Painting firefighters as ‘Grenfell heroes’ is all wrong says survivors’ group rep
By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter
A bereaved family member of the Grenfell Tower tragedy has warned against “hero-washing” firefighters in a powerful speech to a parliamentary committee.
Karim Khalloufi told the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee yesterday the London Fire Brigade (LFB) was “negligent” for the deaths of all 72 residents.
Mr Khalloufi, representing the survivors’ group Grenfell Next of Kin, said: “There is a huge disappointment in the constant hero-washing of firefighters. At the time of the fire, there were 269 occupants – 168 exited in the first 20 minutes. Of the other 101 people, 72 died. The fire brigade failed.
“For over two hours, they told 101 people to stay put and 72 people lost their lives. For me and for my family, and most of the next of kin families I’m representing here today, the issue of the fire brigade and its negligence is central.”
Mr Khalloufi said survivors and next of kin no longer attended the yearly anniversary since the LFB began taking part.
He said: “The official narrative is ‘brave firefighters’. For those of us on the phone to our families, or listening to the 999 calls and heard evidence in Phase 1 of the inquiry, it’s particularly difficult to hear when ministers and MPs stand up to praise the firefighters without taking the trouble of knowing all the facts, like we do, because it’s us that were on the phone to our kin.
“It’s us listening to the 999 calls that our loved ones said, ‘you told us to stay put, that you were coming for us. And now it’s too late. We are dying’. So, next time this government or any fire department wants to praise the fire brigade, please bear in mind we have issues with their negligence.”
Committee chair Florence Eshalomi MP acknowledged Mr Khalloufi’s remarks before backing the service. She said: “Where there are faults from the fire brigade, that should be investigated rightly and following Grenfell, the fire service in London, the London Fire Brigade, was brought under special measures.
“That comes under the Mayor of London’s jurisdiction and I know that that’s an area that’s scrutinised but I think it’s fair to recognise firefighters up and down the country, not just here in London who, day in, day out, do go into houses where there are blazes to save people.”
Andy Roe, Commissioner of London Fire Brigade, said the Grenfell Tower fire had been the “apex of multi-institutional failure” in the post-war period.
He said: “Everyone from the private sector to the public sector, to my own organisation, were part of a profound abdication of responsibilities, and that had the most terrible outcome.”
He said the brigade had implemented all 23 recommendations from the Phase 1 report of the Grenfell Inquiry. Praise was also heaped on Kensington and Chelsea council for changes to its resilience planning
The committee heard from a range of witnesses, including from the Grenfell community, Kensington and Chelsea council, London Fire Brigade, and from building safety and building control representatives.
The evidence session is part of a review of the Government’s response to the recommendations to Phase 2 of the Grenfell Inquiry.
Pictured top: Karim Khalloufi speaking at the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee’s hearing (Picture: ParliamentTV)