Latest news with #GrenfellUncovered
The Advertiser
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
This is a difficult watch filled with soul-crushing testimony
Grenfell Uncovered (M, 101 minutes, Netflix) 4 stars Avoidable. That's a big takeaway from this devastating and eye-opening Netflix documentary. The loss of 72 innocent lives was avoidable. The Grenfell Tower disaster of 2017 probably still looms large in many people's minds. The high-rise unit block was full of families when a small fire in one apartment turned into an unmitigated disaster in the early hours of June 14. What should have been safely contained in a relatively short amount of time ended up engulfing the whole 24-storey tower due to the use of highly flammable plastic-infused cladding on the outside of the building. It was like The Towering Inferno had come to life. This documentary, from first-time director Olaide Sadiq, speaks to former residents of the tower, family members of tower residents, firefighters, journalists, building and fire experts, lobbyists, a lawyer and even then-British prime minister Theresa May. The picture it paints is frustratingly clear: if advice had been acted upon sooner, 72 lives may have been saved. Through Grenfell Uncovered we learn that the company which manufactured the cladding which was used to beautify the tower in the years before the disaster (being built in the early 1970s, Grenfell was considered an eyesore at the time, and the new facade was supposed to bring the tower up to modern aesthetic standards) had for years known that their product had a high fire risk - a risk which grew exponentially with the height of the building. The cladding was bound with a polyethylene core, and that particular product was illegal to use on apartment buildings in the US and elsewhere in Europe. However, the UK was lagging behind in regulations and the product was technically allowable at the time it was installed, even though it should never have been on the market. Experts explain that the David Cameron government (2010-16) had a deregulation agenda, and its members were forbidden from introducing any new regulations without first getting rid of an existing one. As such, repeated calls for changes to fire safety process and building requirements fell on deaf ears. Aside from the cladding, Grenfell Uncovered also goes into the outdated and ineffective "stay put" policy of the London Fire Brigade. This policy, which was standard for high-rise buildings at the time, instructed residents not to evacuate their homes, but instead to stay inside until told otherwise by firefighters. The advice would have been solid in a building that wasn't clad with flammable material, leading to an uncontainable spread of the fire. But this was not the case at Grenfell, and residents on higher floors who followed the advice found themselves unable to escape. The firefighters were also untrained in the nature of cladding fires, something that should have been put into place well before the disaster struck. In a film filled with horrible, soul-crushing testimony, it is perhaps the experiences of the firefighters that is the most harrowing to watch. One tells of his plight to find a young girl named Jessica after her sister asked him to bring her out from their flat. But he would never find her. Another tells one of the more emotionally devastating stories you'll ever hear, of staying on the phone with a young mother trapped in an apartment in the inaccessible upper storeys of the building, until she was no longer talking. Grenfell Uncovered is a difficult watch, especially considering how avoidable the whole tragedy was. But it also feels like incredibly necessary viewing for anyone in a position of governance, fire management or tenant management. There's a clear indication of the importance of listening to safety advice, and change should not only be made after dozens of lives are lost. Grenfell Uncovered (M, 101 minutes, Netflix) 4 stars Avoidable. That's a big takeaway from this devastating and eye-opening Netflix documentary. The loss of 72 innocent lives was avoidable. The Grenfell Tower disaster of 2017 probably still looms large in many people's minds. The high-rise unit block was full of families when a small fire in one apartment turned into an unmitigated disaster in the early hours of June 14. What should have been safely contained in a relatively short amount of time ended up engulfing the whole 24-storey tower due to the use of highly flammable plastic-infused cladding on the outside of the building. It was like The Towering Inferno had come to life. This documentary, from first-time director Olaide Sadiq, speaks to former residents of the tower, family members of tower residents, firefighters, journalists, building and fire experts, lobbyists, a lawyer and even then-British prime minister Theresa May. The picture it paints is frustratingly clear: if advice had been acted upon sooner, 72 lives may have been saved. Through Grenfell Uncovered we learn that the company which manufactured the cladding which was used to beautify the tower in the years before the disaster (being built in the early 1970s, Grenfell was considered an eyesore at the time, and the new facade was supposed to bring the tower up to modern aesthetic standards) had for years known that their product had a high fire risk - a risk which grew exponentially with the height of the building. The cladding was bound with a polyethylene core, and that particular product was illegal to use on apartment buildings in the US and elsewhere in Europe. However, the UK was lagging behind in regulations and the product was technically allowable at the time it was installed, even though it should never have been on the market. Experts explain that the David Cameron government (2010-16) had a deregulation agenda, and its members were forbidden from introducing any new regulations without first getting rid of an existing one. As such, repeated calls for changes to fire safety process and building requirements fell on deaf ears. Aside from the cladding, Grenfell Uncovered also goes into the outdated and ineffective "stay put" policy of the London Fire Brigade. This policy, which was standard for high-rise buildings at the time, instructed residents not to evacuate their homes, but instead to stay inside until told otherwise by firefighters. The advice would have been solid in a building that wasn't clad with flammable material, leading to an uncontainable spread of the fire. But this was not the case at Grenfell, and residents on higher floors who followed the advice found themselves unable to escape. The firefighters were also untrained in the nature of cladding fires, something that should have been put into place well before the disaster struck. In a film filled with horrible, soul-crushing testimony, it is perhaps the experiences of the firefighters that is the most harrowing to watch. One tells of his plight to find a young girl named Jessica after her sister asked him to bring her out from their flat. But he would never find her. Another tells one of the more emotionally devastating stories you'll ever hear, of staying on the phone with a young mother trapped in an apartment in the inaccessible upper storeys of the building, until she was no longer talking. Grenfell Uncovered is a difficult watch, especially considering how avoidable the whole tragedy was. But it also feels like incredibly necessary viewing for anyone in a position of governance, fire management or tenant management. There's a clear indication of the importance of listening to safety advice, and change should not only be made after dozens of lives are lost. Grenfell Uncovered (M, 101 minutes, Netflix) 4 stars Avoidable. That's a big takeaway from this devastating and eye-opening Netflix documentary. The loss of 72 innocent lives was avoidable. The Grenfell Tower disaster of 2017 probably still looms large in many people's minds. The high-rise unit block was full of families when a small fire in one apartment turned into an unmitigated disaster in the early hours of June 14. What should have been safely contained in a relatively short amount of time ended up engulfing the whole 24-storey tower due to the use of highly flammable plastic-infused cladding on the outside of the building. It was like The Towering Inferno had come to life. This documentary, from first-time director Olaide Sadiq, speaks to former residents of the tower, family members of tower residents, firefighters, journalists, building and fire experts, lobbyists, a lawyer and even then-British prime minister Theresa May. The picture it paints is frustratingly clear: if advice had been acted upon sooner, 72 lives may have been saved. Through Grenfell Uncovered we learn that the company which manufactured the cladding which was used to beautify the tower in the years before the disaster (being built in the early 1970s, Grenfell was considered an eyesore at the time, and the new facade was supposed to bring the tower up to modern aesthetic standards) had for years known that their product had a high fire risk - a risk which grew exponentially with the height of the building. The cladding was bound with a polyethylene core, and that particular product was illegal to use on apartment buildings in the US and elsewhere in Europe. However, the UK was lagging behind in regulations and the product was technically allowable at the time it was installed, even though it should never have been on the market. Experts explain that the David Cameron government (2010-16) had a deregulation agenda, and its members were forbidden from introducing any new regulations without first getting rid of an existing one. As such, repeated calls for changes to fire safety process and building requirements fell on deaf ears. Aside from the cladding, Grenfell Uncovered also goes into the outdated and ineffective "stay put" policy of the London Fire Brigade. This policy, which was standard for high-rise buildings at the time, instructed residents not to evacuate their homes, but instead to stay inside until told otherwise by firefighters. The advice would have been solid in a building that wasn't clad with flammable material, leading to an uncontainable spread of the fire. But this was not the case at Grenfell, and residents on higher floors who followed the advice found themselves unable to escape. The firefighters were also untrained in the nature of cladding fires, something that should have been put into place well before the disaster struck. In a film filled with horrible, soul-crushing testimony, it is perhaps the experiences of the firefighters that is the most harrowing to watch. One tells of his plight to find a young girl named Jessica after her sister asked him to bring her out from their flat. But he would never find her. Another tells one of the more emotionally devastating stories you'll ever hear, of staying on the phone with a young mother trapped in an apartment in the inaccessible upper storeys of the building, until she was no longer talking. Grenfell Uncovered is a difficult watch, especially considering how avoidable the whole tragedy was. But it also feels like incredibly necessary viewing for anyone in a position of governance, fire management or tenant management. There's a clear indication of the importance of listening to safety advice, and change should not only be made after dozens of lives are lost. Grenfell Uncovered (M, 101 minutes, Netflix) 4 stars Avoidable. That's a big takeaway from this devastating and eye-opening Netflix documentary. The loss of 72 innocent lives was avoidable. The Grenfell Tower disaster of 2017 probably still looms large in many people's minds. The high-rise unit block was full of families when a small fire in one apartment turned into an unmitigated disaster in the early hours of June 14. What should have been safely contained in a relatively short amount of time ended up engulfing the whole 24-storey tower due to the use of highly flammable plastic-infused cladding on the outside of the building. It was like The Towering Inferno had come to life. This documentary, from first-time director Olaide Sadiq, speaks to former residents of the tower, family members of tower residents, firefighters, journalists, building and fire experts, lobbyists, a lawyer and even then-British prime minister Theresa May. The picture it paints is frustratingly clear: if advice had been acted upon sooner, 72 lives may have been saved. Through Grenfell Uncovered we learn that the company which manufactured the cladding which was used to beautify the tower in the years before the disaster (being built in the early 1970s, Grenfell was considered an eyesore at the time, and the new facade was supposed to bring the tower up to modern aesthetic standards) had for years known that their product had a high fire risk - a risk which grew exponentially with the height of the building. The cladding was bound with a polyethylene core, and that particular product was illegal to use on apartment buildings in the US and elsewhere in Europe. However, the UK was lagging behind in regulations and the product was technically allowable at the time it was installed, even though it should never have been on the market. Experts explain that the David Cameron government (2010-16) had a deregulation agenda, and its members were forbidden from introducing any new regulations without first getting rid of an existing one. As such, repeated calls for changes to fire safety process and building requirements fell on deaf ears. Aside from the cladding, Grenfell Uncovered also goes into the outdated and ineffective "stay put" policy of the London Fire Brigade. This policy, which was standard for high-rise buildings at the time, instructed residents not to evacuate their homes, but instead to stay inside until told otherwise by firefighters. The advice would have been solid in a building that wasn't clad with flammable material, leading to an uncontainable spread of the fire. But this was not the case at Grenfell, and residents on higher floors who followed the advice found themselves unable to escape. The firefighters were also untrained in the nature of cladding fires, something that should have been put into place well before the disaster struck. In a film filled with horrible, soul-crushing testimony, it is perhaps the experiences of the firefighters that is the most harrowing to watch. One tells of his plight to find a young girl named Jessica after her sister asked him to bring her out from their flat. But he would never find her. Another tells one of the more emotionally devastating stories you'll ever hear, of staying on the phone with a young mother trapped in an apartment in the inaccessible upper storeys of the building, until she was no longer talking. Grenfell Uncovered is a difficult watch, especially considering how avoidable the whole tragedy was. But it also feels like incredibly necessary viewing for anyone in a position of governance, fire management or tenant management. There's a clear indication of the importance of listening to safety advice, and change should not only be made after dozens of lives are lost.
Buzz Feed
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Grenfell Uncovered Reviews: Netflix Documentary Hailed As 'Urgent' And 'Heartwrenching'
ASSOCIATED PRESS A new documentary exploring the Grenfell Tower disaster is being lauded by critics. In June 2017, a fire broke out at the tower block in North Kensington, London, killing at least 72 people. Eight years later, questions are still being asked about the tragedy – which are explored further in Netflix's new documentary Grenfell Uncovered. An official Netflix synopsis for the doc reads: 'This feature length documentary examines the disturbing chain of events that led to the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. 'By uncovering actions taken by business and government years before the tragedy, the film shines a light on how it could have been prevented, and 72 lives could have been saved. The documentary gives a platform to survivors, bereaved families and firefighters to share their story.' The documentary has already been praised as 'agonising', 'rage-inducing' and 'heartwrenching' by critics in their early reviews. Here's a selection of what has been said about it so far… The Guardian (5/5) 'The 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London which caused 72 deaths is now the subject of Olaide Sadiq's heartwrenching and enraging documentary, digging at the causes and movingly interviewing survivors and their families, whose testimony is all but unbearable. At the very least, the film will remind you that when politicians smugly announce they wish to make a bonfire of regulations, they should be taken, under police escort if necessary, and made to stand at the foot of the tower.' The Telegraph (5/5) 'Vital journalism [...] the documentary's trump card is its editing. That sounds very boring, but for the viewer it means a linear narrative, starting from the first 999 call, that then spread its tentacles down timelines of personal stories and historic corporate malfeasance. The dexterous splicing means that in spite of all this context, the film retains an agonising momentum.' The Standard (4/5) 'This litany of failures is rage-inducing [...] the information is technically already out there, but it's never really been condensed into something this concise and easily understandable before – certainly not on a massive streaming channel like Netflix, which will put it in front of millions of viewers.' The Independent (4/5) '[Netflix has] plenty of schlocky miniseries about serial killers, but when it comes to institutional failings and social affairs, they are more sensitive [...] this dynamic – the film is more interested in apportioning blame than it is in memorialising the victims – makes it feel raw, angry and urgent.' Financial Times (4/5) 'The film is upsetting and harrowing throughout, but it is driven by a clear sense of a need for justice, and an acknowledgment of the lack of justice to date. Though Mr Bates vs The Post Office was a drama, and this is a documentary, Grenfell: Uncovered may well have a similar effect on the public's understanding of what happened in 2017.'
The Irish Sun
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Dad who lost unborn baby & ‘climbed over bones' to escape Grenfell slams cladding firm as ‘smoking gun' emails uncovered
AS the survivors of the Grenfell tower fire walked silently through London on Saturday, the desire for justice for the 72 dead had not dimmed. When a Advertisement 10 Grenfell survivor Marcio Gomes speaks out in a new Netflix documentary Credit: netflix 10 Hero dad Marcio battled the blaze to save his pregnant wife and two daughters Credit: Enterprise News and Pictures 10 Police man a security cordon as a huge fire engulfs the Grenfell Tower early on June 14, 2017 Credit: AFP 10 Firefighters extinguish the last of the horrific blaze that claimed 72 lives Credit: AFP or licensors Eight years on from the fire, which Grenfell inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick called 'avoidable', no one has been charged with a criminal offence. Who knew what about the risk of installing flammable cladding on the 1970s 24-storey concrete block in Even now secrets are emerging. The makers of new Netflix documentary Advertisement READ MORE IN GRENFELL The internal emails are reported to reveal that Diana Perreiah, a top executive at US manufacturing firm Arconic, was aware that its highly flammable cladding should not be put on tall buildings and that it had been sold for use on the west London tower. Eddie Daffarn, a survivor of the Grenfell Tower fire, told The search for truth was important for the film's director Olaide Sadiq because her friend Khadija Saye was killed on the 20th floor of the tower. They were both 24 at the time of the blaze on June 14, 2017 and had met on a scheme to support creative talents from less well off backgrounds. Advertisement Most read in Film Exclusive Exclusive Olaide, who grew up in a 18-storey council estate tower in south London, tells The Sun: 'Khadijah was very, very bright, very, very sweet, very, very driven and she was someone who was really breaking down barriers in her field. 'I think she's an example of a lot of the lives that were lost and a lot of people had very promising careers ahead of them, promising paths ahead of them that they never got to fulfil.' Grenfell survivor relives the trauma of fleeing the fire Khadijah, whose mum Mary Mendy, 54, also died in the uncontrollable blaze, had her art work exhibited at the prestigious Venice Biennale in Italy just prior to her death. But Olaide insists the documentary 'isn't about me' and instead her film focuses on other residents of the tower. Advertisement Baby tragedy Grenfell Uncovered, which streams from Friday, hears from Marcio Gomes, whose son Logan was stillborn after wife Andreia was put in a coma, having been overcome by smoke. Marcio had wrapped his family in wet towels to help them make their way down the stairwell from the 21st floor, having been told to 'stay put' by the Fire Brigade even when the fire was spreading up the building. Having escaped out with his wife and daughter Megan, he went back for his other daughter, Luana, who had collapsed on the stairwell in the toxic smoke. They couldn't see anything and Luana recalls: 'I just remember stepping on so many bones. My dad is more behind me. He sounded like he was in front of me. Advertisement 'I didn't hear him speak or say anything back to me. All that I can't remember, because apparently I had collapsed.' 10 The Grenfell Silent Walk around West Kensington on Saturday Credit: Alamy 10 Firefighters from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) form a guard of honour under the Westway flyover at the march Credit: Alamy Speaking ahead of the documentary's release, Marcio said: "Ultimately, I'm hoping that people understand that this was no accident. This was very much avoidable, and these companies had a huge role to play in what happened. Advertisement 'And I think people, especially in Britain – but this is a global thing, it's not just in the UK – need to start shouting about these companies, need to hold them to account. 'Because these companies have a duty of care but they've ignored it completely. 'And I'm hoping that this documentary is a turning point that will then bring prosecutions and justice to the families.' He added of the firms: "Avoid their products, get the message out there. These companies need to feel some pain and that's not even close to what we've gone through." Advertisement 'I'm dying, I'm dying here' 10 Omar Alhaj Ali was rescued but his brother Mohammad didn't make it out Credit: netflix The film also hears the testimony of Omar Alhaj Ali, 33, who was rescued by firefighters from the 14th floor only to discover his brother Mohammad had been left behind. He rang his brother to see what had happened. Omar says: 'My brother is screaming. The last conversation we had was like, 'I'm dying, I'm dying here, that's it.' ' Advertisement A desperate Mohammad, 23, attempted to escape the flame by climbing down sheets that he had tied together, but the civil engineering student fell to his death. 10 10 Chris Batchelor emotionally recalls his attempts to rescue a mum who died in the fire Firemen who fought their way up the deadly block to find survivors give similarly emotional accounts of the evening. Advertisement Chris Batchelor is clearly upset as he recalls how he spoke to Zainab Deen, 32, on the 14th floor, telling her: 'We are coming to get you.' But the firefighter was told by his superiors that it was impossible to get back up the building. Zainab told him her two-year-old son Jeremiah had died from the smoke and 'I want to be with him.' Chris says: 'I am still telling her we are coming to get you. I thought I heard her scream.' Advertisement 'The emails were shocking' It is for the 72 victims that the quest for answers goes on. Olaide has followed the Grenfell case since seeing the inferno on the news and learning that Khadija had been trapped inside. She spent 18 months working on the documentary, speaking to relatives, survivors, experts and poring through documents. Several different firms were involved in the refurbishment of Grenfell, which was completed in May 2016. Advertisement The Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) used to clad the building had a highly flammable material called polyethylene sandwiched between sheets of aluminium. Olaide and her team wanted to dig further into what the French-based firm Arconic Architectural Products knew about the risks of their product Reynobond PE. Arconic Architectural Products is a subsidiary of the US firm Arconic, so the Netflix team employed lawyers to argue that seeing everything was in the public interest. Olaide says: 'When you start looking into the cladding, you start to uncover an email here or a warning there. The emails were shocking.' Advertisement In his summing up, retired judge Sir Martin said that Arconic had "deliberately concealed from the market the true extent of the danger of using" Reynobond PE on a tower like Grenfell. But Arconic, which has paid compensation to bereaved relatives, insists there was no wrongdoing on their behalf. The company has said they "did not conceal information from or mislead any certification body, customer, or the public" and did not sell an "unsafe product.' Sir Martin said there was no one cause of the disaster. Advertisement 10 All of the tragic 72 victims of Grenfell Credit: PA 'Stay put' order Grenfell Uncovered also looks at the failing of the London Fire Brigade, which stuck to its 'stay put' policy for too long on the fateful night. Residents were told to stay in their flats, because it was assumed the blaze could not spread so quickly from flat to flat. It also shows how David Cameron's Conservative government failed to bring in tighter housing safety regulations, despite being advised to after a similar fire at Lakanal House in Camberwell, south London in 2009. Advertisement Labour has promised to implement the 58 recommendations from Sir Martin's inquiry. But the 'stay put' policy remains in place for most high rise buildings and thousands of flats in Britain are still covered in unsafe cladding. Eddie Daffarn, 62, a resident who warned there would be a 'serious fire' at Grenfell six months before the disaster, ends the film saying: 'So much time has passed but so little has changed.' Many survivors now want a jury to decide if anyone committed a criminal offence. Advertisement At the moment the Metropolitan police is still investigating. Olaide concludes: 'There's definitely a very palpable upset and rawness that still exists in the community. 'People are definitely still angry, people are definitely still seeking justice and accountability for what they went through and what their loved ones went through.' The final death toll Fathia Ahmed Elsanousi, Abufras Ibrahim and Isra Ibrahim (floor 23) Mohammed Amied Neda (floor 23) Hesham Rahman (floor 23) Rania Ibrahim and her two children Fethia Hassan, four, and three-year-old Hania Hassan (floor 23) Marco Gottardi (floor 23) Gloria Trevisan (floor 23) Raymond 'Moses' Bernard (floor 23) Eslah and Mariem Elgwahry (floor 22) Anthony Disson (floor 22) Choucair family (floor 22) Nadia Choucair, 33, her husband Bassem Choukair, 40, their three children Mierna, 13, Fatima, 11, and Zainab, three, died along with their grandmother Sirria Choucair, 60. The Kedir family (floor 22) Hashim Kedir, 44, died with his wife Nura Jemal, 35, daughter Firdaws Hashim, 12, and sons Yahya Hashim, 13, and Yaqub Hashim, six. The El-Wahabi family (floor 21) Father Abdulaziz, 52, wife Faouzia, 41, and children Yasin, 20, Nur Huda, 16, and Mehdi, eight, all died. Ligaya Moore (floor 21) Jessica Urbano Ramirez (floor 20) The Belkadi family (floor 20) Farah Hamdan, 31, her husband Omar Belkadi, 32, and children Malak Belkadi, eight, and six-month-old Leena Belkadi, all died. Mary Mendy (floor 20) Khadija Saye (floor 20) Victoria King and Alexandra Atala (floor 20) Tuccu-Ahmedin family (floor 19) Mohamednur Tuccu, 44, his wife Amal Ahmedin, 35, and their three-year-old daughter Amaya Tuccu-Ahmedin, all died. Amna Mahmud Idris, 27, was visiting her cousin Ms Ahmedin at the time of the fire and also died. Marjorie Vital and Ernie Vital (floor 19) Debbie Lamprell (floor 19) Gary Maunders (floor 19) Berkti Haftom and Biruk Haftom (floor 18) Hamid Kani (floor 18) Isaac Paulos (floor 18) Sakina Afrasehabi (floor 18) Fatemeh Afrasiabi (visiting her sister on 18th floor) Vincent Chiejina (floor 17) Khadija Khalloufi (floor 17) Miah-Begum family (floor 17) Kamru Miah, 79, Rabeya Begum, 64, Mohammed Hamid, 28, Mohammed Hanif, 26 and Husna Begum, 22. Joseph Daniels (floor 16) Sheila (floor 16) Steve Power (floor 15) Zainab Deen and Jeremiah Deen (floor 14) Mohammad al-Haj Ali (floor 14) Denis Murphy (floor 14) Ali Yawar Jafari (floor 11) Abdeslam Sebbar (floor 11) Logan Gomes (floor 21) Maria del Pilar Burton (floor 19) A spokesperson for Arconic Architectural Products said: "We have not seen the Netflix documentary 'Grenfell: Uncovered' and cannot comment in detail on it. Advertisement "So soon after the solemn anniversary of the Grenfell tragedy, our thoughts remain with all those affected, their families and friends. "Foremost we continue to remember the 72 people who lost their lives. AAP, along with others, has made financial contributions to settlements for those impacted, and we support all efforts to strengthen regulatory oversight in the construction industry."
