David Badillo was one of the first firemen into the tower
A firefighter from the Grenfell tower disaster has hit out at claims the rescue operations on the night of the tragedy were ‘racist’.
David Badillo, 44, one of the first firemen to enter the tower on 14 June last year, said he was ‘disgusted’ by accusations from a top lawyer of institutional racism among members of the fire brigade.
Imran Khan QC, representing more than 25 bereaved relatives and survivors of the fire, said in his opening statement to the Grenfell inquiry last month that the fire department should be investigated for their response.
‘We submit that what occurred at Grenfell Tower may be explained as a product of institutional racism and we consider it right and proper that this should be investigated,’ Mr Khan said.
But Mr Badillo, who lost a close family friend in the blaze, hit back at the suggestion, calling the statement a ‘slur’ and a ‘hurtful blow’.
In an emotional Facebook post, the fireman said he and his colleagues ‘gave all they had’ to the inferno, which claimed 72 lives.
The inferno killed 72 people last June in what has since become recognised as Britain’s most deadly postwar fire
Badillo posted an emotional statement on Facebook in which he defended the actions of the fire brigade on the night of the fire
‘I’m disgusted by Mr Khan QC and his suggestion of institutional racism in the London Fire Brigade,’ Badillo wrote.
‘This slur is another hurtful blow to me and fellow firefighters who gave all they had on 14 June to rescue as many as they could from Grenfell Tower.’
In his controversial statement to the Grenfell inquiry Khan argued that race played a key part in the rescue operations, saying the firefighters referred to residents by ‘their ethnic origin’ describing one person as of ‘Middle Eastern appearance’.
He added: ‘Did race or religion play any part in the procedure and operation of the fire service on that night?’
Badillo is reportedly a west London resident and a friend of Manfred Ruiz, whose niece Jessica Urbano, 12, was killed in the fire.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andrew Bell is expected to defend the brigade’s actions at the inquiry on Thursday.
Members of the fire brigade console members of the public in the days after the deadly blaze
A fireman weeps after leaving the burning husk of the tower following lengthy rescue operations