YP Letters: A shameful response to tower tragedy

From: Karl Sheridan, Selby Road, Holme on Spalding Moor.
The Grenfell Tower fire will cast a long shadow over Britain for years to come.The Grenfell Tower fire will cast a long shadow over Britain for years to come.
The Grenfell Tower fire will cast a long shadow over Britain for years to come.

IT really does seem that Government has got its priorities very wrong. They are quite happy to spend billions of our money on foreign aid – in some cases lining the pockets of corrupt regimes – but all they offer is a mere £5m when it comes to helping the residents of the UK if a tragedy happens such as the Grenfell Tower disaster.

However what this tragedy has brought to light is the inadequacy not only of the Government, but of Kensington and Chelsea Council, which obviously had no forethought to even consider such a disaster on this scale could happen, and quite frankly have been caught with its trousers down.

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Surely, with the advent of terrorism high on the agenda in large cities, there should be well thought-out plans ready to kick in utilising all the services to alleviate the utter confusion and definite neglect of residents who have found themselves in this dire predicament.

The pure inertia by the council is appalling, yet if this had happened in a foreign country all the aid agencies would have had things under control within hours. It is only thanks to the tight community surrounding the tower that things have not been much worse and it’s a credit to them. Lessons need to be learned, especially by those supposedly in charge of us.

From: Paul Muller, Sandal, Wakefield.

PEOPLE in fires die very quickly because the fire takes all the oxygen out of the building and replaces the oxygen with carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and smoke. Every one that dies in a burning building dies very quickly from lack of oxygen and not from the fire.

This, I hope, gives some comfort to family and friends of those who so terribly died in the high rise flats in London. Every building with large numbers of people in them must have a sprinkler system in every room.

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That is why the fire service recommends a smoke detector in every house. An inquiry is just a delaying mechanism. Fitting sprinkler systems in all public buildings must start today.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

IS it only me that feels that Theresa May has been unfairly vilified about her conduct towards those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire?

It was, indeed a terrible event and she must do all she can for the people affected. Surely to mingle with angry residents in the immediate aftermath of the fire would have meant police officers detailed to her security would be unable to help their colleagues?

Glad-handing victims of calamities may make good television, but does it make good sense?

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There is no doubt that Mrs May is deeply affected by what has happened. We shouldn’t blame her for not making political capital out of it.

From: Mike O’Sullivan, Victoria Street, Allerton Bywater, Castleford.

TORY councillors have admitted they recieved warnings about the dangers in the fire-devastated block of flats and did nothing. Compare this to how they fawn on developers and encourage the building of luxury penthouses.

The dead and injured and their families are among the poorest, clearly not natural Tory voters.

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How little do Conservatives in Kensington and Chelsea care for them? Draw your own conclusions, then look at how Theresa May could not spare the time to talk to some of them on her first visit to the scene.

Over past recent years Conservatives have pushed austerity and easy targets are those residents of Grenfell Tower, voiceless and unable to defend themselves.

The Prime Minister has promised a public inquiry, but will it compel councillors and council staff to testify under oath? I will believe it when I see it.

Grenfell Tower has shown again just how dedicated and professional our NHS staff are, the same staff who, as we saw in the election campaign, are grossly underpaid, just like the equally professional and brave firefighters.

From: Dave Croucher, Pinfolds Garden, Doncaster.

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WHAT is wrong with this country? I was living in Canada in the mid-late 1950s and every building over three floors high had a fire escape.

This is something that should be law for every building, so how did the authorities let this happen?

It also appears that the new cladding on the outside of the building may have been flammable, which begs the question why fire-resistant tests had not been carried out.

From: Edward Mitchell, Bridgwater, Somerset.

NATURALLY, I was shocked and saddened to see the catastrophic fire at Grenfell Tower last week. It can only be described as horrific.

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Yet I was also shocked by the attitude of many of the tower block residents, who initially confronted Kensington and Chelsea Council in a frenzied mob, and then were extremely rude and arrogant to the Prime Minister when she invited them to No 10 Downing Street.

As far as I could see on the media, a large number of these people were immigrants, living in the best part of London, and being heavily subsidised not 
only for accommodation, but on social benefits as well.

And then they have the cheek to tell the Prime Minister and the Government – and by default, the British taxpayer – that we ‘not doing enough for them!’

Only the wealthiest in the United Kingdom can usually afford to live in West London – I certainly can’t – but these foreigners seem to expect everything for free when they come here.

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I suggest to each and every one of them that, while we understand they have survived a terrible ordeal, they should fall on their knees and thank the London Fire Service, the National Health Service, and indeed the people of Great Britain for the support, kindness and hospitality that has been shown to them to date.