Almost half of Grenfell fire deaths were Disabled people and children

Tue,30 March 2021
News Housing

Fifteen of the 37 Disabled residents and 17 of the 67 children living in Grenfell Tower died in the fire that killed 72 people in total, according to evidence shared in the latest phase of the Inquiry.

Fazilet Hadi, DR UK Head of Policy said: “Just read those figures again – almost half of those people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire were Disabled people or children. 41% of Disabled people who lived in the Tower died that night. A quarter of all the children who lived in the Tower died that night.

“Disabled people knew they were sitting ducks should there be a disaster. They raised safety concerns which were dismissed time and again. The Inquiry has heard from residents who said they were "bullied" and "stigmatised" when they raised such concerns.

“The disproportionately high death rates of children and Disabled people in the Grenfell Tower fire is truly shocking and heart breaking. The evidence provided on the callous neglect of safety precautions by the Council and Management Company is breathtaking.

“Disability Rights UK is calling on the Government to urgently implement the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations, requiring building owners and managing agents to prepare Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for Disabled people who can’t self-evacuate.”