images of the
00:37:53 saw on Sky News the images of the building in flames this would have been at around 3:15 a.m. Italian time I was devastated I wanted to die if I had a gun I would have killed myself I think the last call is the one that lasted the
00:38:05 the last call is the one that lasted the longest and it finished at around 4:00 a.m. italian time the contents of that last phone call are very personal and intimate my son Giulio took the first flight out to London from Venice the
00:38:16 flight out to London from Venice the next day and stayed a couple of days searching for Gloria he went around all the hospitals looking for her and searching for any information in vain I don't remember when we were officially not notified of
00:38:27 when we were officially not notified of Gloria's death I think it was two or three days later when we were notified by the Italian consulate I conclude just by taking mr. chairman to the last two paragraphs of the statement of page six
00:38:39 paragraphs of the statement of page six which is headed Gloria paragraph 25 reads Gloria's body was brought back to Italy on 18th July 2017 and the funeral
00:38:50 Italy on 18th July 2017 and the funeral took place the following day 19th July my life stopped there I do not live anymore and mr. chairman that's all I proposed to read from that statement yes
00:39:01 proposed to read from that statement yes those are all the statements that we have to put on the record today thank you very much well it's right that I should express our gratitude to all those who statements we have read or
00:39:12 those who statements we have read or read into the record today there's an astonishing number of people who've made these statements they're all very helpful then all go into the inquiry
00:39:23 helpful then all go into the inquiry record and form part of the evidence before the inquiry and I'd like those who made them even though they have you been called to give evidence in person to be
00:39:35 to be assured that there's great deal of value to our having them they are very grateful thank you thank you very much so here's that that's it for today
00:39:47 so here's that that's it for today that's it for today right well for those who may not be aware of it we are going to break now there will be no more sittings this week we used to resume at
00:39:59 sittings this week we used to resume at 10 o'clock Monday next week when we shall begin hearing closing statements from the core participants we wish to make them well thank you very much so 10 o'clock Monday next week please okay