Continuation of witness statements being read into the record. Includes testimony from Andrea Prassrainer Gomez (Flat 183, 21st floor) and Elpidio Bonifacio (Flat 83, 11th floor - last person rescued alive at 8:07am).
00:00:03 yes mr. millet mr. chairman I'm now going to read into the record a witness statement of Andrea Paris trainer Gomez who is mr. Gomez his wife yes
00:00:17 Gomez who is mr. Gomez his wife yes also of flat 183 on the 21st floor of Granville tower who left the building at 3:37 a.m. her statement is at iws Quinn
00:00:29 3:37 a.m. her statement is at iws Quinn tuple 0 3 4 9 it's dated the 20th of May 2018 and it stands under a statement of truth of that date on page 20 yes thank
00:00:46 truth of that date on page 20 yes thank you and as we heard this morning for mr. Gomez they moved into flat 183 in April of 2007 with their two daughters and their dog Lilly and mrs. Gomez or miss
00:01:00 their dog Lilly and mrs. Gomez or miss pross trailer was seven months pregnant at the time of the fire with the sons you know the couple's son Laban who unfortunately as you know mr. chairman did not survive it's also write to us to Nate that the family also lost Lilly the
00:01:13 Nate that the family also lost Lilly the dog in the fire the family were all at home on the night of the fire and if I could pick it up in the statement first to paragraph 27 on page 4 yes one of the
00:01:26 to paragraph 27 on page 4 yes one of the heading concerns about fire safety she says I was not provided with any information about fire safety when I moved into Grenville tower I read a notice about fire safety on the notice board which confirmed the meeting point
00:01:38 board which confirmed the meeting point outside the tire and advised occupants not to use the lifts in the event of a fire I had heard about there being a stay put policy in the tower but I cannot remember where I had heard this I had several worries and concerns about
00:01:50 had several worries and concerns about fire safety in the tower and I will set out each of my concerns below my primary concern was about the fire exits before the refurbishment work started there
00:02:01 the refurbishment work started there were two fire exits in the tower one was at the main entrance and the other was of the walkway which was renamed the first floor after they carried out the refurbishment works the people
00:02:12 refurbishment works the people authorizing the refurbishment removed the fire exit via the walkway on the first floor during the works which meant that all of the residents in the tower had only one escape route which was out of the front entrance the fire
00:02:24 was out of the front entrance the fire exit on the walkway had been removed by Ryden the contractors say that the Kensington and Chelsea tenants management organization the TMO could use the space created to add additional flats in the tower I was not happy about
00:02:35 flats in the tower I was not happy about the removal of the walkway as this meant that we were left with only one exit from the tower in an emergency and then the paragraph 29 she discusses her concerns with Linda they ride an
00:02:46 concerns with Linda they ride an employee and then at 30 she says I assumed that the contractors knew what they were doing and wasn't consulted about the removal of the second exit no
00:02:57 about the removal of the second exit no 31 she says I also had concerns about their only being a single emergency escape stairwell for the entire grünfeld tower I've been to other tower blocks where there are two staircases providing emergency evacuation options this worried me as
00:03:10 evacuation options this worried me as there were several hundred people living in Grenville tower but they all had access to but one staircase in the event of an emergency requiring a full evacuation and then at 33 she says there
00:03:21 evacuation and then at 33 she says there was a fire hose on our corridor just outside our front door which had been there ever since we moved into the tower we'd never been shown how to use the fire hose and in the 10 years that I lived at grenfell tower I had never seen
00:03:32 lived at grenfell tower I had never seen anyone from the hood London Fire Brigade the Council of all the TMAO come and check whether or not the hose was actually working whether it was in good condition I thought the house looked old and discolored and then I can pick it up
00:03:44 and discolored and then I can pick it up at paragraph 44 on page 8 she deals with the question of windows yeah our main issues with the refurbishment works were in relation to the new windows after the
00:03:55 in relation to the new windows after the new windows had been fitted there were gaps along the bottom of the windows under the window ledge which was letting draught into our flat the draught was strong and I could feel it whilst I was sat on the safer in my living room it was also moving the curtains in the
00:04:07 it was also moving the curtains in the rooms when it was particularly windy and this was very noticeable in the girls bedroom I cannot remember if the gaps were visible but I could feel the draught I recall asking the contractors to come and inspect the windows and when
00:04:19 to come and inspect the windows and when they came to inspect and they real they resealed them with filler this did not work as the curtains in the girls bedrooms are still moving when it was windy I did not get back to the TMO all the contractors as I
00:04:30 back to the TMO all the contractors as I think this was shortly before the fire and she says that she spoke to Marcia about her concerns and then she turns at paragraph 46 and following to the
00:04:41 paragraph 46 and following to the evening of the 13th of June and then from paragraph 49 onwards the night of the fire itself the morning of the 14th of June I read into the record that down
00:04:54 of June I read into the record that down to paragraph of 75 I've subsequently learned that the fire at groennfell tower started at a 54 in the morning of the 14th of June I became aware of the fire in our neighbor
00:05:05 fire in our neighbor Helen Gabriel mescal and her daughter from flat 186 on the same floor as us knocked on our door to wake us I cannot remember the time I could also hear shouting and loud voices outside the
00:05:17 shouting and loud voices outside the tower after I was working out by Helen banging on the door I remember Helen knocking on our front door but the details of what happened after that are a little hazy she told Marcia and I that there was a fire in the tower she was panicked and
00:05:29 fire in the tower she was panicked and she was talking fast like she did not know what to do I also remember seeing people talking on our landing with our neighbors next door the Elwha hubby family and they were going into their flat but I did not
00:05:40 going into their flat but I did not remember much more than that I think I saw Abdullah Al were happy but I cannot remember he lived in flat 182 with his wife and three children the alwah happy family Eilert later sadly died in the fire
00:05:52 Eilert later sadly died in the fire Helen a daughter who was 12 years old at the time of the fire and their dog Simba a chihuahua came into our flat I remember sending the daughter into the girls room because my daughter was still
00:06:03 girls room because my daughter was still awake and playing on her tablet computer as Helen and I were walking into the kitchen I think she told me that the fire was at the window in her flat in the living room I do not know what she
00:06:14 the living room I do not know what she meant by this Helen was on her mobile telephone the majority of the time I know that she'd been speaking with Nadia chuka our neighbor in flat 193 on the 22nd floor I did not remember if she was speaking
00:06:25 did not remember if she was speaking with her the whole time or with others I was not paying attention Nadia's flat was directly above our flat I did not remember much about the events that followed after I did not remember Marcia
00:06:36 followed after I did not remember Marcia coming back into the flat or and if like that I just remember standing by the kitchen window a lot trying to see what was happening or hear what people were saying I could see a lot of people gathering outside the tower by the park
00:06:47 gathering outside the tower by the park and by the ramp they were shouting up at the tower you need to get out get out there's a fire get out I could also hear Nadia screaming for help from outside of her kitchen window I looked out at the kitchen and when I
00:07:00 I looked out at the kitchen and when I looked up I could see a hand from Nadia's flat waving a white towel or cloth outside the window I did not know who it was I was panicked worried and in a state of shock at some point I could
00:07:13 a state of shock at some point I could see the fire from the outside of the tower on the left and right sides from the kitchen window I had to reach out of the kitchen window to see properly as pillars restricted our views to the left and right sides of the tower and I was
00:07:25 and right sides of the tower and I was only able to see the fire as it was being blown by the wind I could also hear a crackling and burning noise coming from the right-hand side of the tower I remember seeing it spread very
00:07:36 tower I remember seeing it spread very quickly I could hear screams from my neighbors above shouting for help and from outside the tower I could smell burning and see a lot of smoke coming through the front door into our flat the smoke was thick and black I
00:07:50 our flat the smoke was thick and black I received several calls from family and friends whilst I was inside that flat telling me to get out of the flat as they had heard about the fire either from other friends or in the news I cannot remember the times of the calls
00:08:02 cannot remember the times of the calls or the number of the calls I received but they started after Helen came into our flat my family and friends all told me the same things get out there's a fire it's really bad and you need to get
00:08:13 fire it's really bad and you need to get out now
00:08:14 out now we only stayed in the flat as long as we did because Marcia had spoken to 999 and he told me that help was coming I can only remember trying to leave the flat once before finally leaving the flat and
00:08:26 once before finally leaving the flat and on that first attempt I remember not being able to breathe as soon as we got onto the landing and I panicked and we all came back into the flat I remember seeing Marcia shake the living room floor with water I do not know how but I
00:08:38 floor with water I do not know how but I just remember him throwing water on the floor there was a lot of smoke inside our flat at this point and it was very hot like a dry sauna before we left
00:08:49 hot like a dry sauna before we left I seem to have blanked it from my mind but I now know that the fire had reached our bedroom as Marcio saw it I was not aware of that when we left the flat I just remember Marcia saying that we had
00:09:00 just remember Marcia saying that we had to leave Marcia gave all of us wet towels to cover our mouths and we have big sheets over our heads we all left the flat together and the girls were holding the dogs Helen was in front the
00:09:13 holding the dogs Helen was in front the daughter was behind her and then it was me another girl my other daughter and Marcia was at the end of the group Marcia had coordinated
00:09:24 end of the group Marcia had coordinated the exit and his instructions were to grab hold of that handrail as soon as we had got onto the stairwell and to keep hold of it until we got to the bottom of the stairs when we walked out of the
00:09:35 the stairs when we walked out of the flat it was pitch black I could not see a thing all I could smell was smoke plastic and chemicals burning it was very hot again like a sauna as soon as
00:09:46 very hot again like a sauna as soon as we came out onto our landing we all headed towards the stairwell which was on the right we were all lined up behind were one behind the other the smoke on the stairwell was very thick I could not
00:09:57 the stairwell was very thick I could not breathe or see through the smoke I felt like I was choking and I thought I was going to die it was pitch black and I could not see we were able to get onto the stairs immediately as I did not think there was anyone on the stairs
00:10:08 think there was anyone on the stairs towards the top of the tower the smoke on the landing and the stairwell was the same it took maybe a couple of seconds from my front door to walk onto the stairwell I knew the
00:10:19 walk onto the stairwell I knew the direction to walk in and as soon as I got onto the stair when I grabbed hold of the handrail and I did not let go there was no noise at the top but as we got further down the stairs I could hear people on the stairwell
00:10:31 people on the stairwell crying and asking for help I cannot remember how far down the stairwell this was I could not see anyone as it was pitch black I did not know what we were walking over to begin with it was only
00:10:43 walking over to begin with it was only when I tripped over someone and they let out a groan that I realized I was walking over people I remember someone grabbed my ankle and somebody also did the same to my daughter as we were
00:10:55 the same to my daughter as we were coming down the stairs we were one of the last to come out of the building well there we all left as a group and we were behind one another in a chain I was only holding my daughter hand as daughter's hand as we came down
00:11:08 hand as daughter's hand as we came down the stairs I was going as fast as I could but I was heavily pregnant at the time and it was difficult to go fast as I was holding my daughter's hand I just kept saying to my daughter as we were going down keep going keep going my
00:11:21 going down keep going keep going my daughter started saying that she could not go anymore and she fell my daughter had tripped over a body on the stairs which caused her to fall I picked my daughter up and was holding her by the
00:11:32 daughter up and was holding her by the collar of her clothes and started pulling her down the stairs I was exhausted out of breath and I felt like I was going to collapse just before I saw a light from a firefighter I cannot remember where this was but I
00:11:44 I cannot remember where this was but I assume it was the sixth seventh the sixth or seventh floor the firefighters escorted my daughter and I out of the tower they just kept saying keep going keep going I looked
00:11:55 saying keep going keep going I looked back and saw my daughter with a firefighter and felt relieved decending felt like a lifetime but I cannot remember how long it took I remember telling a firefighter while I was still
00:12:06 telling a firefighter while I was still inside the tower by the main entrance that there were still people on the stairs it was lighter further down the stairs but this was not until we got to the floors lever down the tower where the water was gushing down the stairs
00:12:18 the water was gushing down the stairs escaping the Grenville tower was the worst experience of my entire life I thought that we were all going to die and that is the worst feeling to have experienced I did not encounter firefighters until the lower levels of
00:12:30 firefighters until the lower levels of the tower when they helped guide me down the stairs this is the only contact I had with them and she then describes what she experienced when she got outside the tower I would just pick it
00:12:41 outside the tower I would just pick it up the paragraph 81 we were given foil blankets and water whilst we were sat outside there were lots of people I remember meeting with one of my neighbors and asking her if she was okay
00:12:53 neighbors and asking her if she was okay I waited and kept looking for Marcio and my other daughter it felt like a long time and I was worried that something had happened to them I saw Marcy at first but I did not see my other
00:13:04 first but I did not see my other daughter as there was a lot of commotion around me I was panic panicking and couldn't see my daughter when my daughter arrived she needed immediate medical attention Marcia told me not to look and that she
00:13:16 Marcia told me not to look and that she was being taken care of and that is when I saw paramedics around her she was on the floor I do not know what they were doing while I sat by the tree I knew that my other daughter was in shock because she kept staring at the
00:13:27 shock because she kept staring at the building I kept asking her questions and she kept saying yes yes yes there was no engagement or no nor interaction she was in shock my other daughter was being
00:13:38 in shock my other daughter was being taken into an ambulance and Marcia my daughter and I were also told to give into the same ambulance as at that point they realized I was pregnant and needed to be checked immediately I do not know what happened to Helen and her daughter
00:13:49 what happened to Helen and her daughter I know that Helen was looking for her daughter and we both assumed that she'd gone out of the other exit and then she describes her injuries and other matters
00:14:00 describes her injuries and other matters mr. chairman that's what I proposed to read from her statement and entirety of her statement will of course stand in the record and be taken into account in thought of the second and only other
00:14:16 thought of the second and only other statement I would wish to read into the record this afternoon is the statement of mr. Elpidio Bonifacio he was from
00:14:27 of mr. Elpidio Bonifacio he was from flat 83 on the 11th floor he was the last person to be rescued alive from grenfell tower he was brought out by firefighters at 8:07 a.m. the reference
00:14:39 firefighters at 8:07 a.m. the reference to his statement his iws quadruple 0 1 0 8 5 it dated the 18th of September 2018 and it has a statement of truth of page
00:14:50 and it has a statement of truth of page 11
00:14:51 11 mr. Bonifacio and his wife have lived in Grenfell tower for 36 years at the time of the fire they rented their flat from our bkc mr. Bonifacio is partially
00:15:02 our bkc mr. Bonifacio is partially sighted and is registered as blind he was alone in the flat at the time of the fire as his wife had gone to work I would start by reading paragraph 5 he
00:15:15 would start by reading paragraph 5 he says what the flat was unfurnished with no carpets when we first got the keys I remember we received a letter with our tenancy
00:15:22 tenancy book which contained fire safety information the letter was in English which isn't our native language but we could just about understand the fire safety instructions we were never shown the escape routes and neighbourly from
00:15:34 the escape routes and neighbourly from our be case he checked to make sure we understood the fire the fire instructions there was no follow up since then and then at paragraph eight on page two he says on entering our flat
00:15:47 on page two he says on entering our flat you would have to pull the door behind you
00:15:49 you to close it and then lock the door with the key notice pausing day probably means on leaving our flat our door has a letter box which will always spring back once the letters have fallen to the
00:16:01 once the letters have fallen to the floor then he explains the door arrangements in the in the flat and then
00:16:13 arrangements in the in the flat and then paragraphs nine to twelve he deals with hit the TMO and at eleven he says the TMO knew I had disabilities every time my wife would get down to the TI mode
00:16:26 my wife would get down to the TI mode office to report a repair they would often tell her to do it herself she would then remind them that I was elderly and blind and would then escalate our repair turn over time despite this there were never any
00:16:38 despite this there were never any conversations about the council relocating me to a flat on them on a lower floor and then at paragraph 13 and following L today Bonifacio discusses
00:16:51 following L today Bonifacio discusses safety checks and he says this I'm not aware of the London Fire Brigade conducting home safety checks in the tower I do remember them attending once after the refurbishment to check the smoke alarm was working they didn't
00:17:04 smoke alarm was working they didn't replace them just check to see if they still worked this is the only time in 36 years
00:17:08 years I remember them attending our home I believe each flat had individual smoke alarms but the building did not have communal fire alarms or sprinklers there was a smoke alarm in our kitchen and one
00:17:19 was a smoke alarm in our kitchen and one in the hallway to my knowledge grenfell tower never had a communal fire alarm system never had communal fire alarm systems during my 36 years of living in the tower I can't remember I'm sorry I
00:17:32 the tower I can't remember I'm sorry I remember the electrics were checked every year and the gas supply was checked but I can't remember if was every year like the electrics and then at 19 under the heading the
00:17:43 then at 19 under the heading the refurbishment of Grenfell tower which starts at paragraph 16 he says this before the refurbishment I didn't have any difficulty navigating the building as a blind man following the refurbishment it was not easy for me to
00:17:55 refurbishment it was not easy for me to find my way around because the tower now had three additional floors it became a different way of living for me there were too many doors which made it confusing for me to know which floor I was on especially when the lift was not
00:18:06 was on especially when the lift was not working I would find it very hard to find my way around the first time when the lift was not working I had to go down the stairs but I didn't know where to go it took me a long time to get out of the building as I lost but I got lost between floors to this day I wouldn't
00:18:20 between floors to this day I wouldn't know how to exit the building it is unclear to me and is still unclear to my wife who can see there's a blind person living on the 11th floor I was extremely reliant on the lifts
00:18:31 I was extremely reliant on the lifts there were two lifts in the tower but they were often not working everybody would report it to the council all TMO but sometimes it would take hours days even weeks to fix them other times we would have one lift to service
00:18:43 times we would have one lift to service the whole building it wasn't easy but I would have to wait for the lift to come or take the stairs there's a door which is opposite the lifts which leads to the main communal staircase the lifts run
00:18:54 main communal staircase the lifts run through the middle part of the building more average I would say at least one of the lifts did not work at least once or twice a month during the refurbishment it was particularly difficult to use the
00:19:05 it was particularly difficult to use the lifts as the residents would have to share the lifts with the contractors carrying out the work so I would often have to walk up the stairs and then he covers the events of the night of the
00:19:16 covers the events of the night of the 13th 14th of June 2017 at paragraphs 28 and following and he says this on 13th
00:19:27 and following and he says this on 13th of June I was home alone as my wife had gone to work she left around 8:00 p.m. and I was already asleep when she left I was awoken by my wife who phoned me on the house phone at roughly 1 a.m. in the
00:19:38 the house phone at roughly 1 a.m. in the morning of the 14th of June she worked night shifts at the time and had received a call from a friend checking if we were ok as that has the I was on fire she didn't know the
00:19:49 I was on fire she didn't know the building was on fire or how bad it was that she wasn't there my wife started to call me frantically as she made her way home the first time she called I did not answer because I was sleeping I could
00:20:00 answer because I was sleeping I could hear the fame but did not want to break my sleep to answer it the second time she called I didn't want to get up out of bed but I thought the core must be important for someone to call so late I answered the phone and remember her
00:20:12 answered the phone and remember her telling me that there was a fire on the lower floors and instructing me to put some wet towels on the floor around the doors I thought about leaving the flat but I didn't want to get trapped on the stairs as I knew I wasn't familiar with
00:20:24 stairs as I knew I wasn't familiar with the new layout of the building following the refurbishment I did open the front door but I could smell the smoke it was a strong smell and the temperature was warm hotter than usual prior to the refurbishment I would have felt
00:20:36 refurbishment I would have felt confident that I would be able to leave the flat and navigate my way around the building to get out but as the building layout had changed I was trapped and stood no chance of escaping I did what
00:20:47 stood no chance of escaping I did what she said and put wet towels on the floor by the doors shortly after I received a call from my son Gordon he said there's a fire in the building stay there dad we've spoken to
00:20:59 building stay there dad we've spoken to a farlen and they have said they'll come and rescue you I think he called me at roughly 2:00 a.m. being blind and elderly I had no choice but to wait to be rescued I could hear people shouting for help outside and
00:21:11 people shouting for help outside and lots of screaming and crying I went to the living room window marked X on the planet act exhibit eb1 and shouted for help somebody on the ground floor asked
00:21:22 help somebody on the ground floor asked me what floor I was on I told them and continued to shout help help from the window and I managed to attract attention from the firefighters and local residents on the ground Gordon's wife also found me shortly
00:21:34 Gordon's wife also found me shortly after Gordon saying the same thing that the fire brigade would come and get me so I should I should remain calm and stay put the firefighters are professionals and being blind I had to
00:21:45 professionals and being blind I had to listen to them and stay in the flat I packed a rucksack with our passports and important documents and I waited to be rescued after a couple of hours I could start I could smell the smoke and I wanted to go down the stairs to try and
00:21:57 wanted to go down the stairs to try and escape but I was worried about being trapped on the stairs so I decided to stay in the flat I could see some burning flames coming from above and going past the windows I could feel the heat after some time I
00:22:09 could feel the heat after some time I was there before the fire alarm started I'm not sure when but later the fire started to spread to the sitting room forcing me to retreat to my bedroom marked X on the planet act exhibit EB -
00:22:21 marked X on the planet act exhibit EB - I could see the color of the flames and hear the sound of burning and the crackling of the flames it was at this point that I could no longer take phone calls from my wife and Gordon as the landline was positioned in the sitting
00:22:33 landline was positioned in the sitting room and I could no longer enter that room as it was too hot from the heat of the flames I believe the last call I took was from my wife at roughly 1:30 a.m. or just after in the sitting room had already stopped starting to burn I
00:22:46 had already stopped starting to burn I signal for help from my bedroom window not on the plan waving a white towel I think a lot of people saw me waving the towel from the window I did that for about an hour back and forth to the
00:22:57 about an hour back and forth to the window in my bedroom to the opposite side of the room I could feel the water from the fireman's hose from the window the water from the hose was cold so I would move away from the window to keep warm but then we need to stick my head
00:23:08 warm but then we need to stick my head outside of the window to get there as the room started to fill with smoke I thought about jumping out of the window to escape I tried to drag the mattress off the bed to throw it out of the window to cushion my fall but it was too
00:23:20 window to cushion my fall but it was too heavy to lift and it was too big to pass through the window I quickly gave up on this plan and continued to shout for help
00:23:28 help hours passed be my be bi and I began to feel hopeless the flat was becoming hotter and I started to tell myself that this was the end and that I was destined
00:23:39 this was the end and that I was destined to die in the fire the thought of burning to death was horrific I was petrified I started to consider taking my own life I took a handful of medication for my illness and started to
00:23:52 medication for my illness and started to psych myself up to taking them so that if the fire was to eventually catch me I wouldn't feel it I wanted to numb the pain
00:24:03 I wanted to numb the pain suicide is against my religion so I didn't end up taking the tablets I just said to myself whatever happens happens I was ready to die I just let go I had
00:24:15 I was ready to die I just let go I had lost hope I didn't tell any of my family members that I intended to take my own life I could hear the mirror in the sitting room shatter and I knew it was a consequence of the heat from the fire it
00:24:27 consequence of the heat from the fire it was a loud bang it was so frightening I could hear the crackling flames in the sitting room I said to myself it is finished this is the end and I prepared
00:24:38 finished this is the end and I prepared myself to die Lord into your hands I commend my spirit I said to myself the smoke alarms in the flat were all interlinked so if one sounded they would
00:24:50 interlinked so if one sounded they would all go off together both alarms went off as the heat started to rise I could hear the alarms from the bedroom suddenly I heard the sound of running water from the fireman's hose in the flat when I
00:25:02 the fireman's hose in the flat when I heard that I knew they were inside my flat as the sound was louder than the sound of the hose from outside the window I opened the bedroom door and there they were four maybe five firefighters with a hose they were big
00:25:15 firefighters with a hose they were big men they looked like giants to me they said come on relax we'll take you down the Lord had answered my prayers the firefighters gripped me either side under my armpits to take me down the
00:25:27 under my armpits to take me down the staircase
00:25:27 staircase they just whisked me out of the flat I remember that the water hose was coming from inside the flat not outside but by the lift and the front door of the flat on leaving the flat I could see flames
00:25:39 on leaving the flat I could see flames in the kitchen and the living room that had begun to make its way into the bedroom where I was hiding the flat was very very hot two firemen supported me down the staircase either side of me and
00:25:51 down the staircase either side of me and I believe at least two firefighters remained in the flat to fight the fire I cannot describe the staircase very well but I remember water falling down it was very wet they told me to keep calm I
00:26:02 very wet they told me to keep calm I could smell smoke but nothing else there was smoke everywhere but I didn't care that I didn't have the breathing apparatus I was just so happy to be rescued I even forgot the rucksack that
00:26:13 rescued I even forgot the rucksack that I'd packed with our passports as I was in such a hurry to get out of the I remember stepping on things as they rushed me down the stairs I'm not sure if it was the hose or something else but it was a horrible
00:26:25 something else but it was a horrible feeling I was surrounded by smoke and heat the stairway is very narrow which made it difficult for the firefighters to take me down the stairs at one point they were farm and trying to go up and
00:26:37 they were farm and trying to go up and down the stairs at the same time we were trying to get down so we had to stop at the top of the stairs to allow the other firefighters enough room to pass us I remember we stopped twice on the way down I believe the firefighters were
00:26:49 down I believe the firefighters were helping each other to bring up the hose I cannot describe the lobby area from sight but the lobby area was smoky and I could hear people from the ambulances and lots of other people I got out of
00:27:01 and lots of other people I got out of the building just after 8 a.m. in the morning which means I was waiting to be rescued for about 6 to 7 hours I think I was the last person to leave the tower alive and I still can't get my head
00:27:13 alive and I still can't get my head around that firefighters the firefighters who came to rescue me were very brave and courageous they were prepared to sacrifice their lives for mine the fire had circled the building
00:27:25 mine the fire had circled the building and every room except the room I was hiding in when the firefighters arrived I owe my life to them and I am grateful for their efforts to save me from the fire and then he goes on to explain his
00:27:37 fire and then he goes on to explain his experiences outside the tower I'll just read one or two paragraphs of that my lungs were full of smoke on exiting the tower I was put straight onto a stretcher and placed in an
00:27:48 onto a stretcher and placed in an ambulance which took me to the Chelsea and Westminster hospital I didn't have time to speak to anybody and in fact I couldn't speak I traveled to the hospital with the paramedic who helped me lay down in the ambulance and my
00:27:59 me lay down in the ambulance and my family traveled behind me I couldn't breathe but no oxygen was provided in the ambulance it took roughly five to eight minutes to get to the hospital we drove with the siren on the whole way
00:28:10 we drove with the siren on the whole way so I think we arrived at the hospital at 8:30 a.m. and then he goes on to describe
00:28:17 describe rest of that experience yes and so mr. el pedo Bonifacio's statement will go into the record in its entirety and be read and taken into account in people
00:28:31 and if I didn't read it at the start I will again it's iws quadruple zero one zero eight five as the relativity reference for that document that includes the exhibits
00:28:43 document that includes the exhibits which are behind it but it's right that I should thank both mr. Belafonte and mrs. Byrne Australia for the time and trouble they've taken to make these
00:28:54 trouble they've taken to make these statements mr. chairman indeed and I just want to mark the moment at which we have come to the end of almost all of the BS our witnesses there remain a
00:29:05 the BS our witnesses there remain a number of witness statements which we intend or at least hope to read into the record next week during appropriate moments next week but we certainly have certainly come to the end of the oral
00:29:17 certainly come to the end of the oral witnesses that the inquiry is going to hear from at this phase and I think it's right that I should mark our deep gratitude to all the bereaved survivors and residents who have assisted the
00:29:29 and residents who have assisted the inquiry in giving us witness statements and coming to the inquiry to give their evidence they've done so with dignity courage and conviction and they are though they say so a source of hope when
00:29:41 though they say so a source of hope when we despair so I wish to extend our gratitude to all of them thank you very much and I would heartily endorse everything you said it's Jenna thank you good thank you so we break now
00:29:53 thank you good thank you so we break now and we resume on Monday with some more witnesses but of a different kind we do we we start on Monday morning at a time to suit you mr. chairman I think it's
00:30:05 to suit you mr. chairman I think it's probably 10:00 a.m. I think that everyone had indeed and we have the evidence of acting inspector Thatcher good thank you very much ten o'clock on
00:30:17 good thank you very much ten o'clock on Monday thank you