Grenfell inquiry: 'My family are all dead', boy told fire officer

Glynn Williams (top right) pointing at a wall on the ground floor of Grenfell Tower during the fire

A young boy who was being rescued from Grenfell Tower told a fire officer the rest of his family were "all dead", the blaze inquiry has been told.

Glynn Williams, who co-ordinated 999 call information at the scene of the fire, described struggling to keep track of who had been helped to safety.

In a statement, he said communication with some residents was difficult as some were "too traumatised".

He added the events had a "massive emotional impact" on him.

Mr Williams's statement described how he had been handed slips of paper with information provided by residents during their 999 calls.

He wrote the details on a wall in the foyer of Grenfell Tower and was attempting to confirm people's identities as they left the building.

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"At times I would ask the casualties themselves as they walked past, but communication was difficult as they were either too traumatised to speak or unable to understand due to the language barrier," he said.

"There was a woman carrying a little boy. As the woman walked past me crying, I asked them where the rest of their family were, to which the little boy said: 'All dead'."

Later in the night a station manager sent across a new list with details of every person they knew of who still needed rescuing.

Mr Williams wrote: "There were far more numbers on the second list. This clearly showed there was a breakdown in communication."

'Eyes wide open'

The fire in North Kensington, west London, killed 72 people on 14 June last year.

Mr Williams also told of how firefighters gave their helmets to children.

One girl was alone and in her pyjamas as she was being carried out of the building by a fire fighter, Mr Williams, an officer of 18 years' service based at Fulham Fire Station, said.

"She looked to be in shock as her eyes were wide open. To protect her from the falling debris, I gave her my helmet before the firefighter carried her out the main entrance."

He added: "Shortly after the incident I started to feel really angry that I did not go in and rescue someone. When I was asleep I started to have visualisations of the little girl's face who I had given my helmet to."

Mr Williams acknowledged crews had not received training about safely rescuing someone through "a toxic environment 20-plus floors high".

He said the absence of a working fire lift meant rescue teams clogged a single stairwell and this "prevented their ability to fight the fire and conduct rescues".

The foyer of Grenfell Tower became "heavily congested with fire fighters and casualties", Mr Williams said.

He said being told it was too dangerous to commit rescue crews above the 10th floor "was difficult for me to hear and I expressed my dissatisfaction".