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| Grenfell victim's family plays audio of last words at public inquiry | Grenfell victim's family plays audio of last words at public inquiry |
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| The family of one of the people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire has played harrowing audio of his last recorded words on the first day of the long-awaited public inquiry into the disaster. | The family of one of the people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire has played harrowing audio of his last recorded words on the first day of the long-awaited public inquiry into the disaster. |
| Mohamed Neda, a Kabul-born chauffeur who lived on the top floor in flat 205, called his loved ones as the fire took hold and left a message in Dari, an Afghan language, which said: “Goodbye. We are now leaving this world. Goodbye. I hope I haven’t disappointed you. Goodbye to all.” | Mohamed Neda, a Kabul-born chauffeur who lived on the top floor in flat 205, called his loved ones as the fire took hold and left a message in Dari, an Afghan language, which said: “Goodbye. We are now leaving this world. Goodbye. I hope I haven’t disappointed you. Goodbye to all.” |
| His family was one of three to give testimony at the start of the first day of the inquiry. They all spoke of their devastation in front of an emotional audience of survivors. | His family was one of three to give testimony at the start of the first day of the inquiry. They all spoke of their devastation in front of an emotional audience of survivors. |
| Dozens more are expected to give testimony over six days, this week and next, in what the inquiry chairman, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, said was “integral” evidence and “will remind us of the fundamental purpose” as it looks for the truth behind the deaths of 72 people. | Dozens more are expected to give testimony over six days, this week and next, in what the inquiry chairman, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, said was “integral” evidence and “will remind us of the fundamental purpose” as it looks for the truth behind the deaths of 72 people. |
| The heart-rending contributions, accompanied by photos projected on to big screens, were heard by an audience at the Millennium Gloucester hotel in Kensington that included Elizabeth Campbell, the leader of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which owns Grenfell Tower, and Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan police, who is overseeing the criminal investigation into the fire. | The heart-rending contributions, accompanied by photos projected on to big screens, were heard by an audience at the Millennium Gloucester hotel in Kensington that included Elizabeth Campbell, the leader of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which owns Grenfell Tower, and Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan police, who is overseeing the criminal investigation into the fire. |
| The father of Logan Gomes, an unborn child who died, gave the first testimony, paying a tearful tribute to the disaster’s youngest victim. | The father of Logan Gomes, an unborn child who died, gave the first testimony, paying a tearful tribute to the disaster’s youngest victim. |
| Marcio Gomes sat alongside his wife, Andreia, and told how he had been “broken” by the death of his son, who was stillborn after the fire while Andreia was in a coma. It was the first of dozens of tributes that will be heard. | Marcio Gomes sat alongside his wife, Andreia, and told how he had been “broken” by the death of his son, who was stillborn after the fire while Andreia was in a coma. It was the first of dozens of tributes that will be heard. |
| “I held my son in my arms, wishing, praying for any kind of miracle that he would open his eyes, move, make a sound,” he told those gathered at the central London hotel. “As we know, that never happened.” | “I held my son in my arms, wishing, praying for any kind of miracle that he would open his eyes, move, make a sound,” he told those gathered at the central London hotel. “As we know, that never happened.” |
| Breaking down, he covered his face with a tissue before continuing, saying how the family had planned a trip to Disneyland and a Gruffalo hunt and had decorated Logan’s nursery on Grenfell’s 21st floor ready for his arrival. | Breaking down, he covered his face with a tissue before continuing, saying how the family had planned a trip to Disneyland and a Gruffalo hunt and had decorated Logan’s nursery on Grenfell’s 21st floor ready for his arrival. |
| He showed slides of an ultrasound scan, happy moments during a baby shower and a picture of a babygrow for him. | He showed slides of an ultrasound scan, happy moments during a baby shower and a picture of a babygrow for him. |
| “He was going to be my superstar ... You don’t know what you are made of until you are broken,” he said, hugging his wife and adding: “Without her strength and courage I would not be here.” | “He was going to be my superstar ... You don’t know what you are made of until you are broken,” he said, hugging his wife and adding: “Without her strength and courage I would not be here.” |
| The family of Denis Murphy, who died on the 14th floor and who had lived at Grenfell since before 1997, recalled his last phone call, made at 2.32am on 14 June last year. | The family of Denis Murphy, who died on the 14th floor and who had lived at Grenfell since before 1997, recalled his last phone call, made at 2.32am on 14 June last year. |
| His sister, Anne-Marie Murphy, spoke of his passion for football – particularly Chelsea FC – and his “loyalty, caring, selflessness and non-judgmental approach” to life. “Ever since Denis is gone there is a gaping hole in our hearts that can never be filled and it hurts,” she said. “It really hurts.” | His sister, Anne-Marie Murphy, spoke of his passion for football – particularly Chelsea FC – and his “loyalty, caring, selflessness and non-judgmental approach” to life. “Ever since Denis is gone there is a gaping hole in our hearts that can never be filled and it hurts,” she said. “It really hurts.” |
| She said that all that they were able to recover as a memento from his fire-ravaged flat was a handful of coins. | She said that all that they were able to recover as a memento from his fire-ravaged flat was a handful of coins. |
| “He is our hero, he was our hero and he will always be our hero,” she said. | “He is our hero, he was our hero and he will always be our hero,” she said. |
| They were followed by the family of Neda, who was known as Saber. Speaking through their solicitors, they recounted their search of hospitals, mosques and community centres in the hope he might be still alive. | They were followed by the family of Neda, who was known as Saber. Speaking through their solicitors, they recounted their search of hospitals, mosques and community centres in the hope he might be still alive. |
| His son, Fahad, who was in a coma after the fire, spoke of the “deep pain that my dad will not be at my wedding”. His wife told how they had fled Taliban rule in Afghanistan in 1998 and had come to the UK “as it is a country known around for its respect for human rights and fairness”. They were refugees and moved into Grenfell in 1999 before becoming British citizens. | His son, Fahad, who was in a coma after the fire, spoke of the “deep pain that my dad will not be at my wedding”. His wife told how they had fled Taliban rule in Afghanistan in 1998 and had come to the UK “as it is a country known around for its respect for human rights and fairness”. They were refugees and moved into Grenfell in 1999 before becoming British citizens. |
| The tributes were met by applause and then breaks for the audience to consider what they had heard. | The tributes were met by applause and then breaks for the audience to consider what they had heard. |
| Earlier Richard Millett QC made an opening statement describing the fire as the “single greatest tragedy to befall this country since the second world war” and said it was “fitting that the opening of the inquiry should be dedicated to those that died”. | Earlier Richard Millett QC made an opening statement describing the fire as the “single greatest tragedy to befall this country since the second world war” and said it was “fitting that the opening of the inquiry should be dedicated to those that died”. |
| “Grenfell is not a lawyers’ argument or a scientific experiment,” he said. “Grenfell Tower was not a public space. Grenfell was home. Its flats were private and a supposedly safe space where individuals could live their lives. It was a human space for human lives, each unique. That is what a home is.” | “Grenfell is not a lawyers’ argument or a scientific experiment,” he said. “Grenfell Tower was not a public space. Grenfell was home. Its flats were private and a supposedly safe space where individuals could live their lives. It was a human space for human lives, each unique. That is what a home is.” |
| He said: “It was a joined up community whose members worked, lived, played and prayed together ... and many of them died together.” | He said: “It was a joined up community whose members worked, lived, played and prayed together ... and many of them died together.” |
| There was a levelling atmosphere to the inquiry proceedings as they began. In the hour before it began, victims, survivors and their families mixed over cups of tea. Bernard Richmond, second counsel to the inquiry, told survivors to call him Bernie. | There was a levelling atmosphere to the inquiry proceedings as they began. In the hour before it began, victims, survivors and their families mixed over cups of tea. Bernard Richmond, second counsel to the inquiry, told survivors to call him Bernie. |
| He said: “It is going to be a very emotional six days.” | He said: “It is going to be a very emotional six days.” |
| Richmond said he would warn people about pictures, about voices of the deceased and images of the tower or fire. | Richmond said he would warn people about pictures, about voices of the deceased and images of the tower or fire. |
| Describing the commemorations that have been prepared, he said: “The work has been both moving and admirable.” | Describing the commemorations that have been prepared, he said: “The work has been both moving and admirable.” |
| He said: “This room needs to be a calm safe space for those people and all of us. When people are going through and talking can we please keep movement in the room to a minimum. People will of course want to go out because they are feeling overwhelmed.” | He said: “This room needs to be a calm safe space for those people and all of us. When people are going through and talking can we please keep movement in the room to a minimum. People will of course want to go out because they are feeling overwhelmed.” |
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