Evidence from BSRs (7 November 2018 Pt 2 of 2)

Full transcript

00:03:08 you

00:06:36 you

00:07:50 you

00:14:40 yes sir stability good afternoon mr. chairman we continue with today's evidence with some reading of witness statements from bereaved survivors and

00:14:52 statements from bereaved survivors and residents yes can I start with the witness statement of Christos Fairburn he is a flat one two floor four on the 15th floor

00:15:04 two floor four on the 15th floor this statement is at iws quadruple four sorry quadruple zero one zero two five yes with a an exhibit C F one under I WS

00:15:17 yes with a an exhibit C F one under I WS quadruple zero one zero two four which is a video he left the tower at 3:55 a.m. his statement is dated the 17th of

00:15:29 a.m. his statement is dated the 17th of august 2018 and he stands under a statement of truth of page 9 at page one of the statement at paragraph four he explains he says I was a resident of 124

00:15:42 explains he says I was a resident of 124 Grenfell tower and I was at home on that alone on the night of the fire I remained in my flat until about 3:50 a.m. when smoke filled my flat that I tried to escape the account of the fire

00:15:56 tried to escape the account of the fire starts at paragraph 11 paragraph 4 the 13 he begins with a description of smoke spread into his flat and a paragraph 15

00:16:09 spread into his flat and a paragraph 15 he says my first thought was I need to get out of here I need to evacuate and get downstairs I opened the front door and I was confronted with a thick dirty

00:16:20 and I was confronted with a thick dirty smoky smell of smoke it was dark there were lights on but it was dim it was it was like I had woken up into a different world my front door has a lock when you close it you're meant to lock

00:16:31 when you close it you're meant to lock it but nine times out of ten it locks itself I tried to leave I couldn't see where I was going because of the thick smoke and I tried to find the door to the stairs I opened the door and went through and I've gone into the room with

00:16:43 through and I've gone into the room with the bin chute my breath is going I realized I've got to get back I think I've left the keys unlocked out and then he describes how he went back to his flat and then and made a number of calls to the emergency services the

00:16:56 of calls to the emergency services the first one he refers to at paragraph 17 at 19 he says I looked up and saw the fire had spread round and above me it felt like people were throwing things

00:17:07 felt like people were throwing things that were on fire some of it actually hit me on my right hand it was putrid and stinking it turned to plastic straightaway and I could peel it off it's left 4 or 5 scars on my hand I closed the window because the air was

00:17:19 closed the window because the air was sucking the fire up and then he describes his second 999 called the paragraph 21 and a 20 paragraph 24 onwards through to paragraph 31 he

00:17:32 onwards through to paragraph 31 he describes his exit from his flat and I'll read that into the record I was back in I was in the back room and all of the sudden the whole place filled up with smoke in seconds I was stuck in the

00:17:43 with smoke in seconds I was stuck in the back room because everything else was smoky and that was kind of safe the house was filling up with smoke I was talking to the fire brigade and she said to wears a towel and put it round me and get something else where to put it on my

00:17:54 get something else where to put it on my mouth I was talking to her on the floor and then when the whole house got full up that was it I had no choice I made a run for it I don't know what happened but everything kicked in I thought I'm

00:18:06 but everything kicked in I thought I'm either gonna die here or die trying I've been through a lot and I thought there's no way I'm gonna die here with it without trying it was just instinct I made a run for it I picked up a t-shirt

00:18:17 made a run for it I picked up a t-shirt I put water on it I pushed the door with one hand and was feeling my way and with the other I was covering my face with the t-shirt then he describes his route to the ground floor I went out the door

00:18:29 to the ground floor I went out the door I couldn't see anything I had to feel my way it felt like a thick smoke its stank and it was like slow motion it felt like a film the whole atmosphere had changed

00:18:40 a film the whole atmosphere had changed I don't remember there being anything on the floor of the lobby or on the 15th floor I definitely don't remember any hoses on the 15th floor I had to push open the door to the stairwell it was closed I think the smoke was the same

00:18:53 closed I think the smoke was the same consistency in the flat it was the amount of it that changed I think this mate was thicker and stronger in the stairwell because it was in a confined place I was running down the stairs because it

00:19:04 I was running down the stairs because it was difficult because of the smoke and everything I don't know how I did it I don't even remember it it felt quick I was jumping down the stairs trying to get down as quick as I could the stairs didn't feel right

00:19:15 didn't feel right it felt cushiony I thought it was houses on every floor at first I couldn't see what it was but I remember stepping on things that were soft I started to feel weak as I went down the stairs I felt

00:19:27 weak as I went down the stairs I felt kind of happy and relief and nervous I was alone in the stairway I didn't see or hear anyone else I kept to one side all the time I had my

00:19:38 I kept to one side all the time I had my hand for guidance I needed my breath I knew it was going to be a long trip I could smell and taste the smoke I could still taste it sometimes I couldn't see anything for most of the

00:19:49 couldn't see anything for most of the time in the stairwell there was a little light on but it did no good because of the smoke the smoke was mixed with so much that it made the smoke even clogged ear I think I might even have had my eyes closed wincing against the

00:20:01 had my eyes closed wincing against the smoke I tripped over something on the stairs and fell I fell to the floor on one of the bends but I was low enough to see through the smoke there was a man

00:20:12 see through the smoke there was a man who looked to me to be Iraqi or Arab he had a big build and long wet hair he was lying down on his side I could tell that he was at least unconscious he had to

00:20:23 he was at least unconscious he had to have come from high up in the tower I thought this is madness is crazy it could not tell you where he was in the tower

00:20:29 tower what floor he was on I was running fast and had no distant sense of distance or time well when you're in that situation and there's a lot of smoke everything is just different it was like I was going

00:20:41 just different it was like I was going through fog the atmosphere everything is just different you've got the smoke you've got everything the voices and everything are just different it was mad I remember hearing a generator the smell was potent

00:20:54 hearing a generator the smell was potent I got back up again and I was feeling weak again I got down as fast as I could I was dusting and jumping and then as I got near to what I think was the third floor I could see a light and water

00:21:05 floor I could see a light and water I think the floor had flooded by then the smoke was a bit less but I'd be breathing in a lot of the carbon monoxide and I felt myself fainting I couldn't feel my arms it was like I was getting

00:21:16 getting I could feel myself going light for some reason I felt peaceful I shouted out help help Levin he describes encountering firefighters and leaving the building with the assistance of

00:21:28 the building with the assistance of police officers with riot shields and then the medical assistance that he achieved that he received mr. chairman that's all I think I need to read aloud from his statement of course the

00:21:39 from his statement of course the entirety of it will stand as evidence to the enquiring be taken into account accordingly the next statement I would wish to read into the record is the statement of Lina Hameed that's under

00:21:53 statement of Lina Hameed that's under reference iws quadruple zero one one seven five she was in flat 70 floor on the tenth floor and she exited it at

00:22:06 the tenth floor and she exited it at 4:13 a.m. her statement is dated the 18th of October 2018 and there's a signature under a statement of truth at page 11 and picking it up a paragraph

00:22:19 page 11 and picking it up a paragraph five she describes the door of this building she also explains that at the time of the fire she was staying with Marin

00:22:27 Marin a friend and she's exhibited a plan of the floor a paragraph five she says the front door had a door handle on the right and hinges on the left

00:22:38 right and hinges on the left it opened inwards it was very difficult to close I had to slam the door shut there was some problem with it so it didn't move smoothly if I didn't close the door it would just start moving as

00:22:49 the door it would just start moving as if it was closing on its own but it wouldn't close completely I would have to use quite a lot of force to close it after that it would also be difficult to lock I would need to lift the door handle up and use a key and it would

00:23:00 handle up and use a key and it would often take about a minute to lock it was like the key would turn for one rotation but then gets stuck and not turned properly so I had to turn it backwards and forwards and if the handle up and down she describes the night of the fire

00:23:12 down she describes the night of the fire at paragraph six and following and I'll just read parts of that the paragraph seven she says I suddenly awoke to Marin shouting get up there's a fire

00:23:23 shouting get up there's a fire she'd come into the living room at first I thought I was still dreaming and it felt like I had been asleep for ages I went straight to the kitchen as meirin was shouting help from the kitchen window meirin later told me that she had

00:23:34 window meirin later told me that she had her bedroom window open and awoke to sounds of people shouting outside I looked at my phone and remember seeing that the time was sometime between 1:35 a.m. to 141 a.m. I remember being

00:23:47 a.m. to 141 a.m. I remember being shocked as I thought I've been asleep for longer either looked at my phone as soon as I woke up or after I'd got to the kitchen a carton remember which after waking up I went to look out of the kitchen window which faces the

00:23:58 the kitchen window which faces the children's playground on the west side of the tower and saw a number of people outside the tower I couldn't see any police officers firefighters or any other emergency services on that side of the building I could hear people

00:24:09 the building I could hear people shouting get out get out I looked out of the window which was behind the fridge of the kitchen then looked up and to the right I could see smoke coming from above our flat I don't remember seeing

00:24:20 above our flat I don't remember seeing as far as the roof so I don't think this mate was coming from there instead I thought it was coming from a flat above us which I would guess to have been around the twentieth floor but I can't say for certain I didn't see any fire at

00:24:32 say for certain I didn't see any fire at this time just smoke I was still half asleep

00:24:35 asleep this all happened before I called anyone about the fire and then she describes various telephone calls in paragraph 11 that that Marin made and she made and

00:24:46 that that Marin made and she made and then at 12 she says I think we tried to leave the flat at that at this stage we decided to look out of the front door and as Marin opened it I was right behind her she only ever did a small amount but I could see that the landing

00:24:57 amount but I could see that the landing was filled with thick black smoke now the heat of the smoke hit me straightaway Marin closed the door quickly and we went back inside the flat back to the kitchen it all happened very quickly there she describes some further

00:25:10 quickly there she describes some further nine nine nine calls and at fifteen she says I've listened to a 999 call that is timed at 2:00 a.m. and 11 seconds and was made from my phone on my own mobile phone records it timed at 150 840 I

00:25:23 phone records it timed at 150 840 I recognized Marian's voice as being the first person to speak to the operator Marin says there's smoke coming into the flat and the operator told her to block the doors up in that corner and explained that I wanted that we wanted

00:25:34 explained that I wanted that we wanted to leave the flat but the operator told us

00:25:36 us she couldn't advise us to do that I could hear myself at the end of the call asking are we going to be okay with that and then the line cuts off I don't remember putting the phone down I think she just hung up on me before answering

00:25:48 she just hung up on me before answering my question and as she exhibits a transcript with amendments and then it's 21 she says at one stage in the night me and Marin heard knocking which sounded like it was

00:25:59 heard knocking which sounded like it was on the front door I was on the phone to my cousin's Senate at the time and disconnected the call because I thought it was the fire brigade I've always thought this happened at about 2:45 a.m. I have exhibited as lh7 the screenshots

00:26:11 I have exhibited as lh7 the screenshots taken from my phone of my whatsapp messages with Senna eat so Nate has also sent me screenshots from her phone on Swiss time of all the calls we had on the night over whatsapp exhibited as lh8

00:26:22 the night over whatsapp exhibited as lh8 I could see there was a call at 2:38 a.m. recorded as a 338 am of her phone as it's on Swiss time which lasted 2 minutes and 54 seconds I believe it was during this call that there was a sound

00:26:34 during this call that there was a sound like a knock at the front door and I disconnected the call to see who it was thinking it was the fire brigade who'd come to rescue us we both went up to the front door and took it in turns to look through the spy hole but couldn't see anything due to the smoke we were

00:26:46 anything due to the smoke we were shouting who is it who is it but got no response so he kept the door closed the noise went on for some time we saw smoke coming in at the top of the door but they think this make had been coming

00:26:57 they think this make had been coming through the closed door before at the time because we couldn't hear anyone outside him because I could see the smoke coming in at the top of the door I thought maybe the door was on fire on the outside maybe the knocking noise wasn't knocking but the door cracking

00:27:09 wasn't knocking but the door cracking with the heat either Spectre Sunday eat again the next call that she has logged after 2:38 a.m. was at 2:59 a.m. smoke was now starting to come inside the flat through the letterbox and around the

00:27:21 through the letterbox and around the edges of the door front door we went to meirin's bedroom got the mattress and duvet and placed this up against the door to try and stop the smoke coming in we also threw water over it both using a

00:27:32 we also threw water over it both using a bucket and plastic bottle despite this the smoke continued to come into the flat and so after 3 a.m. we decided to stay in the bathroom and put wet towels down at the bottom of the door we sat down on the bathroom floor

00:27:43 door we sat down on the bathroom floor and put wet towels over our heads there was loads of water on the bathroom floor up to this point we'd been spending most of our time going between the kitchen and the bathroom I felt safer now being in the bathroom with the

00:27:55 safer now being in the bathroom with the water and wet towels I've been constantly using my phone and needed to keep charging it in the kitchen but stop doing this as frequently after 3:00 a.m. because of the amount of smoke and the rest of the flat and then after she goes

00:28:08 rest of the flat and then after she goes on to describe at paragraph 25 just discussion with her friends about going to the windows and she says four lines down picking it up there that five lines

00:28:21 down picking it up there that five lines down the burning debris was generally about the size of a closed fist it was very windy outside and and I felt really hot I felt the fire was getting closer I think this happened at 3:55 a.m. as I remember looking at the time on my phone

00:28:33 remember looking at the time on my phone after shutting the window I was asking my friends who were outside whether whether the fire was on our side of the building but I didn't feel like I was getting the full facts from them they were trying to protect us and not worry

00:28:44 were trying to protect us and not worry or scare us however they were adamant that we needed to leave and not wait to be rescued I was being quite forceful with them to tell me what was going on with the building in the end it was my friend Aleta who took ventually told me that

00:28:57 Aleta who took ventually told me that yes the fire was all on our site as well

00:29:02 and then at paragraphs 2033 she describes her exit and I'll just read 33 to 36 at this point I really thought we

00:29:15 to 36 at this point I really thought we had no chance I didn't believe we would be rescued and after trying and failing three times I didn't think we would ever be able to make it out on our own after game back inside the flat I again spoke

00:29:26 game back inside the flat I again spoke with a lil ters boyfriend musi who I told we had no chance to leave I've looked at my phone records and I believe this was at 4:03 a.m. I wanted to call my family

00:29:36 my family I thought it would be my last conversation with them I said I couldn't do it but musi urged me to try and leave again and I told Maren that we needed to leave otherwise we were going to die in the flat I thought if we were going to

00:29:48 the flat I thought if we were going to die we would die somewhere else in the building and not in the flat I picked my passport up from the living room and then we left the front or the one reason I wanted my passport was so that people could identify me if

00:29:59 was so that people could identify me if I died trying to escape I was determined on this occasion that we would not be returning to the flat I led Marin out of the flat first I felt she was right behind me I wanted to feel

00:30:11 she was right behind me I wanted to feel my way by touching the walls but they were burning hot so I didn't actually touch them on my way around I walked around a box or cupboard in the hallway which had doors which were locked this is located opposite the lifts and then

00:30:23 is located opposite the lifts and then between the rubbish chute door and the door to the stairs I had seen the doors to that comfort lot before and didn't have a key so I never knew what was in there after walking around that cupboard I got to the door to the stairs which I

00:30:35 I got to the door to the stairs which I kicked open the smoke and the stairwell was a little less than it had been in the area outside our front door but it was still difficult for me to breathe or see the stairs in fact I stopped because I could not

00:30:47 in fact I stopped because I could not see stairs around my feet and didn't know exactly where they were my eyes were burning I caught sight of what turned out to be two firefighters who were on the stairwell just above us two the two firefighters came down to us and

00:30:59 the two firefighters came down to us and then started to lead us quickly down the stairs I turned to look behind me but couldn't see Marin one firefighter wanted me to go downstairs with him but I was shouting my cousin is there as well I told him I wasn't going to leave

00:31:11 well I told him I wasn't going to leave without her I think I only shouted this for a few seconds or so before Marin appeared at the door and I heard her say she was there I went downstairs with a firefighter walking alongside me and helping me along but I can't recall if

00:31:23 helping me along but I can't recall if he was actually physically holding me he wasn't carrying me at first but after going down about two floors I fell to the ground completely exhausted and struggling to breathe I felt one of the firefighters lift me up from the ground

00:31:34 firefighters lift me up from the ground then placed me over his shoulder before carrying me down the remaining floors to the ground level during this time I had my eyes closed so I couldn't see anything around me I had no control of my body but I was still just about

00:31:47 my body but I was still just about conscious and then she describes her experience at the ground floor and then what happened after that

00:31:56 she has a number of exhibits to that statement will I should just also refer to formally lh1 to nh8 and those are at I WS quadruple 0 1 1 7 and like all the

00:32:07 I WS quadruple 0 1 1 7 and like all the statements that we read mr. chairman her statement will again stand in its entirety as evidence in the record and be taken into account in it in info the

00:32:18 be taken into account in it in info the next statement that I would wish to read into the record as the statement of Daniel Griffin gratis iws quadruple quintuple zero 173 and that includes

00:32:30 quintuple zero 173 and that includes that number includes D G 1 2 3 6 7 8 & 9 there is also D G 4 and DG 5 which are respectively I WS quintuple 0 174 and

00:32:42 respectively I WS quintuple 0 174 and 175 a statement is dated the 12th of May 2018 and there's a statement of truth on page 9 mr. Griffin lived in flat 31 on

00:32:53 page 9 mr. Griffin lived in flat 31 on the sixth floor and exited at 116 he deals with parent at paragraphs 8 to 15 with numerous fire safety issues smoke and fire alarms and a paragraph 16 and

00:33:07 and fire alarms and a paragraph 16 and 17 he deals with the new front doors at 16 he says this my front door was one of the new doors installed in recent years it was made of PVC and did not automatically shut to shut it you would

00:33:20 automatically shut to shut it you would have to physically pull it to turn the handle upward that and then lock it with a key I think but I'm not sure that it had two hinges I remember there was a mastic seal around the doorframe the

00:33:31 mastic seal around the doorframe the door also had a letterbox and then at paragraphs paragraph 20 he deals with the windows and he says he had no issues

00:33:44 the windows and he says he had no issues with those at 26 and 27 he deals with the lifts and then at the night of the fire at paragraphs 44 and following and

00:33:56 fire at paragraphs 44 and following and at paragraphs 45 to 52 they deal it is his detailed account of the fire and his ownself evacuation he explains his evacuation from

00:34:09 he explains his evacuation from paragraph 47 onwards having made the decision to leave he says I closed the bedroom window went to the living room went to the living area to get dressed got dressed grabbed my wallet my phone

00:34:21 got dressed grabbed my wallet my phone and my keys my phone initially fell to the ground and its screen cracked I picked it up and left the flat pulling the door closed behind me I was wearing a t-shirt jeans and a pair of trainers

00:34:32 a t-shirt jeans and a pair of trainers on the landing I noticed there was smoke coming out through a grill on one of the risers which our air vents in the walls between the lifts and the stairwell on each landing each of the two opposite

00:34:45 each landing each of the two opposite walls has two risers with grilles at waist height I've marked the risers as numbers three a and B on the plan of a landing at dg2 the smoke was coming through the grill closest to me number

00:34:58 through the grill closest to me number three a as I left the flat there was not much smoke and I could see and breathe okay I've been shown a table and illustration with smoke descriptors provided by the inquiry and I would say

00:35:09 provided by the inquiry and I would say the smoke I saw matched category a there were puffs of light gray or grayish white smoke coming out of the air vent grill there was nobody else on the landing the lighter the landing was on I

00:35:21 landing the lighter the landing was on I think but I'm not sure the fire door to the stairwell was closed and I don't know if the light was on in the stairwell when I gave my statement to the police this was less than two weeks

00:35:32 the police this was less than two weeks after the fire and I said I went down the stairs all the way to the main entrance to the block but I now distinctly remember that I used the lift I'm not sure why I said that I'd used the stairs this was definitely not the

00:35:43 the stairs this was definitely not the case in order to you in order to get to the lift I had to exit my front door turned slightly to the right the lift I used was the right hand of the lift of the to the right hand lift of the two

00:35:54 the to the right hand lift of the two I've marked it on the plan of the landing at dg2 I remember that when I pressed the button the left lift display responded with an out-of-service message on the screen the other lifts arrived quite promptly and I was able to exit

00:36:06 quite promptly and I was able to exit the building in this way the lift did not stop on any floor on the way down and I was alone in the lift the light was on in the lift and there was no smoke inside it I know from my work as a decorator that

00:36:19 I know from my work as a decorator that in case of fire all lifts are supposed to be programmed to automatically go straight down to the ground level and cut out I think this is the place to be connected to the fire safety system in this case this obviously did not happen at no stage from the moment I woke up

00:36:32 at no stage from the moment I woke up until I left the building did I hear any smoke or fire alarm I think I probably left the building between 110 and 115 a.m. and he explains that he's been showing his still image from the CCTV showing him leaving at 1:16 a.m. which

00:36:46 showing him leaving at 1:16 a.m. which he says corresponds with his own recollection that statement again will stand in its entirety in the record and be taken into account in full as all the others the penultimate statement that I

00:37:02 others the penultimate statement that I would wish to read into the record today mr. chairman is that for Kerry ohhara yes under and that is under I WS Quinn tuple zero nine nine one it has no

00:37:15 tuple zero nine nine one it has no exhibits it's dated the 27th of July 2018 and there's a statement of truth on page three and Kerry was a and a

00:37:31 page three and Kerry was a and a resident of flat 34 on the sixth floor of Granville tower at the time and was the sole occupant and the night of those fires covered the paragraphs for through

00:37:44 fires covered the paragraphs for through to third through to twelve through to the end actually but particularly through to twelve and I'll just read from paragraph six to twelve at six she

00:37:58 from paragraph six to twelve at six she says I was in bed tossing and turning when I smelled something burning it smelt as if some rubber was burning I'm not sure what time I smelt it I had the bedroom window open as it was a hot night then I heard a commotion outside

00:38:10 night then I heard a commotion outside and thought it would be kids in the playground which is on the same side of the tower as my bedroom I put the bedroom light on went into the hallway and down into the lounge and then opened the lounge window I don't

00:38:23 then opened the lounge window I don't know why I went to the lounge instead of looking out of my bedroom window it was just an instinct I looked out of the window

00:38:29 window and could see people shouting things such as get out and they saw me in the window they said jump as well there was a fire officer who looked up at me and we met each other's eyes and he said stay put

00:38:40 stay put we'll get to you eventually this was all happening at the same time I realized that it was a fire when I saw the fire brigade and I knew it was serious I became hysterical screaming and going back and forth to the window shouting

00:38:52 back and forth to the window shouting help help me help me but first I had an idea to get a wet towel and put my cat rosey in it but I quickly became hysterical and I forgot to do this well I did calm down a little bit later I ran

00:39:03 I did calm down a little bit later I ran to the hallway and put on my sandals a pink jacket and my thermal pajamas I got a wet flannel from the bathroom which I used to cover my mouth Rosie was sitting on the sofa looking at me as I went to the door and opened it it was pitch

00:39:16 the door and opened it it was pitch black and full of smoke this would have been about one a 1:30 a.m. although I didn't look at a clock there was no smoke in my flat throughout the time I was in there until I opened my door to leave I had a smoke alarm in my flat

00:39:28 leave I had a smoke alarm in my flat which was working it was not going off until I opened my door the smoke must have come in which then activated the smoke alarm I had a heat detector in the kitchen which didn't go off there was an alarm in the landing on the ceiling but

00:39:40 alarm in the landing on the ceiling but this was not going off while I was there there was no lighting in the landing but it was pitch black there was no alarm or lighting in the stairwell and this also was pitch black I made my way to the

00:39:51 was pitch black I made my way to the stairs and made my way down the stairwell shouting help me and I'm here there was thick black smoke on every floor down from my floor until I got to the second floor where there was much less smoke I met a fire officer or the

00:40:03 less smoke I met a fire officer or the second floor and also my friends Sharon and Kenny

00:40:06 and Kenny Sharon lives on the fifth floor and Kenny was a friend who I presume is visiting her I don't know Sharon or Kenny's surnames Sharon and Kenny assisted the firefighter to take me down the stairs the firefighter went in front of me and

00:40:18 the firefighter went in front of me and held my hand and Sharon and Kenny helped me down the stairs from behind the firefighter handed me over to another firefighter in the lobby and I think he said here's another one the second firefighter then took me to an ambulance

00:40:29 firefighter then took me to an ambulance which was by the leisure center there were lots of ambulances and fire engines generally there was a lot of commotion noise and screaming and crying the paramedics gave me oxygen told me I had

00:40:40 paramedics gave me oxygen told me I had to stay City down Sharon and Kenny came over and Sharon gave me a hug then they turned and ran back towards the building I think they were going to try to go back in and then for

00:40:52 try to go back in and then for completeness mr. chairman she says at paragraph 14 I assumed my Rosie I assumed that Rosie that's the cat that died in the fire however approximately two months after the fire Rosie was found by a member of the public on the

00:41:04 found by a member of the public on the streets near grenfell and brought back to me I do not know how she survived and on that happy note that's the witness table will stand as evidence in the

00:41:15 table will stand as evidence in the record will be taken into account in its entirety and finally mr. Chairman I would wish to read into the record the witness statement of Paul Manasseh which

00:41:26 witness statement of Paul Manasseh which is iws quadruple zero one zero three one and that includes exhibits p.m. 1 and p.m. two it's dated the 17th of august 2018 and it stands under a statement of

00:41:37 2018 and it stands under a statement of truth at page 11 or they in fact the signature itself is also on page 12 of the statement he lived at flat 33 on the sixth floor of Granville tower that

00:41:49 sixth floor of Granville tower that exited the building at 1:44 a.m. a paragraph 4 I'd like just to read what he says about who he knew he says I knew some of the ground fault our residents including those who sadly passed away I

00:42:01 including those who sadly passed away I used to play football with Yasin Wahhabi who I now know lived at flat 182 on the 20th floor Raymond Moses Bernhard who I am now aware resided at flat 201 on the 23rd

00:42:12 aware resided at flat 201 on the 23rd floor was best friends with my uncle Rafiq Manasseh my friend Farhad met his dad Muhammad nadir who I now know lived in flat 205 on the 23rd floor also died

00:42:24 in flat 205 on the 23rd floor also died I used to see Steve power with his three dogs that he used to walk his dogs in the green area outside the tower I also remember that I helped runya Ibrahim with her shopping in the lift because

00:42:35 with her shopping in the lift because she also had two kids with her and he explains a paragraph 5 that his qualification is a health and safety officer and he had a job in that role and a paragraph

00:42:51 twelve he says under the under the heading Granville tower which starts the previous page there were also some changes made to the flat

00:43:03 changes made to the flat I remember that the windows were replaced with ones that were double glazed this made a difference before this you could hear a lot of train noise after they were changed there was less noise I do not think that they were

00:43:14 noise I do not think that they were installed properly as there was still a draft coming through them in the winter it was quite cold sometimes I would put a towel or a sheet to stop the draft I never had time to complain to the TMAO about the windows the paragraph 17 he

00:43:28 about the windows the paragraph 17 he also says that there was ventilation from the bin chute and 19 he explains that the dot his door had an opening

00:43:40 that the dot his door had an opening closing mechanism at the top which did not work it covers fire safety at groennfell tar from paragraphs 24 through at 234 at a paragraph 37 onwards

00:43:52 through at 234 at a paragraph 37 onwards his experiences of the night of the fire and I'll just read wait boy we can pick it up at paragraph 37 and I'll read to

00:44:04 it up at paragraph 37 and I'll read to paragraph 50 he says I'm a deep sleeper I was working up to the sound of screaming when I was interviewed by the police I guess that the time is approximately 2 a.m. as I did not know the exact time my phone was dead on the

00:44:17 the exact time my phone was dead on the night as I did not put it in on charge properly I now know that I'm seen on CCTV exiting the tower at around 1:45 a.m. so I think I must have heard these screams at about 1:30 a.m. my window is

00:44:29 screams at about 1:30 a.m. my window is open on that night so I heard people from the walkways screaming don't jump don't jump stay in your flat help is coming I recognized one of the voices of Samuel wordy I looked outside my window

00:44:40 Samuel wordy I looked outside my window and could see a number a group of people down below at that moment I thought maybe it was a suicide attempt someone was trying to jump from the building there had been times when people were shouting outside but it came to nothing

00:44:51 shouting outside but it came to nothing I could not smell anything at this time I did not take much notice of the screaming at this time and went back to bed as I had to be up early in the morning

00:44:58 morning however the screaming was getting louder I got back out of bed and put my shorts and fleece on and then went to the front door had opened it there was a black thick smoke it was quite thick black but

00:45:10 thick smoke it was quite thick black but not pitch black when I put my arm out I could see my arm but I could not see my hand there was a smell of burning plastic I left the door open for about 15 seconds I was in a state of shock it

00:45:23 15 seconds I was in a state of shock it did not feel real it felt like a dream I did not know if a fire on this floor or somewhere else in the building I was coughing from inhaling the smoke I was trying to cover my nose and mouth to stop myself from inhaling more smoke I

00:45:35 stop myself from inhaling more smoke I had never experienced anything like this nor coughed like that before I shut my front door and went into the bedroom which was opposite I put my dirty and clean clothes under my bedroom door to

00:45:46 clean clothes under my bedroom door to stop any smoke from coming into the room the gap below my bedroom door was about two millimeters to five millimeters I went and sat on my bed I was confused I was thinking maybe it was a kitchen or

00:45:57 was thinking maybe it was a kitchen or flat fire it shouldn't be too much problem I wasn't too scared or anxious I thought that the fire brigade would be able to control the situation I had no idea how bad the fire was at that time I

00:46:08 idea how bad the fire was at that time I now realize this is because I was on the south west side of the building and the fire started on the Northeast however something in my head said that I needed to get out everyone was screaming and I

00:46:19 to get out everyone was screaming and I wanted to see firsthand what was happening I put my shoes on and then I went to front door I put my fleece on covered my nose and mouth with it I could see quite clearly in the flat my phone battery was dead but I picked it

00:46:31 phone battery was dead but I picked it up before I left I thought I'd charged it overnight but I did not my instincts people told me not to knock on or by instinct people told me to knock on people's doors I started banging on my

00:46:43 people's doors I started banging on my neighbor's doors and shouted the smoke inside the corridor you need to get out no one answered their door on my floor there were six flats and knocked on every door but no one I opened the corridor was empty I could not hear

00:46:55 corridor was empty I could not hear anything I could only hear the echo from my shouting by this point I was confident quite a lot I thought that lighters needed to get out when I went into the stairwell I could hear the firemen in the upper floors shouting I

00:47:07 firemen in the upper floors shouting I did not remember what they were saying there was no smoke in the stairwell when I went down to the fifth I started banging on people's door no one opened there was no smoke in the corridor at this point and I could not feel the heat the 5th and 6th floor was

00:47:19 feel the heat the 5th and 6th floor was silent it was like a ghost town I'm a deep sleeper so I don't know if people not on my door when I was sleeping I then went to the fourth floor stairwell I saw four or five firefighters some of

00:47:31 I saw four or five firefighters some of whom were wearing what I now know to be breathing apparatus I asked a fireman shall I knock on more people's doors he said get out of the building now I knew people were higher up because a fireman was carrying an elderly woman down the

00:47:42 was carrying an elderly woman down the stairs between the fifth and sixth floor I just ran all the way down the stairs I got to the second floor before I got to the landing I saw three firefighters working on what looked like a

00:47:53 working on what looked like a switchboard I think that I said this was the third this is the third floor in the police statement however this must have been the second floor as it was more open and there was the landing area after listening to the evidence of the

00:48:05 after listening to the evidence of the inquiry I think the switchboard was actually the entry control board I did not overhear their conversation the firefighters were having they seemed anxious but I ran past them and got to the bottom of the stairwell and came out of the building there was mist no smoke

00:48:17 of the building there was mist no smoke in the second-floor landing I was tired it took me 10 to 15 minutes to get down the stairs I came down the stairs and then came out of the building from the side entrance this is the east side of

00:48:28 side entrance this is the east side of the building I never heard any fire alarms it at any point whilst exiting the tower mr. chairman that is what I think I need to read into the record

00:48:39 think I need to read into the record specifically from mr. Manasseh statement like the others it will stand in its entirety as evidence in the record and be taken it yes thank you very much and as with earlier statements that's right that I should express our gratitude to

00:48:52 that I should express our gratitude to those who taken time and trouble to make them and confirm that they will form part of the evidence before the inquiry and will be taken into a cut yes yes

00:49:04 and will be taken into a cut yes yes thank you very much mr. chairman and there are some further statements which would be read read into the record now if I miss see the camera yes from their hand over to her thank you very much

00:49:17 yes mr. chairman first I'll begin with two statements from floor 15

00:49:30 there's the statement of mr. M D D Jake who is a neighbor or was a neighbor of Krista's Fairburn who mr. Mullins has just read into the record and mr. money

00:49:41 just read into the record and mr. money and mr. Lee that you've heard evidence from on Monday this last Monday 5th of November now if I could omit first the reference to the record it miss Diedrich

00:49:52 reference to the record it miss Diedrich statement is reference iws five zeros 102 and it consists of 19 pages and if

00:50:07 102 and it consists of 19 pages and if we can turn to the last page we can see that it's signed on a 7 of truth is signed on the 11th of May 2018 and what

00:50:20 signed on the 11th of May 2018 and what are that statements admitted into the record there's also 10 exhibits that go with the statements iws 97 there's r d1 r d2 is i WS 95 r d3 is IW s 96 exhibit

00:50:36 r d2 is i WS 95 r d3 is IW s 96 exhibit rd for is i WS 99 exhibit rd v is reference i WS 93 exhibit rd 6 is i WS

00:50:47 reference i WS 93 exhibit rd 6 is i WS 92 exhibit are d7 is i WS 100 exhibit are d8 is i WS 103 exhibit rd 9 is i WS

00:51:03 are d8 is i WS 103 exhibit rd 9 is i WS 101 and exhibits rd 10 as i WS 98 those of the ten exhibits to that statement miss Dietrich was present on the night of the fire and I would turn to her

00:51:15 of the fire and I would turn to her paragraph 35 of her statements where she sets out her account of what happened this is on page 8 of her statement on that night the early hours of the

00:51:28 on that night the early hours of the 14th of June she said that she heard screaming from a neighbor and checked through the spy hole of the front door and could not see anything and then we can pick up the account at paragraph 35 where she says I put my shoes on

00:51:41 where she says I put my shoes on got my school bag a jacket a banana and a bottle of water and opened my front door to eat for so to eat for sahur and opened my front door I was shocked

00:51:52 opened my front door I was shocked because everything was black in the space of a few minutes it went from normal to dense black smoke it was like it was at a whole different floor I thought the fire was on my floor and I

00:52:03 thought the fire was on my floor and I thought oh my god I'm going to die then I shut the door and stepped back into my flat some smoke had entered the flat from opening the door I said to myself

00:52:14 from opening the door I said to myself no I need to get out then I went back outside and let the door shut by itself I could not hear any ventilation system I could not hear anything there may have

00:52:25 I could not hear anything there may have been noise in my head but in my head it was just silent I could not see anything as the lights were now off and it was dark I could smell the smoke and a burnt plastic kind of smell it smelt like a

00:52:37 plastic kind of smell it smelt like a barbecue I could taste a weird plastic taste the next day when I smelled my t-shirt it's not like I could have been put on a barbecue this is so even though I'd been on the landing outside my flat

00:52:49 I'd been on the landing outside my flat for around 3 seconds the smoke was thick and just gray black it was strange that there was no light in the landing even though before when I looked through the peephole I saw that light was on I do

00:53:02 peephole I saw that light was on I do not remember if it was hot as I could not feel anything I felt numb due to the shock I was in at the time I could not breathe and I could not see I knew I needed to go to the

00:53:14 not see I knew I needed to go to the fire escape I could see the light from the inside of the fire escape peeping through the glass and the door the fire door was shut I pushed her open and ran down the stairs I saw a man walking down

00:53:25 down the stairs I saw a man walking down as well but we did not speak the stairs were normal It was as if it was a different building there was no smoke or anything unusual in there I could not feel anything I could not even feel my bag which was very heavy as

00:53:37 even feel my bag which was very heavy as I had my books in there I could not even feel the railings I was just focused on running I got around halfway down maybe the seventh floor and I saw two firemen coming up the stairs they

00:53:50 firemen coming up the stairs they suddenly stopped and look looked at me as if they were shocked they did not speak to me or assist me they had all the masks on they stopped walking and simply watched me I just went past them and carried on

00:54:03 me I just went past them and carried on running downstairs I also saw another man that looked like he was in his 50s and was using crutches I did not speak to him nor did he speak to me I do not remember which floor I

00:54:14 to me I do not remember which floor I saw him on at the bottom of the staircase I came across a family of five people two of them looked to be around my age and three of them were much older maybe 60 or 70 years old and the younger

00:54:26 maybe 60 or 70 years old and the younger two were helping the older three I said come this way as they appeared to be in a panic and they followed there was no smoke in the stairwell at this point I do not know how long it took me to get

00:54:37 do not know how long it took me to get all the way downstairs I ran down the stairs and would jump the last two steps I do not know why people did not get out as there's no smoke in the staircase Oh nope the record that mr. Drake exited at

00:54:49 nope the record that mr. Drake exited at 133 and the 14th of June and also that although she was on in the tower by herself that night she did live with her mother at the time thank you the next

00:55:02 mother at the time thank you the next statement that would propose to Eden to record is that of Nadia Yousef she is also a resident who's living on the flat on in flat one to one on the fifteenth floor and was also a neighbor of mr.

00:55:14 floor and was also a neighbor of mr. Drake and the reference for that is iws five zeros three three eight

00:55:27 it consists of four pages and if you can turn to the fourth page

00:55:37 we can see that it's signed with a statement of truth on the 22nd of May 2008 II know it assets admitted into the record and for the record there are no exhibits thank you

00:55:48 exhibits thank you no miss Youssef and her fiance Siad Byam lived on flat lived in flat 121 miss fiim had moved in to live a mr. Byam had

00:55:59 fiim had moved in to live a mr. Byam had moved in to live with mr. Yusuf in March 2014 and had proposed to pick up her accounts in her statement from paragraph 19 paragraph 8 8 sorry on page 2 this is

00:56:12 19 paragraph 8 8 sorry on page 2 this is her account of what took place in the night of 14th June on the night of the fire sarin I had returned home late at approximately 12:30 a.m. it was Ramadan so we were out with so we

00:56:24 it was Ramadan so we were out with so we were out breaking off fast with ciouds family sienna and I prayed and watched TV after which I went to our bedroom to sleep it was only because he hadn't was awake when the fire began to spread and

00:56:35 awake when the fire began to spread and around 1:00 a.m. that we were able to act so quickly and save our lives at around 110 and to 115 a.m. she had heard no noises that sounded like thunder and

00:56:46 no noises that sounded like thunder and lightning very close to the window the thought that it might be the sound of spreading fire passed through his mind and he initially rejected that possibility as he had not heard any fire engine sirens as the sounds and

00:56:59 engine sirens as the sounds and vibrations became louder he became increasingly concerned and approached the living room window to look for fire engines looking down he caught sight of vast flames engulfing the building from

00:57:11 vast flames engulfing the building from below terrified he ran to the bedroom to wake me up we had back to the window to look again then left the flat immediately and ran towards the stairs when we reached the fire exit door we

00:57:23 when we reached the fire exit door we ran into a fire office on the other side who told us to return to our flat I was appalled and shouted at him questioning why we were being told to go back when the fire was coming up the fire officer

00:57:35 the fire was coming up the fire officer reiterate his instructions but we were refused to return to the flat and instead ran past him down the stairs as we reached the 9th or 10th floor the smoke Sun became suddenly heavier

00:57:47 smoke Sun became suddenly heavier we struggle to breathe and to see a head down the stairs but we managed to make it to the ground floor with the guidance of one fire officer who pointed us in the correct direction down on the third

00:57:58 the correct direction down on the third floor we passed two elderly men who were unable to move quickly enough to overtake the spreading flames we believe these residents to be dead it was about 1:30 a.m. when we managed to

00:58:10 was about 1:30 a.m. when we managed to escape the building at this time there was still a number of people watching in horror from the ground but for the crowds were asked to back away at around 2 a.m. in the half hour an hour that we remained on the ground directly under

00:58:22 remained on the ground directly under the building we watched helplessly as resident fellow residents tried and failed to escape the flames that's what it proposed to read from that section edges of the final paragraph 19 that we

00:58:35 edges of the final paragraph 19 that we and this is on the fourth page we particularly wish to comment on our experiences of fire safety in the building which gave rise to very grave concerns our fire alarms have been

00:58:46 concerns our fire alarms have been reported as a non-functioning and indeed two days before the fire we were subject to a purported fire safety which must if conducted properly have established that our fire alarms were not working there's

00:58:58 our fire alarms were not working there's what I proposed to read from the statement of miss Yousef there are also a number of statements from other residents from floor 8 of Graham fall tower you heard this morning from the

00:59:09 tower you heard this morning from the statement of mr. Thompson and I will now read from statements of his neighbors on the same floor I will not read the entirety of each statement of course but relevant passages the first statement I

00:59:22 relevant passages the first statement I proposed to read from is that of shan't allow Patel and the reference for that statement is iws five zero seven nine eight

00:59:35 this is a statement that consists of six pages and turning to the sixth page we can see that it's signed on the 28th of June 2018 with a statement of truth and

00:59:47 June 2018 with a statement of truth and asked that's admitted into the record and there are no exhibits I would propose to pick up mr. patel's account on of the events on the 14th of June

00:59:58 on of the events on the 14th of June from page two paragraph seven on the night of the fire Chirag was staying in our flat

01:00:09 our flat Chirag was sleeping if I may actually just take that back - mr. Patel lived in flat 56 misses a paragraph to apologize it's getting ahead from this section

01:00:20 it's getting ahead from this section about 56 on the 8th floor with his wife and also with his second son his son Chirag who was born in 1986

01:00:31 Chirag who was born in 1986 Chirag did not live in the tower at the time but was visiting that night now returning to page two paragraph seven he says on the night of the fire Chirag was

01:00:42 says on the night of the fire Chirag was staying in our flat Chirag was sleeping in our spare bedroom that evening I was watching TV my wife and Chirag had gone to bed but I was watching the BBC news channel as I usually do

01:00:53 channel as I usually do at about 10:00 past one I smelt something burning so I got up and looked out of the living room window there was a fire engine flashing its lights downstairs but I couldn't see any fire I

01:01:04 downstairs but I couldn't see any fire I went to wake up my wife and Chirag after shaking both of them awake I returned to the living room and saw flames in the middle window just below the window level my living room and kitchen are

01:01:16 level my living room and kitchen are combined and I do not have a sliding door between them they used to be a door there but I had removed us a few years after purchasing the lease this meant that there were three windows in a line on the east side and two windows on the

01:01:29 on the east side and two windows on the north side of the room the flames were immediately visible in the windows as I walked back into the living room at the moment I first saw the flames I was not overly worried and I did not think that

01:01:40 overly worried and I did not think that the fire would come into our flat because the previous fires I had been so close to our fat that had not affected us

01:01:46 us I thought that this fire would be the same and there would be no problem my windows were all closed that night I went across the kitchen window and noticed that light smoke was coming

01:01:57 noticed that light smoke was coming through the vent in the window at first it was a gray color not that dense as I watched the flames suddenly shot up covering the whole of the window and also in the middle window heavier smoke

01:02:10 also in the middle window heavier smoke started coming into the kitchen through the vent and I realized that the fire was just underneath our flat even then though I thought that the flames would not make it into the flat I moved closer

01:02:21 not make it into the flat I moved closer to the window and thought for a moment that I could possibly block the vent and stop the smoke coming from coming in I looked down out of the window and I think the people watching from down below could see me and they were waving

01:02:32 below could see me and they were waving to warn or alert me but I'm not sure I quickly realized that was not going to be possible to block the vent and so I moved back out of the room and into the passage as I watched the vent simply

01:02:44 passage as I watched the vent simply fell into the kitchen and thick black smoke started to pour into the flat the extractor fan was made from ordinary plastic and had just melted under the heat the smoke that came in was very

01:02:56 heat the smoke that came in was very dense and was coming in through the gap where the vent had been very quickly as it was shooting in from a homes it quickly filled the kitchen and moved across the room I was terrified that was

01:03:08 across the room I was terrified that was when I realized how serious it was and how we had to get out immediately I ran back to tell my wife and Chirag what we had to do we had to leave I went to

01:03:19 we had to do we had to leave I went to tell my wife first and told her that he needs to get dressed and then I shouted for Chirag to get ready quickly I put my jeans on over my pajamas and grabbed a jumper my wife and Chirag left the flat

01:03:31 jumper my wife and Chirag left the flat barefooted and I went back to shut the kitchen and living room doors by now the flames covered the entire windows in the kitchen area the lights suddenly went out and I wondered if the fire brigade

01:03:42 out and I wondered if the fire brigade had turned them off I had two smoke alarms in the hallway that were installed during the refurbishment and both of these were going off making a lot of noise new places and darkness and

01:03:53 lot of noise new places and darkness and I was feeling very edgy because I couldn't see anything I knew that I needed the car keys because my wife was barefooted Chirag was holding the front door I was shouting get out get out I was fumbling

01:04:05 shouting get out get out I was fumbling for the keys because I because I couldn't see anything I had a handkerchief over my mouth which had taken from my jeans pocket I grabbed some shoes from the shoe rack and I started fumbling for the keys there was no time to grab a wallet or

01:04:17 there was no time to grab a wallet or phone and so everything was left in the flat I found the keys on my desk where I'd left them and left quickly while I was still inside fetching the keys Chirag was banging on the door and was

01:04:30 Chirag was banging on the door and was getting warned he thought that I might have fainted I didn't realize I was taking a long time I think it could only have been a minute or two the lobby outside the flat was light and some

01:04:41 outside the flat was light and some smokes were starting to come into the area there was some hazy smoke that was grained but as possible to see around the lobby we could see through it and were not completely blinded I shut the

01:04:52 were not completely blinded I shut the front door to our flat as soon as I left and that stopped the smoke coming in from our flat in the lobby area I had seen several of our neighbours I saw Will and his family and also saw Amenas nephew khalid had been banging on

01:05:04 Amenas nephew khalid had been banging on people's doors to wake them up i don't know if the lifts were working but i knew that even if they were we weren't supposed to use them when there was a fire in the building there was no alarm outside the flat by now my wife and

01:05:17 outside the flat by now my wife and Chirag had already started going downstairs I immediately went to the stairs and opened the door the door to the stairway was self closing but there was light smoke on the stairs I think was gray and quite then there were other

01:05:30 was gray and quite then there were other people on the stairs but I don't remember who they were and I didn't pay much attention as I was watching my steps carefully as I walked down people were moving quickly I think took about 10 or 15 minutes from first thing

01:05:42 10 or 15 minutes from first thing everything was such a shock on the way down I wasn't aware of how many people were coming I just saw my neighbours ahead of me and was watching my feet because I had no shoes on the police

01:05:54 because I had no shoes on the police statement has a photograph showing I left at 12440 3 and I proposed to stop there and that's yes very well thank you hmm there's also the statement of Chirag Patel

01:06:06 the statement of Chirag Patel mr. shan't allow Patel's son which were read into the record the reference for that statement is iaws five zeros eight five five

01:06:23 now that stamen consists of seven pages and if we turn to the seventh page you can see that it's signed on the 20th of June 2018 there are no exhibits to that

01:06:34 June 2018 there are no exhibits to that statement or a task that has put into the record or admitted into the record on the first page at paragraph four we'll note that I've Chirag Patel says that he's lived in Greenville tower for

01:06:45 that he's lived in Greenville tower for more or less his whole life for at least thirty years and he was born after his parents had moved into Granville tower if I can turn to page two he said it

01:06:58 if I can turn to page two he said it picks up his account from the 14th of June and he says that he can't remember anything about the day of the fire just the night it was a Wednesday and he thinks was probably quite a normal day that he stayed with his parents no pick

01:07:14 that he stayed with his parents no pick up from paragraph seven he says in the evening I went to bed as normal by about 1:00 a.m. when I was not yet fully asleep my father woke me up shouting from the door telling me that I needed

01:07:25 from the door telling me that I needed to get up we lost yes

01:07:33 dude this is page two I WS 8 5 5 2

01:07:40 and picking up again from paragraph 7 he said I needed to get up I immediately noticed a light smoke in the air and

01:07:52 noticed a light smoke in the air and became aware of a loss of low-level background noise from outside the flats I think some of the neighbors were up already and banging I stayed in bed for a moment trying to figure out what was going on the smoke was in my room and it

01:08:05 going on the smoke was in my room and it was a sort of smoke you might get a few burned something in the kitchen there was enough of it to obscure your vision the bedroom door and the door to the hallway were half open I could see more smoke traveling from outside the room

01:08:17 smoke traveling from outside the room into it I was in my pajamas and I put on a t-shirt and some tracksuit bottoms and left the room the kitchen door was closed for the door had panes of glass and laid and suits and so

01:08:29 and laid and suits and so semi-translucent beyond the door I could see bright red light brighter than anything I have ever seen before I now know that it was a fire outside the building but at the time I thought that the kitchen must

01:08:40 time I thought that the kitchen must have been on fire because it was so bright my mom was at her bedroom door I said to her that we needed to leave and we began to move towards the entrance together as I walked towards the door the smoke started filling our flat it

01:08:53 the smoke started filling our flat it was almost like there was a gust of wind that brought it through it got darker and darker very quickly in just the time it took us to travel the short distance along the hallway it was really noticeable how quickly it happened it

01:09:05 noticeable how quickly it happened it was almost like a different type of smoke as well a completely different consistency to that before by the time I got to the door I could barely see my mom behind me even though she was just a

01:09:16 mom behind me even though she was just a metre away it was completely black by that time when we got to the front door I opened the door and we left the flat I stood just outside the entrance holding the door open waiting for my father

01:09:27 the door open waiting for my father who I knew must still be inside the smoke was pushing through into me and past um if we can turn to the third page

01:09:39 [Music] if this is at paragraph 12 picking up the smoke was in the third line the smoke was pushing through into me and passed like a gust of wind it was

01:09:51 passed like a gust of wind it was blowing into my face and I couldn't help but inhale it burnt my eyes and my throat and was not so hot that it hurt my skin it was actually quite hard to keep the door open because of the impact of the smoke but I knew that my father

01:10:03 of the smoke but I knew that my father was still inside I was worried about him the smoke was having such a big effect on me

01:10:08 on me my mother was behind me and a few of our neighbors were quite close it took maybe 30 seconds for my dad to appear I don't know what he was doing maybe closing doors he appeared with the towel over

01:10:20 doors he appeared with the towel over his face and then went back into the flat momentarily to get his car keys which were close by when he came out again I moved back I tried to close the door but for some reason couldn't close it properly on the landing I could tell

01:10:32 it properly on the landing I could tell the smoke was coming from our flat once we had managed to close the front door there was no smoke anymore there was no longer problem we started to making our way down the stairs a few

01:10:43 to making our way down the stairs a few of our neighbors were also ready out in the hallway we saw khalid and his aunt and also william and his family in the center on the landings and the stairwell it was hardly any smoke as we began

01:10:55 it was hardly any smoke as we began going down the stairs I was still coughing and it still felt like my throat was burning on the stairs there were people I recognized but not people that I knew there were maybe four or five people ahead on the way down I saw

01:11:07 five people ahead on the way down I saw two firemen one was on the lower floors holding the fire door open the other was coming up the stairs the one coming up the stairs was fully suited they weren't panicking and in fact gaming the impression that

01:11:18 and in fact gaming the impression that they had it all under control we carried on down all the way to the bottom there were more people running out ahead of us my mum was closest to me I was in the foyer where there is a side entrance and

01:11:31 foyer where there is a side entrance and I noticed that the fire at the bottom was wedged open and that's what I proposed to read from that statement yes we won thank you

01:11:39 I will now read into the record a statement of colored armored who is the neighbor that you have heard has been referred to already the reference for that statement is iws five zeros eight

01:11:52 that statement is iws five zeros eight five nine

01:12:03 this is statement consists of seven pages and on the seventh page we can see that it is signed on the 27th of June 2018 with a statement of truth I'd asked

01:12:14 2018 with a statement of truth I'd asked that statement is admitted into the record and it has no exhibits yes and I would read from several passages before I do so I would note that mr. Ahmed lived with his was staying with his aunt

01:12:25 lived with his was staying with his aunt Amina Muhammad since 2014 in Grandville tower and I turned them to page two and

01:12:35 mr. armored as well notes that from paragraph six he said I realized I could

01:12:46 paragraph six he said I realized I could smell something which told me that it might have been burning in the kitchen I was playing Fifa and I remember that I was really frustrated to leave the game as I was winning but I wanted to make sure that I had not left anything on in

01:12:58 sure that I had not left anything on in the kitchen and as soon as I stood up to find out more I saw lights out of the window when I looked out I could just see the cladding on the side of the building burning I looked out of the

01:13:09 building burning I looked out of the window and down the side of the tower there was a Ledge and the cladding outside the window but I could still see down the side of the tower and could see that the corner of the building was on fire

01:13:18 fire I could see sparks from the fire some smoke it was much lower down than our flat perhaps on the third or fourth or fifth floor I could see that something was going on I stood there for a second

01:13:29 was going on I stood there for a second and thought about the situation normally I would not be concerned about a fire in the tower and I was not too worried this time but I had a feeling that something was different this time because the fire

01:13:40 was different this time because the fire came out of the window and the side of the building was on fire because of this I thought there was a chance it could be a serious fire and so I went to wake my aunt and asked her what to do when she

01:13:51 aunt and asked her what to do when she woke up I told her that I thought there was a fire downstairs she came straight to the living room window and saw what was going on and said that we should get our stuff and leave there must have been three minutes between me first seeing

01:14:02 three minutes between me first seeing the fire and her saying we should leave my aunt went to get her phone and her clothes and then got ready to leave I wasn't wearing many clothes at that stage I had shorts on and just put

01:14:13 stage I had shorts on and just put tracksuit with buttons on there was no smoke in the flat I put on my shoes we were in the hallway and I put on my shoe against the wall I remember that my aunt told me off it was

01:14:24 remember that my aunt told me off it was something they did which left a mark quite regularly and she didn't like it I mentioned this because it shows to me that we were not panicking at all at that time we thought it would just be an easily containable fire and that we were

01:14:37 easily containable fire and that we were not in danger the only thing that was on my mind was that the fire was coming out of the window as I said before and this was strange when we left we shut the door and we thought that we should be

01:14:48 door and we thought that we should be returning to the flat later that night we closed everything as normal and left I went out into the corridor and stood there for a second I realized it was very quiet and very late and that everyone would be asleep

01:15:00 late and that everyone would be asleep and looked to the lift and saw that they were out of service and I thought about the fact that fire was only on our side of the building I could see this when I looked out of the window earlier I

01:15:11 looked out of the window earlier I decided that I should just see if our neighbors were there and if so tell them about the fire because I thought they wouldn't know about it otherwise so I started knocking on people's doors I banged on Winnie's door first

01:15:24 I banged on Winnie's door first he lived in flat 52 Willie's wife answered the door and asked what was wrong I told her there was a fire and then I thought it would be a good idea to leave the building she said she would go in and wake up everyone else in the

01:15:36 go in and wake up everyone else in the house even he lived in flat 53 didn't open the door then I knocked some flat 54 and they were completely unaware of the fire my aunt came out in Sikkim unit area and saw what I was doing and at

01:15:48 area and saw what I was doing and at first said not to knock she didn't want to cause any trouble flat 56 was the flat that made us realize that something serious there was something serious going on I was knocking on flat 55 while

01:16:00 going on I was knocking on flat 55 while the people and other flats were getting ready to leave but they didn't answer then the door to flat 56 opened and our neighbor came out coughing with his hand on his mouth there was so much smoke coming from their flat that within 30

01:16:12 coming from their flat that within 30 seconds the whole of communal area had gone black everyone was coughing or with his hand on his mouth there was so much smoke coming from their flat there

01:16:23 smoke coming from their flat there within 30 seconds the whole of communal area had gone black protest everyone was coughing

01:16:27 coughing there was no way you could handle it it was very strong as soon as the smoke came up your nose you couldn't breathe it's very hard to describe the color of the smoke but it's very dark and was grayish it was still

01:16:39 very dark and was grayish it was still possible to see the person in front of you but the coughing it caused made it impossible to breathe I just turned to my aunt who said that she wants to leave so we went downstairs my aunt went first

01:16:50 so we went downstairs my aunt went first behind her there was an old lady and her daughter with a child I followed them the child was young and she was frightened was shaking and having difficulty walking and let her go ahead but she was frantic a one-stage my aunt

01:17:02 but she was frantic a one-stage my aunt couldn't see me and thought I was going back up she said come down come down I was working with the old lady as I let the old lady past me I saw a fireman

01:17:13 the old lady past me I saw a fireman this is a page fault I saw a fireman who was going up the stairs and I saw two or three others after that they weren't panicked they were just getting on with their job as soon as I saw them I was happy as I

01:17:24 soon as I saw them I was happy as I thought they would put the fire out I can't remember what they were carrying and that's what I proposed to read from that stage right thank you very much there's also the statement of Amina

01:17:36 there's also the statement of Amina Muhammad mr. Khaled Ahmed's aunt that you've heard reference to and the reference for that as I WS five Sara's eight five seven

01:17:55 now this statement consists of five pages and if we can turn to the fifth page we can see that it's signed on the 27th of June 2018 with a statement of

01:18:06 27th of June 2018 with a statement of truth a task that is admitted into the record and there are no exhibits to this statement

01:18:10 statement thank you as already noted mr. Mohammed lived with Khaled armored and flat 51 and had lived with her and since he was young they'd moved into Granville tower

01:18:23 young they'd moved into Granville tower in January 2014 I would pick up her account of the night on page 2a paragraph 8 she said and so I'd pick it

01:18:37 paragraph 8 she said and so I'd pick it up from paragraph 9 where she says I was asleep when Carl had suddenly opened the door to my bedroom and shouted wake up wake up there is a fire he walked into the living room and I followed him into

01:18:48 the living room and I followed him into the room I saw him look out of that window he said to me that there was a fire and that we had to move I didn't look out of the window to look at the fire myself I was wearing a Somali dress

01:18:59 fire myself I was wearing a Somali dress and I picked up my obey and took a scarf and a pink jumper as I thought it might be cold outside they were the first clothes I could find I took with me my mobile phone and karlitz keys to the flat which were by the front door I

01:19:11 flat which were by the front door I thought at this time that would be coming back to the flat that night so I didn't get anything else we left the flat and walked into the communal area there only been a few minutes between Carla telling me that there was a fire

01:19:23 Carla telling me that there was a fire and us leaving the flat when we were outside the flat Khaled started knocking on the front doors of people on our floor he first knocked him number 52 which was closest door to our own they

01:19:34 which was closest door to our own they opened the door and he told them there was a fire Carla then started knocking on 53 who did not open the door and then moved to 54 who did open and again Carla told

01:19:45 54 who did open and again Carla told them there was a fire I asked Collard why he was doing this I was half asleep at this time our neighbours and flat 56 opened their door and when they did smoke came out of it when I saw this I

01:19:57 smoke came out of it when I saw this I realised the fire was serious I didn't check the time but I knew it was after 1:00 a.m. when I saw the smoke from flat 56 I realized we had to leave the building quickly I shouted to Carla

01:20:09 building quickly I shouted to Carla let's go I would describe the smoke that came out of flat 56 as being black it was not very thick but it was black and there was lots of it I remember that as soon as the door opened I saw the smoke

01:20:20 soon as the door opened I saw the smoke pour out I was worried that car load might go back into our flat or go upstairs knock on more people's doors I shouted at him that we needed to leave now

01:20:29 now our neighbor Willy from flat fifty-two and his family came out of the flat as well as the people from number 54 Willy was holding his small dog I saw one resident holding her child the

01:20:41 I saw one resident holding her child the smoke then grew very quickly we are not been standing there very long we were shouting I couldn't hear any fire alarms going off in people's flats there were no fire alarms going off in the communal areas I opened the door to

01:20:53 the communal areas I opened the door to stairwell there wasn't any smoke in the stairwell the light was on and there were not many people on the stairs I think we were some of the earliest people to leave the tower on the way down the stairs we saw the firefighters

01:21:05 down the stairs we saw the firefighters coming up I walked down the stairs the ground floor and left through the main entrance of the tower the colored the police showed me a photograph I showed it me a photograph of me leaving the stairwell at inside the tower and I

01:21:16 stairwell at inside the tower and I think it was timed at 1:24 a.m. I saw more firefighters outside the tower and fire engines and that's what I proposed to read from that statement alright thank you there's two last statements

01:21:28 thank you there's two last statements that had read into the record that's the statement of mrs. router side miss side was also a resident of floor 8 of

01:21:39 was also a resident of floor 8 of Granville tower and she lived in flat 54 with her partner mr. Hardy and their infant son miss sides sister Salma Saeed and mrs.

01:21:52 miss sides sister Salma Saeed and mrs. sock and mr. Samet Salma sides two children also lived with them mrs. Saeed had lived in the property since 2006 originally with her sister and mr. moved in later in 2014 on the night of

01:22:05 moved in later in 2014 on the night of the fire

01:22:06 the fire mrs. Salma side and her children were not at home miss mrs. router side was at home with her partner and mr. Makram in their child the statement is iws

01:22:17 in their child the statement is iws five zeros nine to zero the reference it consists of twelve pages and if we turn to the twelfth page

01:22:30 pages and if we turn to the twelfth page we can see that it's signed with a statement of truth on the 21st of May 2018 I would propose to pick up miss

01:22:43 2018 I would propose to pick up miss AIDS account of the night of 13 to 14 June at page five and this is paragraph 19

01:22:57 no Messiah says on the evening of 13 June 2017 I was at home with my husband Makram and our son my sister Salma was

01:23:08 Makram and our son my sister Salma was staying with a friend in Chiswick so we were the only people in the flat I recall that after putting our son to bed Makram and I stayed up between 23 30 hours and midnight I'm not quite sure

01:23:21 hours and midnight I'm not quite sure when we went to bed we were both awoken I'm not sure of the time by some very loud knocking on our front door I got up to find out who it was and saw our neighbour Khaled from flat 51 standing at the door he said

01:23:33 flat 51 standing at the door he said there was a fine the building and that we ought to get out my husband and I could both see that there was faint smoke in our landing and we immediately decided that something serious must be happening so he lost no time in getting

01:23:45 happening so he lost no time in getting out I remember still of my night clothes and as was my husband and they only put on a pair of flip-flops I think my husband put on some outdoor shoes but we really were not prepared to spend very

01:23:56 really were not prepared to spend very much time inside at all after knocking on our door our neighbour Khaled went round and knocked on all our neighbours doors I remember that we were out in the landing when he knocked on the doors of our neighbours the Potala who are an

01:24:07 our neighbours the Potala who are an elderly couple when they opened the door smoke streamed out from within their flat their flat was actually on the side of the building that had caught fire and smoke started to come through their flat seeing the thick smoke really alarmed us

01:24:20 seeing the thick smoke really alarmed us and we proceeded to go straight down the stairs although there was some smoke on the stairs at this time it was quite thin and you could see the stairs quite clearly the width of the stairs was quite reduced however because on the way

01:24:31 quite reduced however because on the way down the stairs we passed fireman's hoses and also firemen going up the stairs we did not say anything to them and they did not say anything to us because the firemen were there it didn't

01:24:42 because the firemen were there it didn't mean that we could only use one side of the stairs and had to go down in single file by the time we enter the stairs there were quite a few people on them and so you had to wait for people to go down in front to go down it was a very

01:24:55 down in front to go down it was a very strange experience as people it clearly had just got out of bed as as people clearly had just got out of bed so many people like us were in their night clothes such people were just an

01:25:06 clothes such people were just an underwear it was very strange I did not know how long it took us to get down the stairs possibly five to ten minutes I have been formed by the police that there's footage of us walking across the downstairs reception area to

01:25:19 across the downstairs reception area to one twenty four hours I recall that outside there was a fireman who was telling everyone to move away people seemed to be naturally congregating by the better gym which was located at one corner of the

01:25:31 which was located at one corner of the tower

01:25:32 tower however Deborah started falling from the tower and were quickly asked to move away by the police and that's what I proposed to read from that statement thank you there's one final statement

01:25:44 thank you there's one final statement and that is of Misamis aid as you've heard you lived with mr. out aside the reference for that statement as I WS five zeros nine one nine the statement

01:26:00 five zeros nine one nine the statement consists of thirteen pages and if we turn to the last page you can see that it's signed as a statement of truth and I would ask that and there's no exhibits

01:26:13 I would ask that and there's no exhibits to that statement I would ask that statement as admittance the record I

01:26:21 would then refer to paragraph 51 and 56-51 of this statement on page nine

01:26:34 Masami side was not present inside the tower on the night of the fire harvest she has given her account of when she first became aware of the fire and at paragraph 51 she says the first I was

01:26:47 paragraph 51 she says the first I was aware of the fire was around 5:30 a.m. 6:00 a.m. on the 14th of June when I woke up I noticed that I had a lot of missed calls on my mobile phone and there were all from family members on

01:26:58 there were all from family members on seeing the missed calls I turned on the TV and saw the breakfast news obviously that morning all the news was about the fire at Granville Tower this is whilst I was at my friend's house and Chyzyk I

01:27:09 was at my friend's house and Chyzyk I immediately called router to see if she was ok however she did not pick up her phone and so I called her husband who also did not pick up I felt sick and was shaking as I was imagining the worst and

01:27:21 shaking as I was imagining the worst and that they had not made it out of the fire I kept calling router and Mac Ramon their mobile phones their phones would just keep ringing but nobody would answer I kept calling over and over

01:27:32 answer I kept calling over and over again then I called my brother who lives in Peckham he was one of the family members who had tried calling me on my mobile I got through to him and he was able to tell me my sister my husband and kids were all safe as he had picked them

01:27:44 kids were all safe as he had picked them up from the tower reading and they were all at his home recovering the reason I had so many missed calls my phone at the time of the start of the fire was whipping it was because people were worried I was caught in the fire and

01:27:57 worried I was caught in the fire and that's what I proposed to read from that statement all right thank you I would note that even though I have not read from all of the statements the entirety of the statement is admitted into the record and has been considered carefully

01:28:08 record and has been considered carefully by the inquiry and and is very useful for our investigations yes thank you and as I've said many times in the past we are very grateful to those who made those statements contributing to have

01:28:21 those statements contributing to have the evidence before the inquiry thank you very much that would conclude the inquiries business for today however we do have our next witness for tomorrow listed at 10 a.m. right well what a day

01:28:34 listed at 10 a.m. right well what a day than sometimes but I'm sure that people can make good use of the time available we'll break now and resume tomorrow morning at 10

01:28:45 and resume tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock please good thank you very much