Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 15 June 2018
A year on, horrific Grenfell Tower fire haunts Britain

By JILL LAWLESS outside of the 25-story tow-
LONDON (AP) — In the er like a lit fuse.
shadow of London's Gren- Many residents fled, but
fell Tower, the pain is as some on the upper floors
fresh as the newly laid flow- observed official fire-safe-
ers for the dead. ty advice and stayed put.
One year ago, the residen- The fire brigade changed
tial high-rise was destroyed the guidance at 2:47 a.m.
by a fire that killed 72 peo- By that time, the building's
ple. It was the greatest loss only stairwell was smoke-
of life in a fire on British soil filled and treacherous.
since World War II, a horror Some died trying to get
that left the neighborhood out. Others perished in
and the country in shock. their homes as they wait-
On Thursday, survivors, be- ed to be rescued, or died
reaved families and peo- in neighbors' apartments
ple around Britain marked where they'd taken shelter.
the anniversary of a local Three people were found
tragedy that's also a na- dead outside, having fallen
tional shame — one for or jumped from the tower.
which blame still is being Mohamed Amied Neda,
assigned and traded. Was 57, who had fled the Tal-
Grenfell a tragic accident, iban in Afghanistan to build
the product of government Grenfell Tower in west London is illuminated in green to mark a year since the moment the a life in Britain, left a voice
cost-cutting and lax safety devastating fire took hold, claiming 72 lives, Thursday June 14, 2018. message for his family:
standards, or authorities' Associated Press "Goodbye, we are leaving
disregard for people who this world now, goodbye. I
lived in public housing? bered at vigils and church mzy and Marcus Mumford. lence for the dead. hope I haven't disappoint-
"I don't see this as a trag- services, before a silent The tower and other Lon- Antonio Roncolato, who ed you. Goodbye to all."
edy. I see it as an atrocity," march and an evening don buildings were lit up lived on the 10th floor, said By morning, a building that
Hissam Choucair, who lost meal hosted by local Mus- overnight in green, which the anniversary was "a time could be seen for miles
six members of his family in lims. Relatives of the dead has been adopted as a to reflect and to raise fur- around was a blackened,
the fire, told a public inquiry laid flowers by a memorial color of remembrance. At ther awareness and make smoking shell. Hundreds of
last month. wall near the base of the noon, Queen Elizabeth II, sure that the world is still lis- people were homeless and
In the west London neigh- tower, joined by survivors, wearing green, joined Brit- tening, because we don't dozens were dead, though
borhood around Grenfell London Mayor Sadiq Khan ons across the country in want this to happen ever the destruction from the
the victims were remem- and music stars Adele, Stor- observing a minute of si- again." heat was so great it would
A year on, the area around be months before police
Grenfell echoes with were certain of how many:
sounds of construction. The 70 died that night, plus a
ruined tower, which stood premature baby, Logan
for months like a black Gomes, who was stillborn
tombstone on the skyline, later that day. Maria del
is covered in white sheet- Pilar Burton, a 74-year-old
ing. A green heart and resident of the 19th floor,
the words "Grenfell forever was hospitalized after the
in our hearts" are embla- fire and died in January.
zoned at the top. Grief was soon joined by
Flowers, candles, and well- anger — at local authori-
worn teddy bears that ties in Kensington and Chel-
were left in memory of the sea borough, which owned
dead are tended by local the building; at the tenant
volunteers. A note from management organization
Prime Minister Theresa May, than ran the tower; and at
attached to a wreath of Britain's Conservative gov-
white roses, promises: "They ernment, seen as distant
will never be forgotten." and uncaring.
The fire broke out shortly The tower was home to
before 1 a.m. on June 14, a largely immigrant and
2017, in the kitchen of Be- working-class population.
hailu Kebede's fourth-floor A public-housing block in
apartment. Kebede woke one of London's richest
the neighbors on his floor boroughs, a stones' throw
and called firefighters, who from the pricey boutiques
soon arrived. and elegant houses of Not-
High-rise apartment towers ting Hill, it came for many
are supposed to be de- to symbolize a divided and
signed to stop apartment broken Britain.
fires spreading. But within The anger is still visible on
minutes, the flames had the walls around Grenfell,
escaped Kebede's apart- including expletives direct-
ment and raced up the ed at the prime minister.q