Remembering the 72 victims of the Grenfell Tower Block fire

Today the final report on Grenfell Tower fire is set to be published more than seven years after the blaze ripped through the block of homes.

One of the largest scale disasters in Britain in recent memory, 72 people were killed when a blaze broke out in Flat 16 of Grenfell Tower in Kensington, West London.

On June 14, 2017, a blaze quickly evolved from a small fire contained in a kitchen to a sprawling inferno covering most of the tower block.

Hundreds were left injured or homeless, and it is hoped today’s report will identify the failures which allowed the fire to spread so rapidly.

As the victims’ families, survivors and campaigners continue their fight for justice, Metro.co.uk remembers the people who lost their lives in Grenfell Tower.

Khadija Saye

The acclaimed artist had her work displayed in Venice (Picture: Twitter)

The 24-year-old artist was hailed as a ‘wonderful young woman’ by Tottenham MP David Lammy after her death.

Khadija, also known as Ya-Haddy Sisi Saye, had been due to appear in a BBC documentary about her work, which was on show in Venice.

She died in the hallway on the ninth floor from fire fumes and burns.

Mary Mendy

Mary Mendy lived with her daughter on the 20th floor (Picture: Instagram)

Khadija’s mother Mary Mendy also died inside the burning tower block.

The 54-year-old lived with her daughter on the 20th floor of the building, but died on the 13th floor.

Berkti and Biruk Haftom

Berkti Haftom, pictured with son Biruk, was pregnant at the time of her death (Photo: Met Police)

Berkti, who was born and raised in Eritrea, was found dead near the top of the building with her son Biruk.

It is believed Berkti, 29, and her 12-year-old son had sought refuge in a flat further up the tower block.

Their family said: ‘Berkti and Biruk left an everlasting legacy full of lovely memories and their contagious laughter and charisma will live in our hearts forever.’

It later emerged that Berkti was 10 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.

Ali Yawar Jafari

Ali Yawar Jafari was described as a hero by his son (Picture: Hamid Ali Jafari)

Firefighters managed to pull Ali Yawar Jafal from the burning building.

However, the 81-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene after inhaling fire fumes, an inquest heard.

His son Hamid Ali Jafari described his father as his hero and said he sometimes felt his father’s soul present when he held his own son.

Jessica Urbano Ramirez

Jessica Urbano Ramirez, 12, who was on the 20th floor of Grenfell Tower (Picture: PA)

Jessica, 12, died on the 23rd floor.

Shortly after the fire, her aunt Ana Ospina said: ‘She last spoke to her mum when she borrowed a phone and told her she was on the stairs with other people.’

Logan Gomes

Marcio and Andreia Gomes with their daughters on holiday (Picture: Enterprise News and Pictures)

A stillborn baby was officially recorded as one of the 72 victims.

Andreia Gomes and her family managed to escape the building, but she lost her child as she lay unconscious in hospital hours later.

Doctors opted to deliver Logan after they found that his heart had stopped beating, so his mother would not contract an infection.

Mohammad al-Haj Ali

He had attempted to flee the Grenfell Tower (Picture: Facebook)

The Syrian refugee was the first person to be formally identified as a victim by police.

Mohammad, 23, was found outside the tower block after he fell from the burning building.

His family said he ‘loved London and loved the people he met’ in the city.

The Choucair family

Mirna, Fatima and Zainnb Choucair died in the flat where they lived with their parents

Six members of the same family, who lived on the 22nd floor, all died in the blaze.

They were Nadia Choucair, her husband Bassem and their three daughters Mierna, 13, Fatima, 11, and Zeinab, three.

Nadia’s mother Sirria Choucair was also found to have died in the flat.

Isaac Paulos

The family of Isaac Paulos paid tribute to their ‘beloved’ son (Picture: Facebook)

At five years old, Isaac Paulos was one of the youngest people to die in the disaster.

He was seen inside the building trying to escape, but reportedly got lost in the smoke.

His family said: ‘We will all miss our kind, energetic, generous little boy. He was such a good boy who was loved by his friends and family.’

Mariem and Eslah Elgwahry

Mariem Elgwahry was on the phone to her brother when she died (Picture: PA)

The mother and daughter lived together on the 19th floor of the tower.

The body of Mariem Elgawhry, 27, was found next to her 64-year-old mother Eslah.

Their remains were found on the 23rd floor, indicating they tried to escape by fleeing higher up the building.

Joseph Daniels

The son of Joseph Daniels said he desperately tried to persuade his father, who suffered from dementia, to leave the building.

But Joseph, 69, would not leave his flat, and died from injuries consistent with the effects of fire, an inquest heard.

Gloria Trevisan and Marco Gottardi

Gloria Trevisan and her fiance Marco Gottardi died in the Grenfell Tower blaze (Picture: PA)

Italian couple Gloria Trevisan, 26, and Marco Gottardi, 27, both spoke to their parents on the phone as the building was ablaze.

The architects had only recently moved into their 23rd floor home.

They were engaged.

Marjorie and Ernie Vital

Marjorie Vital, 68, and her son Ernie, 50, were found fused together on the 23rd floor (Picture: PA)

Marjorie Vital and her son Ernie were found dead in each other’s arms, their family said.

Ernie, 50, worked in catering and lived with his 68-year-old mother, a former textile worker, on the 23rd floor.

The family remembered Marjorie as a ‘kind-hearted’ woman who dedicated her life to her children.

They added that Ernie was a ‘proud, humble, mature and independent man’ and a ‘loyal son’.

Vincent Chiejina

Vincent Chiejina, 60, was recovered from the 17th floor of the building and identified by DNA, the inquest into his death heard.

The coroner’s officer said the provisional cause of death had been given as ‘consistent with the effects of fire’.

Hamid Kani

Hamid Kami lived on the 15th floor of the tower (Picture: Twitter)

The rest of Hamid Kani’s family lived in Iran, according to his niece Maryam Shahvarani.

Hamid, 60, struggled with hearing problems and wore hearing aids, she said.

He lived on the 15th floor but was found dead on the 23rd floor of the tower block.

The Belkadi family

A married couple and two of their children who lived on the 20th floor of Grenfell Tower were killed in the blaze.

They were Omar Belkadi, 32, his wife Farah Hamdan, 31, and their daughters Malak, seven, and six-month-old Leena.

Farah was found with her baby still in her arms between the 19th and 20th floors, but both had died.

The couple’s other daughter Tazmin, then six, is believed to have survived.

Raymond Bernard

Raymond Bernard helped others who sought refuge in his flat (Picture: PA)

Raymond Bernard has been hailed a ‘hero’ after it emerged that he sheltered six people in his top-floor flat, offering them his bed as he sat on the floor.

The family of the 63-year-old, known as Moses, said: ‘Ray always had a smile on his face. He knew how to love without expecting anything in return.’

His fellow fire victims Deborah Lamprell, Jessica Urbano Ramirez, Berkti and Biruk Haftom and Hamid Kani sought refuge in the flat, as did a sixth person.

Deborah Lamprell

Deborah Lamprell lost her life in the Grenfell Tower fire in June last year (Photo: Met Police)

Deborah Lamprell, known as Debbie, worked front of house at Opera Holland Park.

She was remembered by his mother as a ‘wonderful, precious daughter, always smiling and helping others’.

The opera house held a special encore at a performance in the 45-year-old’s memory.

Abdeslam Sebbar

The 67-year-old is thought to have lived on the 11th floor, where he was discovered.

He died from inhalation of fire fumes, an inquest heard.

Dennis Murphy

Dennis Murphy (Picture: Stevan Racz/PA Wire)

The family of 56-year-old Dennis Murphy said they were left with a ‘gaping hole in our hearts that can never be filled’ after he was formally identified.

He is believed to have become trapped on the 14th floor.

His family spoke of an ‘agonising 10 weeks’ between the disaster and his formal identification.

The El-Wahabi family

Five members of the El-Wahabi family who died in the Grenfell Tower tragedy (Picture: PA)

Abdulaziz El-Wahabi, 52, wife Faouzia, 41, their elder son Yasin, 20, daughter Nur Huda, 16, and younger son  Mehdi, eight, were confirmed dead at inquests.

They lived on the 21st floor, according to Mr El-Wahabi’s sister.

Hana El-Wahabi told reporters: ‘I rang him and the fire had not reached the top of the block at that point. He said he had been told to stay inside, stay in one room together and put towels under the door.’

In a statement released by the Metropolitan Police, the surviving family said: ‘Mehdi was a calm and friendly young boy who loved his family very much.

‘He was loved by staff and pupils at his school who held a beautiful memorial and made a plaque in memory of  him.’

Mohamed Neda

Mohamed Neda, 57, was found outside the tower block and died as a result of multiple injuries consistent with a fall.

Ligaya Moore

Ligaya Moore, 78, adored her high flat in Grenfell Tower (Picture: PA)

The ‘lovely, bubbly’ Ligaya Moore, 78, was remembered by her friend Nenita Bunggay as her ‘mother, sister, everything’.

Filipino Mrs Moore had lived in the UK for 43 years.

Ms Bunggay said: ‘She was so proud to live in Grenfell. She would always say every time we walked past ‘Nenita, that’s my building, 21st floor”. It’s a big building and I love it so much, even though I’m alone there, I love seeing it every day’.

‘Especially the fireworks, she loved that kind of beautiful thing from her building.’

Sakina and Fatima Afrasehabi

Sakina Afraisabi showed her family what ‘unconditional love is’ (Picture: PA)

Sisters Sakina, 65, and Fatema, 59, moved to the UK in 1997 and were found dead on the 23rd floor.

The Iranian family of the pair told The Guardian that Sakina was disabled and only able to move with a walking stick.

They said: ‘She was forced to live there because she had no other option. On a good day she couldn’t come down 18 floors – but in the fire and smoke?’

Steve Power

Steve Power, 63, died on the 15th floor, where he is thought to have lived.

Several family members posted online speaking of their heartbreak at not being able to find him.

Zainab and Jeremiah Deen

Zainab Deen

Jeremiah Deen was just two years old (Picture: Facebook)

Zainab Deen was on the phone to her brother until 4am in the hours after the fire broke out.

The 32-year-old, who was originally from Sierra Leone, and her two-year-old son Jeremiah were in their flat when the fire broke out.

They were found dead at each other’s side.

Ms Deen was described as a ‘beautiful, loving lady’ by a group of friends who gathered near Grenfell Tower to pay tribute to her.

In a tribute issued by police, Jeremiah’s family said of him: ‘You spent a moment in our arms, but you will last a lifetime in our hearts.’

The Begum family

Five members of the same family were found dead on the 17th foor of the tower block.

They were Kamru Miah, 79, Rabeya Begum, 64, Mohammed Hamid, 27, Mohammed Hanif, 26 and Husna Begum, 22.

An inquest into their deaths heard they died from injuries ‘consistent with the effects of fire’.

Sheila

Sheila was described as a ‘truly beautiful person’

Sheila, 84, formerly known as Sheila Smith, lived on the 16th floor, where she died from injuries consistent with the effects of fire, an inquest heard.

A friend, Gary Allen, said he had known her for 20 years, and described her as a ‘truly beautiful person’ and ‘love, pure and simple’.

‘We shared a great interest in history, Shakespeare, the Knights Templar and she had a great spirituality about her,’ he said.

Khadija Khalloufi

Khadija Khalloufi died from inhalation of fumes , an inquest heard.

The 52-year-old leaves behind husband Sabah Abdullah, who was granted an emergency passport to attend her funeral in Morocco after his identification was lost in the fire.

‘I’m relieved now. At least I know I’m going to fulfil the wish of my late wife,’ he told the BBC after the broadcaster appealed to the Home Office on his behalf.

Mohamednur Tuccu, Amal Ahmedin and Amaya Tuccu-Ahmedin

Mohamednur Tuccu and his daughter Amaya Tuccu-Ahmedin (Picture: PA)

The body of Mohamednur Tuccu, 44, was recovered from close to the nearby leisure centre, where he was found to have suffered multiple injuries.

His wife Amalahmedin and their three-year-old daughter Amaya also died.

Tony Disson

The 65-year-old is reported to have last been in contact with his family at around 3am while he was inside the building.

An inquest heard that he died from inhalation of fire fumes.

He is reported to have lived on the 10th floor and is survived by four sons, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A sixth grandchild was due last September.

He was laid to rest a mile from the tower in Ladbroke Grove, at a ceremony in June attended by Sadiq Khan.

Fathia Ahmed and children

The 71-year-old, thought also to be referred to as Fathiya Alsanousi, and son Abufars Ibrahim, 39, and daughter Isra Ibrahim, 35, were confirmed dead by authorities.

The Kedir family

Hashim Kedir, 44, was described as the perfect role model (Picture: PA)

Firdows Hashim, 12, a victim of the Grenfell Tower fire (Picture: PA)

Hashim Kedir, 44, died alongside wife Nura Jemal, 35, daughter Firdows Hashim, 12, and sons Yahya Hashim, 13, and Yaqub Hashim, six.

Family described Mr Kedir as ‘everybody’s favourite in the family’ who could ‘make friends so easily’.

Mrs Jemal was described as ‘vibrant, full of life and positive-minded’, while their daughter was ‘the most intelligent, wise and eloquent girl with the voice of an angel’.

Family said Yahya was ‘kind, handsome, pure-hearted and sweet’ and Yaqub was ‘our energetic, sporty, funny, smart and cute boy’.

Amna Mahmud Idris

Amna Mahmud Idris’ sister and her family all died in the blaze (Picture: PA)

The cousin of Amal Ahmedin, who also died in the fire, Amna Mahmud Idris was 27.

It is believed that Amal, her husband and their daughter were visiting Amna at her home in the tower block.

Rania Ibrahim, Fethia and Hania

Rania Ibrahim and children Fethia, 5, and Hania, 3 (Picture: PA)

A mother of two young children – three-year-old Hania and five-year-old Fethia – Ms Ibrahim, 30, uploaded a harrowing Facebook Live video as she appeared to be stuck at the top of the tower block.

In the footage, she can be seen seeking help in the smoke-covered corridor of the block before going back into her home and looking down on the street below from her balcony.

She was identified by her dental records, an inquest attended by her husband and surviving family heard.

Gary Maunders

The 57-year-old is believed to have been with his friend Deborah Lamprell, who also died, when the fire broke out.

Mr Maunders died from injuries ‘consistent with the effects of fire’, an inquest heard.

Hesham Rahman

The 57-year-old was found dead in the flat where he lived alone.

He is said to have last made contact with his family at around 3am when he told them he could smell smoke. It was also reported that Mr Rahman had diabetes, making it difficult for him to walk down stairs.

Victoria King and Alexandra Atala

Victoria King died in Grenfell Tower (Picture: Met Police)

Victoria King, 71, and her daughter Alexandra Atala, 40, died at each other’s side, their family said.

The two were both in the tower block when flames broke out on June 14, and were two of the 72 to perish that night.

Relatives said in a statement: ‘We were devastated to hear of our sister, Vicky’s, fate, and that of her daughter, Alexandra, in the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

‘Some comfort can come from the knowledge that she and Alexandra were devoted to one another and spent so many mutually-supportive years together.’

Maria del Pilar Burton

Maria Del Pilar Burton died seven months after her desperate escape from Grenfell Tower (Picture: Facebook)

Maria del Pilar Burton was the last of the 72 victims to die from the injuries she sustained in the fire.

The 72-year-old spent seven months fighting for her life in hospital before her death in January 2018.

Her husband Nick later said that she was rescued from their 19th floor flat by firefighters.

At the Grenfell Tower inquiry, he described her as ‘magnetic’, ‘flamboyant’ and ‘wonderful’.

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