UK Firefighters recall tackling the most dangerous blaze in over 50 years 

'the moneys not great but the rewards unbelieveable' thats the sad part about emergency workers

Absolute heroes. The local council cheaped out on the renovations, opting for a flammable material for the cladding on the outer walls. And then allowed it to be installed with an air gap behind it, which let the fire race up the inside of the flammable cladding without anything to stop it. And yet, sickeningly, the politicians ad council members blamed the firefighters for the spread of the fire and deaths of the residents.

Anyone who said horrible things towards the firefighters and blaming them for not doing more are disgusting. These heroes did their absolute best to do what they could.

Absolute heroes. You couldn’t pay pay me a million pounds to do this. Utterly incredible, bravest of us all. So much respect for these people. ❤️

I was a fireman for ten years.. its true that you don't think about death once.. job to do, watch your gauge, turn round time, recharge your set and go again, job to do, watch your gauge, recharge your set and go again.. heroes, all of you xxxx

As someone who viewed the horror unfolding via television news channels, it speaks volumes to how dire the situation was when it is able to leave indelible mental scars on all the firefighters involved. Firefighters are heroic beyond measure.

I was up that night, I remember how humid, hot & sticky it was which is why I couldn’t sleep. I was back & fourth to RU-vid from Netflix browsing when a livestream came up with Grenfell tower block, my heart literally sank. This was the early hours of the morning, still pitch black outside, & as completely crazy as it sounded, I just found myself shouting at the screen for people to get out, of course I knew it wouldn’t do any good, but it was almost impulsive, I couldn’t stop myself. I grew up on a farm & from a very early age had to deal with arsonists setting fire to huge haystacks near our house (we had fields surrounding our property), I’ve always been terrified of fires. Grenfell very much reminded me of how quickly a haystack fire takes hold, it just goes up within seconds / minutes & takes hold of anything & everything in its path. I watched it all night. I watched those firemen gasping for air, exhausted & exasperated, laying on the ground holding their head crying. I dare anyone to say they didn’t try their absolute best that night. I’m disabled, & even I was looking up the first trains into London so I could help in some way, volunteer somewhere, do something, I felt so useless. I quickly realised I’d have been no use & likely been in the way, they needed financial aid, clothes, food, water, shelter. Once the (legitimate) links started coming through for donations I dig deep, even my elderly parents who just have their pensions wanted to donate. But we knew this was only the start.. who would’ve thought all these years later those poor survivors would still be fighting. What’s most heartbreaking of all, is that the families of those who passed had little to no remains to bury. I can’t even begin to imagine the extraordinary heat inside that building & how terrified they were. And just to rub salt in the wounds… there are still flats out there with this cladding on to this day.. when will this utter madness end. Thank you, to all the firefighters, first responders, & volunteers who helped over those weeks & months. I hope one day this utter madness ends & you’ll all get the justice you deserve. x

bloody heroes. Don't often see programme about this vital emergency service, compare to the police and ambulance service, so it's right to highlight their amazing work. So full of gratitude for them all.

Some of them fire fighter's ended up having cancer because of grenfell fire as they was in the building trying to save people

I can't imagine how fire firefighters went through and they tried save many lives on Grenfell Tower. They have great courage and extraordinary service for all London. I am sorry for victims who have terrible experience who lost their members of their family and horrible mental problems so I would pray for them for found peace. 😥

Having had a house fire, I can vouch for how horrific it is. I hold any fire team in the highest regard and don’t think they get paid enough!!!

my mate is a retired station officer . he said this fire was unfightable . a firefighters nightmare .

Grenfell info: These people had been trying to change the cladding for years and raising other issues. But due to the fact that there were so few people "of importance" and no local media they were stuck with the cladding.

Hero’s that don’t wear capes. My soul goes out to loved ones that have lost someone in this tragedy. X

My university chemistry teacher told us about Grenfell and how gutted he was as he dedicated his research for his PhD thesis on different polymers with flame retardant properties and spent his early years after creating more options for building resources.

I still remember waking up and watching it live on tv. I cried so hard for the ones we lost 😭

All of the men and women. You are heroes. Well done

I remember waking up and hearing about this. I was in year 6. I actually did a dance dedicated to it, with hundreds of other students from my school. Its heartbreaking and i hope anybody affected can find peace❤

I feel so sorry for all of them, after doing their utmost to help these people, they got utterly shafted by the press and politicians- who should be totally ashamed of themselves - I remember at the time thinking something was off with that. Absolutely heartbreaking for all on the ground that day, deepest respect and sympathy for you all.

I’ll never forget this rest in peace to every person who lost there life

My brother is a retired firefighter in America. Firefighters are the same the world over. The Grefell Tower fire brings back 9/11 to me. The firemen running in to do their jobs no matter what the danger. God Bless them all.

I see what’s left of Grenfell every day because my girl goes to the school right next to it. It is devastating to imagine what those poor people & fire-fighters went through that night. Just heartbreaking 💚

It breaks my heart to see the pain the poor firemen were in to this day. Survivors guilt or hind site is so hard when in reality there is nothing more you could have done. Or you can do is to prevent, fight for better codes, learn and live! ❤

I remember when this happened. The blaze went on for like 15 hours and was still smoking months later.

Firefighters and paramedics deserve way more recognition than they get. These are true heroes, savings peoples lives every day. They deserve higher pay

This was horrific! I've had a house fire, and a car fire and they aren't anything to play with. I'm so sorry for all of those families who lost their lives, family members, and friends! Isn't it amazing that it didn't fall, like the 911 towers? Our house fire was so scary, but it affected our closest neighbors' son profoundly. He is now a firefighter.

This broke my heart when it first happened and still does when I see/read about it. I feel for every single person this affected. From the citizens who lived in the building to the firefighters who did everything they could to get everyone out safe and sound. My father was a fireman, he's retired now but when I was a little girl he was in a massive building that caught fire here in our home town, big but no where near as big as this, and I remember the call we got that he was rushed to the hospital shortly after the fire was distinguished. While he was with the crew helping to put the fire out, 4 stories worth of ceiling/building collapsed on top of him and some of the other firemen. He ended up being okay and in the hospital a few days for observation but I take my hat off to all firemen any where in the world. To risk your life to go into something so hot to save lives is beyond anything heroic. To think that most everyone who lived in that building was willing to run back inside to help. I know that this will forever be apart of everyone affected but I pray they're all doing okay and will prevail. My heart goes out to any and all that were part of this.

In my eyes, they are the heroes of the day

Whoever is behind the cladding and the renovations needs to be tried for mass murder. They have to be held accountable for this, not only have they got the tenants blood on their hands they have the crushed mental health of the firefighters as well. JUSTICE FOR GRENFELL.

British men and women at their finest..respect 💜

These men and women are hero's I wouldn't be able to do a job like this well done to all of them that assisted with this awful fire

Soon 6 years later and I still think about this fire from time to time and I am not even from the UK.

Total respect, thank you one and all.

I hope that those responsible for hounding and ultimately sacking Chief Officer Danny Cotton over the Grenfell incident feel ashamed and disgusted with themselves? I bet nothing happened to the person that signed Grenfell off, ex Chief Officer of London, Sir Ken Knight?

They all are living gods. Thank you all for your service, LFB.

I want to give them a hug so much

So strange I haven't heard anything about this in the news but have heard so much about all the others. Also, there's tons on RU-vid about the others but nothing on this one? So sorry for all these folks. Makes me all the more grateful. Sometimes I'm not grateful enough for what I have. Need to remember it could all be gone in just a moment...

Nothing but absolute respect for all types of rescue personel!

I woke up to thst blaze…took me back to 9/11…I watched that live. Found it odd the tower never collapsed… R.I.P. to those who perished.

What praise can we offer to our firefighters? Whatever it is, it's never enough. Thanks to them all.

“You always think you’re going to win” well said

I remember seeing this on the news, i think- i was 8 or 9, and absoloutly terrified! idk, i just remember seeing this somewhere. but absoloute heroes, deserve the world.

As a paramedic firefighter, trained before the UK got the Nomex suits, I was taught that if your ears burned it was too hot, my ears burned on many a job but the people came out. I watched the entire public inquiry for Grenfell Tower and nobody, even the people in this, mentioned the screaming in the stairs.

So sad rip to all that passed away and big respect bravery to all fire fights for there work and paramedics for trying to saves life like they do every day thank you 🙏

When I was a child, in the 50’s, a family friend was a Firefighter. And he occasionally babysat me. I was so proud. A friend and babysitter was a Fireman! Wow. The only other thing as cool was a policeman.

I was on duty in West Mids when this happened and watching it on early morning TV was horrendous and my heart goes out to all those who were affected 🇬🇧❤️🚒🥲

I will NEVER forget seeing the images on my phone next morning. I honestly thought it was in a war zone. Unbelievable that this was in London. It was utterly horrifying to see those images. God bless the fire fighters and all first responders. And may God grant eternal peace to the poor victims and comfort to the bereaved.

My heart is breaking

The first story just made me cry all the way through... I hope everyboby involved will recover, both healty and mentaly🙏 And for God's sake never ever make only ONE staircase in a building again!! EVER! Let this be a lesson to all architects!

I can't even explain how much respect I have for firefighters. They put their life on the line for people that they never met, and have no idea who they are. But still they go in without hestitating and do their best to save everyone. And still people try to blame them for deaths... :( (sorry for bad english)

Know Richard and he’s a top bloke!

Commenting on the fireworks thing, when i was at university in my 3rd year, 2 of my flatmates were going for a late Halloween party. They asked me to take a picture of them in their costumes so i did with their backs to the window in the kitchen. We looked outside and saw a bright glow near the bottom, there was a fire reflected in the windows of the building across from us which let us see it. We knocked on everyone else's door in the flats and told them to get out just before the fire alarm went off. I was concerned about the area that was on fire because it was a construction area with a lot of flammable materials and potentially explosive materials. Thankfully everyone in the building was accounted for. I spoke to my flatmates who saw the fire and they said that before they asked me to take a picture they saw someone throw something that looked like a firework into the construction area. My building got lucky. Cladding similar to the one grenfell had was used in construction and was getting replaced that year. If they hadn't done that side first, it could've been grenfell again

These guys (and a few girls) have one of the most stressful jobs ... along with doctors, dentists and veterinarians. I lump firefighters with police officers and first responders together ... the things they have to witness, and the sorrow of seeing the terribly wounded and deceased. It's so important that they not only stay physically fit ... but also mentally. I think the pay is OK, and if they're smart, and use their money well, they can retire after about 25 years, and still have plenty of time to do a really low stress job ... like being a librarian. I love these brave souls doing a difficult and dangerous job, but they also receive a lot of admiration from the public and enjoy a special kind of team spirit at work.

Brings a tear to my eye this

Wow! Talented vocalist.

You are nation’s heros god bless you 🙏

Much respect to those who dare 👏

I remember going past that building after it was burnt and I was like 5 years old but I saw what the building said and I was like did someone die to my mum and she said alot of people died...

I remember watching this unfold, bless all those :(( 😊

Firefighters are real-life heroes. God bless them ❤

One stair case for a 24 floor building? that is scary

Heroes 🙌🏻♥️

Man that's surprising that they even found any bodies inside because that place became a giant cremation retort , all of those people would have been incinerated.

Those responsible for knowingly installing substandard cladding on this building, who did nothing, they’re the ones who should be in prison. To their credit, a good number did speak out, to no avail. What’s really sad is that something like Grenfell will happen again.

Any government ignoring the dangers of polymeric insulation materials should be made personally liable for any future fires.

I've said it before I'll say it again brothers and sisters you did the best with what you had and you did a damn good job be proud of the amount of grabs you made and the lives you saved

And now the mayor of London want's to cut back on Fire dept budget in 2024.

All to save a bit of money, a cheap fix, a cheap revamp so the posh neighbours didn’t have to look at old towers. It chokes the viewer to watch this, I hope to god this never happens again. I hate the government and councils who are corrupt, I loath them. Bless the victims families and firefighters and their families, these are true heroes.

thee fire fighters did an outstanding thing, going into danger and dedicating and sacrificing their lives. I can't even imaging how brave they are

Talking about possible jumpers and collapse, I can only imagine it being similar to the WTC. There must've been a thought in a lot of their minds that it's similar yet different. Tough challenges.

Heroes 💕

its sad that a lot of these fighters have been diagnosed with some sort of cancer from this fire.

I remember a channel or two kept breaking for it so I watched a lot of it live from Florida.

No matter where in the world they are irak or Canada they deserve our respects . absolute heroes.

As an ex firefighter the brigade should hold its head down in shame over that day.

Hero's, nothing more than amazing

Absolute respect. Thank you to all emergency personnel! Firefighters above all! They literally walk into hell for the sake of others safety. "The money isn't great but the reward is unbelievable!" It will forever boggle my mind how we assess pay for a job. People who risk their own lives to help others should be the highest paid jobs on our planet.

I watched the movie Towering Inferno as a child and always thought THAT is what I call a horror movie. Mainly because it could happen. This tragedy many decades later proves how right I was. I could never go into these buildings.

I have found my share of the lost in structures the smell the feel of the body when you find them is unforgettable unfortunately we do what do cause we was born for it others would not be able to handle the horrific things we come across 🥺

in time these guys must be more like brothers than friends, I have total respect for them all. I wish I was PM my first job in the role would be to give these guys the money they deserve with a more than generous pension. Like Doctors and consultants, they save lives, unlike Doctors and Consultants they are not in danger. Keep safe guys

I got the cladding from a firm after this when i was collecting scrap metal. Obviously not from this building but others when they was forced to remove it. Scrap yard refused some of it i had that much so thought id burn it so the aluminum would be left (sandwhich board ali on either side n god knows what material inside) any way we lite it and remember just looking at each other in absolute shock how quick it went up, scary shit.

You've gotta have balls of solid Steele to do this job. The physical and psychological aspects of it I can't even explain it. Firefighters definitely deserve more recognition than a football player mincing around a pitch for 90 minutes.

Lord be with these men an women an those that was lost 🙏🏼🥺

God Bless yall.

Rip

In the closing statements of the Inquiry the chart of everyone blaming each other looked like a tangled spider web. Having watched the hearings, takeaway is a national systemic lack of oversight in both private and government sectors. Criticism of LFB is the lack of radio communication planning and implementing technology to better communicate between the command post and bridge head. Other than that they did what they could under immense obstacles such as nonfunctional firefighters lift (elevator for USA readers), low water pressure, gas mains that could not be turned off outside as there was no external shut-off. Technically they did put out the original fire in Flat 26, but it escaped the flat and into the cladding eventually wrapping its way back around to reenter the flat as it devastated the rest of the building.

As someone who lost everything but my mom and my animals in a fire these guys should be paid movie star pay.

Those firefighters were absolute heros. The council workers that approved those materials should have been jailed. Local flats in my area in Portsmouth had cladding removed after this tragedy but it just shows how peoples live aren't viewed as worthy when it comes to saving money....disgusting

True hero’s

Grenfell definitely traumatised me for a hot minute.

Heroes heartbreaking me very emotional crying ever since respect fire bridge hardest ever job 😢 💔 heat struggling get all them

And they're cutting funding. I know two local stations which have been closed down in boroughs that are continuing to have massive developments. Ridiculous. Shout out to the LFB, they do an amazing job.

What year did this happen?

Everyone who responded to that went fire, especially the ones who went in, went far beyond the call of duty. They'll never be paid enough for what they had to deal with in that building.

I've just re-played this... ONE staircase for the ENTIRE block? It should be law now, that ALL tower blocks have more than one From new build AND retro fitted.

Hero's

I remember that it was scary

Who issued the “stay put” order? Because that cost a lot of lives… nonetheless the actual men/ women firefighters who were there fighting the flames and not sitting at a desk giving instructions, were incredibly brave and deserve our respect!

They've gotten terminal cancer from all the building chemicals.

And to think these brave people were blamed for this - how disgusting that those responsible tried blaming firefighters