The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Podcast

Expert witness Professor Luke Bisby explained how the fire spread.

He told the inquiry that advice for residents to stay in their flats in the event of a fire should have been scrapped as soon as combustible cladding was fitted to the tower.

Producer Kate Lamble and Elisabeth Mahy

The inquiry hears from Expert Witnesses. Fire safety expert Professor José Torero described how compartmentation in the building failed, and how materials in the external cladding may have contributed to the vertical spread of the fire.

Producer Kate Lamble

Sarah Russell had been working as a Control Room Officer for only 9 months before the Grenfell Tower fire. The inquiry heard how she spent almost an hour on the phone with 12 year old Jessica Urbano Ramirez who died on the 23rd floor.

The London control room was unable to handle all of the 999 calls made on the night of the fire. Control room officers from Surrey, Kent, and Essex Fire and Rescue Services who helped answer overflow calls also gave evidence.

Producers Kate Lamble

The inquiry heard evidence from senior officials in the tenant management organisation which ran the tower. Graham Webb was responsible for repairs inside the building. Hash Chamchoun was Head of Supported Housing. Both were present at Grenfell on the night of the fire.

The inquiry also heard from Teresa Brown, who was Director of Housing in June 2017. She described how on the night she gathered information about survivors and residents reported missing.

Producers Kate Lamble and Elisabeth Mahy

The inquiry heard from Nickolas Leyton and Michael Rumble, officials from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council. They both were present at the scene on the night of the fire.

Robert Black was chief executive of the council’s tenant management organisation at the time of the fire. He told the inquiry that he remembered very little from events on the night, saying he was “a spare part”.

Producers Kate Lamble and Elisabeth Mahy

The inquiry hears how the gas supply to Grenfell wasn’t disconnected until 23.40. Jason Allday from Cadent told the inquiry that gas contributed to the fire at Grenfell.

The enquiry also heard 23 written statements submitted by witnesses whose relatives died in the fire.

Producers Kate Lamble and Elisabeth Mahy

The inquiry heard how the Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service struggled to give advice to residents trapped in the tower who had called 999.

Neil Jerome, told the inquiry he didn’t know why the change in stay put advice wasn’t communicated to the police. Paul Woodrow, the director of operations for the London Ambulance Service explained why paramedics did not enter the tower.

Producers Kate Lamble and Elisabeth Mahy

Today the inquiry heard from the two most senior police officers to attend the fire.

Inspector Nicholas Thatcher declared the fire a Major Incident shortly before arriving at the scene. Today he told the inquiry how he was afraid the tower would collapse onto members of the public watching from the ground.

Commander Neil Jerome, chief officer on-call in London on the night of the fire, also gave evidence.

Producers Kate Lamble and Elisabeth Mahy

The inquiry heard five weeks of evidence from the bereaved, survivors and residents of Grenfell Tower. Thirty-five witnesses gave evidence in person. One hundred and forty written statements have been read-in and published.

In this edition of the podcast Eddie Mair pieces together some of the issues that have come up.

Producer Olivia Beazley

Warning you may find some parts of this podcast distressing

Marcio Gomes told the inquiry how he and his family got out of Grenfell tower from the 21st floor. This includes audio from a 999 call he made on his way down the tower with his daughters and pregnant wife.

A 999 call operator remained on the line with Mr Gomes for 33 minutes. The family were separated in the smoke-filled stairwell.

Producers Kate Lamble and Elisabeth Mahy