Grenfell Tower fire victim girl, 12 Jessica Urbano Ramirez asked London fire brigade to hurry up

Jessica Urbano Ramirez, 12 (pictured), was one of the 72 people that died in the Grenfell Tower fire in June last year 

A 12-year-old girl trapped in Grenfell Tower as it went up in flames begged a 999 operator to ‘hurry up’ before she perished in the blaze.

Jessica Urbano Ramirez was on the phone to London Fire Brigade control room officer Sarah Russell for an hour before the line went silent. 

The schoolgirl fled her flat on the 20th floor of the 24-storey north Kensington tower block and tried in vain to seek refuge higher up. She was later identified as one of the 72 who died in the inferno. 

Ms Russell, who had been in the job nine months when the fire broke out on June 14 last year, said she wished she had been given more than just one day of fire survival guidance training.   

Details of Jessica’s heartbreaking 999 call emerged in a 70-page document read out at the public inquiry into the fire in central London today.  

Complaining of smoke and fire below, Jessica repeatedly asked Ms Russell: ‘Please can you hurry up?’ 

At one point, Ms Russell, who had been in the job for about nine months by the time of the fire, said: ‘They are hurrying up. Is there another room you can go into?’

Jessica replied: ‘No, can you hurry up please? I’m begging you.’

Ms Russell told her: ‘They are, they’re right below you. But you need to keep yourself safe.’

Giving evidence, the officer admitted she had no information that firefighters were on their way, but said she was trying to reassure the youngster.

Counsel to the inquiry Richard Millett QC asked her: ‘Did it occur to you that you had not yet assessed the security of the escape route and telling her that the crews were coming up, without having solid information to back that up, meant that you might be lulling her into a false sense of security?’

Ms Russell said: ‘At the time, no. It was based on what I would expect to happen, what should happen.

‘It was more about comforting her and trying to get her through that situation and get the information (from her).’

The schoolgirl, 12, was on the phone to London Fire Brigade control room officer Sarah Russell (pictured giving evidence at the Grenfell Tower fire public inquiry in London today) for an hour before the line went silent on June 14 

The schoolgirl, 12, was on the phone to London Fire Brigade control room officer Sarah Russell (pictured giving evidence at the Grenfell Tower fire public inquiry in London today) for an hour before the line went silent on June 14 

Ms Russell said she would have liked to have had more experience in dealing with fire survival guidance (FSG) calls prior to the fire, having had just one day of FSG training eight or nine months earlier.

She also said it would have been helpful to have a more experienced control room officer sitting next to her.

In a written statement Ms Russell said she was glad she had stayed on the call ‘even if it was only to offer her a little support’.

‘After about an hour I could not get anymore response from her – only rasping sounds, then nothing,’ she said.

‘I stayed on the line a little while longer with my hand hovered over the call termination button.

‘I was torn as what best to do. I eventually ended the call when the line fell silent. Reflecting on that call, I felt completely helpless.

‘When people are pleading with you, saying they do not want to die and I cannot physically do anything to help them; it is very hard.’

The information that Jessica had fled to a higher floor was not passed on to fire crews on the ground, who searched her flat but found no trace of the youngster.

Ms Russell said that, not long after the call ended, she became aware the advice to callers had been changed from ‘stay-put’ to attempt to evacuate.

But a transcript of another call showed she was still offering a ‘choice’ following the change of advice, the inquiry heard.

‘I was making them aware that they needed to leave and how, but if you send them out into the fire and smoke it could potentially be sending them out to a death where if they waited they may have been rescued,’ Ms Russell said.

A fire rips through the Grenfell Tower block in west London on June 14

Jessica Urbano's missing poster

The schoolgirl (pictured on a missing poster right) fled her flat on the 20th floor of the 24-storey north Kensington tower block (pictured on fire, left) and tried in vain to seek refuge higher up. She was later identified as one of the 72 who died in the inferno

She added that had she known some callers did not have working automatic door closers her advice may have been different.

‘I probably would have emphasised more at the start, knowing that they didn’t have as much time as what you think they would, to leave rather than wait for rescue,’ she said.

After the emergency services broke the devastating news of her death, Jessica’s family paid tribute to their ‘little angel’.

In a statement to police at the time, they said: ‘We have received probably the hardest news any parents will ever have had to bear, over the past weeks we have been in a state of confusion and limbo. 

‘Now that she has been formally identified we feel totally crushed.

Jessica's devastated loved ones (pictured) described her as a 'little angel' in a police statement

Jessica’s devastated loved ones (pictured) described her as a ‘little angel’ in a police statement

‘Nothing will ever bring our little girl back, and we are angry that this should ever have happened to our little angel. 

‘We will not rest until we get justice for her and for the many other lives lost as a result of this crime.

‘We will only feel justice has been served when the highest possible charges are applied to culpable individuals. We entrust this task to the authorities in the hope that we will not be let down.’

They added: ‘Our little girl was loving, kind-hearted and caring. She brought joy to everyone who met her and her laugh was contagious.

‘Jessica will leave a lasting legacy in the hearts of her family and friends and the many many people who didn’t know her personally but have come to know her since that night of June 14.

‘Her light will shine bright and will light our individual paths as we start to move forward into coming to terms with our loss and heartbreak.’

Transcript of Jessica Urbano Ramirez’s haunting 999 call

JESSICA: Mum.

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Mum.

OPERATOR: Hello, it’s the Fire Brigade.

JESSICA: Mum!

OPERATOR: Hello, can you hear me?

JESSICA: There’s a kitchen, there’s a kitchen on fire.

OPERATOR: There’s, there’s a fire in your kitchen, did you say?

JESSICA: Hello, there’s a fire in the building.

OPERATOR: In the building? What’s the name of the building?

JESSICA: Urn, Grenfell Tower.

OPERATOR: Grenfell Tower, okay. We’re there at the moment. What floor are you on? Hello?

JESSICA: W11 1CQ.

OPERATOR: What floor are you on in Grenfell Tower?

JESSICA: 23.

OPERATOR: Sorry?

JESSICA: The top floor, 23. Please can you hurry up?

OPERATOR: The top floor, 23. We’re already there. We’ve got –

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Listen, listen –

JESSICA: Please can you hurry up? Please can you hurry up?

OPERATOR: Listen to me. We’ve got 20 fire engines there with you, okay?

JESSICA: (Several inaudible words) come up. Please.

OPERATOR: They’re, they’re fighting the fire. It’s four floors below you –

JESSICA: Are they downstairs?

OPERATOR: The fire’s on the fourth floor. They’re there at the moment fighting it, okay?

JESSICA: Please can you hurry up!

OPERATOR: They are – they’re there at the moment.

JESSICA: Please, please hurry up!

OPERATOR: Listen, listen. Who have you got there with you?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Please hurry up!

OPERATOR: Hello? Listen. Who have you got there with you?

JESSICA: They haven’t! They’re not here!

OPERATOR: Hello? Listen to me. Who have you got there with you?

JESSICA: Just (Inaudible) myself and my mum (Inaudible).

OPERATOR: Are they all in there with you now?

JESSICA: There’s fire in the house. Please hurry up!

OPERATOR: Hello, listen. How many of you are in there?

JESSICA: Er, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, about 10.

OPERATOR: Ten of you in there, all on the top floor, the 23rd floor, yeah?

JESSICA: Yes, there’s a fire in the house.

OPERATOR: Okay. Is there any smoke coming in?

JESSICA: Yes, there’s a lot of everything(?) (Inaudible).

OPERATOR: A lot of smoke. Where’s it coming from, the window or the door?

JESSICA: I don’t know, I don’t know (Inaudible). Can you hurry up?

OPERATOR: Okay, calm down, take a deep breath. Where’s the smoking coming from, the window – (overspeaking)

JESSICA: – there’s smoke coming from everybody’s steps, every f***ing house.

OPERATOR: Is the smoke coming through the window or the door?

JESSICA: From the floor.

OPERATOR: From the floor?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Are you able to block it?

JESSICA: I can’t, my whole house is on fire.

OPERATOR: Can, can you block the door? Are there any clothes you can put underneath it?

JESSICA: (Inaudible) close the door.

OPERATOR: Make sure it’s shut and try and block any gaps.

JESSICA: Please can you hurry up? Please? I’m telling you –

OPERATOR: Listen. We’ve got 20 fire engines fighting the fire below you.

JESSICA: There’s no one coming up.

OPERATOR: They can’t come up to you yet, the fire’s below you. It’s on the fourth floor, okay?

JESSICA: Already? That’s too far.

OPERATOR: A lot of floors below you. Have you blocked the door?

JESSICA: They’re too far away.

OPERATOR: Have you stopped the smoke coming in?

JESSICA: No, there’s too much smoke.

OPERATOR: Whereabouts are you? What room are you in?

JESSICA: We’re in the front doors but there’s a fire at the back. There’s a fire!

OPERATOR: Is it actually in your property? Is it in there with you or –

JESSICA: No, it’s not in my property.

OPERATOR: – is it just the smoke? It’s just the smoke?

JESSICA: I came out of my house because(?) of the fire (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: And whereabouts are you in the building then? Are you still on the top floor?

JESSICA: Yeah, we’re on the top floor, around the back, in someone’s house.

OPERATOR: Okay. Are you, are you all inside? Can you shut the door and block it?

JESSICA: There’s four fires downstairs.

OPERATOR: Listen –

JESSICA: They’re coming up. Please tell them to hurry up.

OPERATOR: Listen, listen, keep calm. Are you able to all go inside a room and block the door?

JESSICA: No, we can’t.

OPERATOR: All right, explain to me where you are at the minute.

JESSICA: Right, when you – once you come up the stairs, you turn left and go down…

OPERATOR: Okay but are you, are you not inside someone’s flat? Are you outside in the landing?

CALLER 1: Come in. We have to close the door.

JESSICA: Yeah, we’ve closed the front door.

OPERATOR: Okay, yep, so go inside, close the front door and try and block underneath the door to stop the smoke coming in. Towels, bed linen, anything like that. Have you got any?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello? Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: Is everyone inside the build… – the, the flat now, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah, everyone’s inside the building but there’s a fire –

OPERATOR: And you’ve shut the door? Okay, I, I know –

JESSICA: We’re all in the corridor.

OPERATOR: I know there’s a fire downstairs. There’s not one in there with you, it’s just the smoke, isn’t it?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. So –

JESSICA: Try and breathe through the windows.

OPERATOR: Sorry? Is it coming through the window?

JESSICA: We can’t breathe in here.

OPERATOR: Okay, so listen to me, you need to shut the window.

JESSICA: I have(?).

OPERATOR: Have you shut the window?

JESSICA: No. Shut the window!

OPERATOR: Get someone to shut the window.

JESSICA: We can’t breathe in here.

OPERATOR: If there’s some coming through the window you need to shut the window.

JESSICA: Yes but we can’t close the window.

OPERATOR: Why can’t you close it? Is it blocked open?

JESSICA: Cos there’s already fire already.

OPERATOR: Sorry, there’s…?

JESSICA: There’s fire already.

OPERATOR: Fire already? Can you see the fire?

JESSICA: Can you see the fire? Can you see the fire? It’s out the window.

OPERATOR: It’s – is that – has it reached your floor?

JESSICA: The (Inaudible) fire (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: So tell me what you can see. Hello? Hello?

JESSICA: Can you hurry up? Tell them to hurry up.

OPERATOR: Tell me what you can see.

JESSICA: We can see the red(?) – I have not seen inside the room but the living room is spread(?).

OPERATOR: Filled with smoke. Have you, have you managed to shut the window yet?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Tell them – please can you hurry up?

OPERATOR: Has – is anyone –

JESSICA: Please hurry up, please.

OPERATOR: Listen to me. You need to try and stop the smoke coming in. Have you, have you shut the window?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: They are, they’re coming for you but you need to keep yourself safe until they get there. Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello? Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: Hello. Tell me what’s going on.

JESSICA: They’re putting on it, they’re trying to put water on it.

OPERATOR: Water on what? What – where’s the fire?

JESSICA: (Inaudible) fire.

OPERATOR: Where is it?

JESSICA: The living room.

OPERATOR: In the living room. Has it spread up to your floor?

JESSICA: It’s down on the 20th floor but we’re on the 23rd floor but it’s completely smoky outside. Can you hurry up?

OPERATOR: So, I’m struggling to hear you over the alarm. What was that you said?

JESSICA: I left the 20th floor. We’re all on the 23rd floor.

OPERATOR: You’re all on the 23rd floor?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: And you said the fire – is there a fire in where you are at the moment?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: What, what is it that’s on fire? Is it the main, the main fire downstairs or is it a fire in your flat?

JESSICA: There’s a fire in – outside the front – outside but it’s setting things on fire.

OPERATOR: It’s outside. Is it coming from the flats below?

JESSICA: No, no, no!

OPERATOR: It’s really hard, I can’t hear. Hello, are you still there?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. So tell me what – what’s going on at the moment? You’ve got smoke coming in, haven’t you, yep? So has anyone shut the window?

JESSICA: No, there’s (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Or can’t, can’t you get to it? Is it too smoky?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Hello? Hello?

OPERATOR: Hello. You need to explain to me what’s going on.

JESSICA: There’s – the door on the room is gonna explode soon. Please can you hurry up?

OPERATOR: Okay, so you said there’s eight, eight of you in there, yeah?

JESSICA: Around – yeah, ten or something.

OPERATOR: Ten, eight or ten and which room are you in?

JESSICA: We’re in – so we’re in the front door corridor.

OPERATOR: By the front door? Is there a room that you can get to further away from the fire where there’s no smoke? A bedroom or the bathroom?

JESSICA: There’s no, there’s no (Inaudible), there’s no – there’s nowhere we can go.

OPERATOR: There’s nowhere you can go. There’s no other rooms there that you can go into?

JESSICA: (Inaudible) can you hurry up before something happens?

OPERATOR: They are hurrying up. They’re, they’re trying to get to you, okay? Is there another room that you can go into?

JESSICA: No. Can you hurry up, please? I’m begging you.

OPERATOR: They are. They’re right below you but you need to keep yourself safe.

JESSICA: What floor are you on? What floor are you on?

OPERATOR: They’re down below you. They’re fighting the fire from below you, okay? They’re making their way up.

JESSICA: Can we go in there?

OPERATOR: There’s, there’s 20 fire – 25 fire engines on their way now, okay?

JESSICA: No there’s not – they’re coming.

OPERATOR: They are coming, they’re all below you.

JESSICA: No they’re not!

OPERATOR: They are, I promise you, they’re all below you, Grenfell Tower, okay?

JESSICA: Oh my God! (Inaudible) I don’t know what to do!

OPERATOR: Hello? Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: The people you’ve got in there with you, are they your family or are they people from other flats as well?

JESSICA: I’m not with any family.

OPERATOR: You’re not with any family?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: Okay. What flat number are you in? Do you know the flat number? Is everyone – is – hello?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: You can’t breathe. You need to get down low on the ground. Can you get low? Everyone get low on the floor.

JESSICA: Everyone get low!

OPERATOR: Is everyone low on the floor now, away from the smoke, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, now listen carefully. You need to listen. I know it’s scary but you have to do things to keep safe, okay? So everyone needs to be low on the ground and you need to try and block the door.

AUTOMATED VOICE: You’ve been placed on hold, please wait.

OPERATOR: Hello? Hello? They’ve put me on hold, dunno why it’s being held(?).

AUTOMATED VOICE: You’ve been placed on hold, please wait.

JESSICA: Hello?

OPERATOR: Hello. You still there?

JESSICA: Yeah, we’re inside another room.

OPERATOR: You’re inside another room. Which room is it, a bedroom or the bathroom?

JESSICA: We’re in the bedroom.

OPERATOR: In the bedroom, okay. Is everyone inside there now, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Can you shut the door? Use the bed covers, use the bed covers to block the gaps around the door, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

OPERATOR: Okay, are you doing that now?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, good. Try and stop as much of the smoke coming into the, to the room, that’s what you need to do, okay? Tell me when you’ve done it.

JESSICA: Please can you hurry up, I’m telling –

OPERATOR: We are, we’re coming as quick as we can.

JESSICA: No one’s coming up!

OPERATOR: I promise you, they’re right below you, they’re making their way up through the fire but they need to fight the fire as they’re going, okay, so you just need to keep yourself safe. Okay. Have you got the bed covers around the door now, stopping the smoke?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah?

JESSICA: Er…

OPERATOR: Sorry?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: You have, okay, and is there a window in the room?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: There is, okay, and is there smoke coming in through the window?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: You’ll need to close that as well. You need to stop the smoke getting in as much as you can, okay? You need to get that window closed.

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Have you got that window closed?

JESSICA: Yes but I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: I know but you need to get the windows closed. If you keep – the smoke keep’s coming in, it’ll be harder to breathe. You need to close the window.

JESSICA: Please hurry up, I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: We are hurrying, we’re coming as quickly as we can. All the, all the fire engines are down below you. They’re making their way up, okay? Have you shut the window? Hello?

JESSICA: Hello?

OPERATOR: Have you shut the window?

JESSICA: Yeah, I’m stuffing my face in the pillow.

OPERATOR: Okay, that’s good. So, so, listen, is the window closed and the doors are blocked with the, the bed linen, yeah?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Have you done those things, yes?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, good. Is everyone low on the floor now?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. So get yourself as far away from the window and the door – stay away from the smoke and get everyone to find a bit of clothing or a, a bit of linen, pillows, anything, cover their mouths, okay? Don’t breathe in the smoke, try and keep it out, okay?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Is, is everyone doing that, all eight or ten people, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Good, okay. Now keep yourselves calm. If anything changes – I’m gonna stay on the line to you – if anything changes, tell me, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

OPERATOR: So you said you’ve got – can you count properly now how many people you’ve got in there?

JESSICA: 11

OPERATOR: Sorry?

JESSICA: Like 11.

OPERATOR: You counting?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. When you’ve counted tell, tell me how many you’ve got in there with you, okay?

JESSICA: (Inaudible), I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: I know it’s hard. I know it’s scary but the fire engines, they’re coming up to you, okay? They’re coming as quickly as they can. So how many, how many have you got in there? Did you count?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Sorry, you…?

JESSICA: Like 11.

OPERATOR: I can’t hear what you’re saying.

JESSICA: 11!

OPERATOR: Are you saying you’ve got ten in there with you?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Yeah, okay, and did, did you look at the flat number when you, when you went up? Do you know what flat number you’re in?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You don’t know, you’re just on the 23rd floor. Is that right, the 23rd floor?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, all right and, er, anyone else in there at the moment, how are they? Are they struggling to breathe as well?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay and what ages are they? Do you know? Are they older, younger…?

JESSICA: 12(?), I’m, I’m the young… youngest person, one baby and the rest are adults.

OPERATOR: Sorry, you’re the…?

JESSICA: 12.

OPERATOR: 12, was that? Hello?

JESSICA: Can you hurry up?

OPERATOR: Er, we are hurrying, they’re right below you, the fire engines. They’re, they’re fi… – listen to me, they’re fighting the fire from below you so it’s gonna take them a little while to get to you. There are 23 floors on the building. The fire was on the 4111 floor and it’s spreading up but they’re on their way up to you. They’ll fight the fire. They’ll get to you really soon, okay? Okay, so tell me how everyone else is doing in there.

JESSICA: Huh?

OPERATOR: Tell me how everyone else is doing, the 0th… – the other –

JESSICA: They’re struggling to breathe.

OPERATOR: They’re struggling to breathe?

JESSICA: So am I.

OPERATOR: Okay, are they all still covering their, their mouths and noses?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yep, with towels or anything like that, yeah?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Good, okay. And it’s 11 including you, is it?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Okay, I’m, just sending a message to the crews now so they know where you are. So there’s 11 of you on the 23rd floor. Do you know which side of the building you’re on, the front or the back?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: You don’t, you don’t, you don’t know?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: Okay, that’s fine. I’m sending a message to them now, okay, so they know exactly where you are… and you’re in the bedroom, you said, yeah?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Okay.

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Okay, tell me about the smoke. What’s the smoke like now? Is it better now that you’ve shut the door and, and the window?

JESSICA: I don’t know. I can’t see anything, I can’t see

OPERATOR: I know it’s real – I know it’s hard and I know it’s scary. Is everyone still low on the ground?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Okay, good. Keep low. That’s important. Keep away from the smoke. Ex… explain to me what you can see. What’s it like at the moment?

JESSICA: I can’t see, I – my head’s in a pillow.

OPERATOR: You can’t see, your head’s in the pillow?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Okay, so you’re just burying your head in the pillow.

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Are you able to talk to the people around you?

JESSICA: Huh?

OPERATOR: Are you able to talk to the people around you?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: You’re able to ask how they’re feeling?

JESSICA: They’re feeling sad(?).

OPERATOR: Sorry, they’re feeling…?

JESSICA: Sad.

OPERATOR: Sad, did you say?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Sad but how are they feeling health-wise, breathing? Are they, are they – can you tell me if anyone’s in any – yeah – more distress than you are?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Is that a yes or a no, they are?

JESSICA: Yes!

OPERATOR: They are. So someone’s in a worse condition than you are?

JESSICA: Yes, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: They are coming. They’re coming up to you, okay? I know it’s, it’s scary but they are coming for you, okay, and it’ll seem like forever. Minutes seem like hours, I know, but they’re right below you, okay? They are making their way up, I promise. Okay, what’s, what’s your name?

JESSICA: Jessica.

OPERATOR: Jessica and how old are you?

JESSICA: 12. 12!

OPERATOR: 12? You’re 12 and you haven’t got any family in there with you?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Whereabouts were they? Are they on a different floor?

JESSICA: At work.

OPERATOR: They’re at work?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Do they work nights then? Are they out all night?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Okay. Okay, how are you feeling at the moment?

JESSICA: Bad.

OPERATOR: Sad?

JESSICA: Bad!

OPERATOR: How’s your, how’s your breathing?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: You can’t breathe. You’ve still got that pillow there?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yep? Okay. I know you can’t – you’re not, you’re not looking because of the window but can you tell me any – you’re not looking because you’ve got your head in a pillow but can you tell me anything else?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You can’t? Okay. Is there anyone there at the moment that might know what flat number you’re in? Anyone –

JESSICA: Which is the flat number?

CALLER 2: We’re(?) on(?) 201.

JESSICA: 2121?

CALLER 2: Yeah.

JESSICA: 2171.

OPERATOR: 3171?

JESSICA: What’s the number? 3171?

CALLER 2: 201.

JESSICA: 201.

OPERATOR: 311?

JESSICA: 201.

OPERATOR: Three zero one, yeah? 301?

JESSICA: 201.

OPERATOR: Two. 201. Okay, the person who told you the flat number, does it belong to him?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Is he, is he older than you? Is he, is he an adult?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Can you put him on for me for a minute?

JESSICA: No, he can’t talk.

OPERATOR: Sorry?

JESSICA: He can’t talk.

OPERATOR: He can’t talk. Why can’t he talk?

JESSICA: Because he’s struggling.

OPERATOR: Because he’s…? Say that again. I didn’t hear.

JESSICA: He’s struggling.

OPERATOR: He’s struggling?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Struggling to breathe?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. I know. I know it’s going to — it’s hard, okay? Is he covering his face, his mouth and nose?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Has everyone got a bit of clothing or a towel or something?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, and everyone’s still on the floor, away from the door and the window, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. That’s good. That’s the place where you want to be, okay? You just need to keep yourself safe until they get there. So, it was – 201 was the flat you were in, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. I’ll send them that message so they know where – exactly where you are, yeah? Is there anyone else in there that’s someone older?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Are you able to put any of those on?

JESSICA: (Inaudible) I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: I know you can’t breathe, but is there someone else there a bit older you can put on?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Doesn’t anyone want to talk?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: They don’t? Have you asked them?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Okay, and they’ve all said no?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Okay. The bedroom, the room you’re in: tell me about it. What’s it like? Is it a small room?

JESSICA: Small.

OPERATOR: It’s small? So, you’re — and is that — and there’s 11 of you in there, with you included, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, and are you all pretty far away from the door?

JESSICA: No, not really.

OPERATOR: Not really? Are you able to get any further away, maybe on the…?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Okay. Are you, are you the youngest person in there?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: — or is anyone — no? Who else is in there?

JESSICA: A baby.

OPERATOR: A baby?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Do you know who old the baby is? Is it a very small baby or a toddler?

JESSICA: Not really.

OPERATOR: Not really? You don’t know?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: There’s a two-year-old (Inaudible).

OPERATOR: A two-year-old? Is that the baby, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, and how are they doing at the minute?

JESSICA: Really bad.

OPERATOR: Really bad? Tell — what do you mean by really bad? Explain.

JESSICA: They can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: They can’t breathe? I know. I know it’s hard to breathe. Okay.

You’ve got a lot of fire engines below you. Can you hear any of the sirens?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You can’t hear them?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You can’t? Okay. Well, I promise you, there’s a lot of them below you. There’s 25 of them below you making their way up, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

OPERATOR: Okay? They’re being as quick as they can, but it’s a big fire, and it’s going to take them a while to fight their way through it. So, you need to do all those things I told you, keeping low, and make sure everyone else is doing it as well, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

OPERATOR: Okay. So, you said you’re 12. Have you got any brothers and sisters, or are you an only child?

JESSICA: I’ve got a sister.

OPERATOR: You’ve got a sister? And whereabouts is she?

JESSICA: She went out with her friend.

OPERATOR: She went out with a friend? So, she won’t be back until later?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, and what’s her name?

JESSICA: (REDACTED)

OPERATOR: (REDACTED) So, you’re Jessica, and she’s — your sister’s (REDACTED) yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Are you good friends with your sister?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Well, she’ll be worried, won’t she.

JESSICA: My mum’s outside.

OPERATOR: Your mum’s outside?

JESSICA: My mum’s outside.

OPERATOR: What do you mean by “outside”?

JESSICA: She told me she was coming here, and she’s outside the building

(Inaudible).

OPERATOR: Outside the — how do you know that? Has she sent you a message?

JESSICA: She called me.

OPERATOR: She called you? On a different phone?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Do you want to have a little word with her? I’ll wait on the line if you want to have a little word with her, yeah?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: Was that a no?

JESSICA: I spoke to her already.

OPERATOR: Sorry?

JESSICA: I spoke to her already.

OPERATOR: You spoke to her already? And what did she say?

JESSICA: She told me to just keep calm and (Inaudible).

OPERATOR: Yeah? Yeah, that’s good advice. Yeah? So, are you still doing all of the things that I said to you, yeah?

CALLER 2: 201, 201.

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: Are you still doing all of those things I’ve told you to, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah, but (Several inaudible words)

CALLER 2: (Several inaudible words)

OPERATOR: Is that the other person talking now? What’s he saying?

JESSICA: He — I don’t know (Inaudible).

OPERATOR: You don’t know? Has he got his mouth covered as well?

JESSICA: (Overspeaking)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: Hello. Are you able to tell me what’s going on in the room? Can you see anything?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You can’t see?

JESSICA: (Several inaudible words)

OPERATOR: Okay, and the person next to you who’s talking to you: are they able to see what’s going on?

JESSICA: Yeah, take it, take it, take it.

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: Hello. Are you still there? What did you say —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: — take what? Who were you talking to?

JESSICA: My — someone next to me.

OPERATOR: Someone next to you? And what were you offering them? Was it the phone?

JESSICA: No, they were going to (Inaudible) open the window.

OPERATOR: Okay. If there’s smoke coming in through the window, you need to close it. If it’s clear, you can open it, if it’s fresh air.

JESSICA: (Overspeaking)

OPERATOR: Okay, but there was smoke coming in through it, you said, is that right?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? So, if there’s smoke coming in from it, it’s best to have it closed, otherwise more smoke will come into the room, okay? So, is it closed at the moment?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Okay. Good. The person next to you: does he want to talk to me for a little while?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? He doesn’t want to? Oh, okay.

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: Okay. Right, how are you feeling at the moment? Breathingwise, how are you doing? Any better or worse?

JESSICA: No, I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: You can’t breathe? I know. I know it’s hard. Try and keep yourself calm, though, as calm as you can; deep, slow breaths.

CALLER 2: (Several inaudible words)

JESSICA: No, don’t leave!

OPERATOR: Was — is that someone saying they’re going to leave the room?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: Hello?

CALLER 2: (Several inaudible words)

JESSICA: (Several inaudible words)

OPERATOR: You need to tell me what’s going on.

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: You need to tell me what’s going on in the room.

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Sorry?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Is anyone else on the phone to me in the room, or is it just you?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: It’s just you?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay.

(15 seconds of silence)

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Okay. you’re — you said you’re on the 23rd floor, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: And earlier you were saying something about fire. Could you see the flames coming up through the window? Is that what you meant?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: So, they were coming up from quite far below you, or was it really close below you?

JESSICA: I can’t see (Several inaudible words).

OPERATOR: just from what you could see before, did the flames look like they were really close behind — below you or like —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: — they were far away? Like they were very close?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. All right.

(17 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Tell me how you’re doing. Keep talking to me.

JESSICA: I can’t.

OPERATOR: You can’t? I can hear your breathing’s getting a bit heavy. Take deep, slow breaths far away from the smoke, yeah? Try and keep yourself calm. Take deep, slow breaths. Can you still hear me, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Okay. Tell me if anything changes in the room, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

(29 seconds of silence)

CALLER 2: (Several inaudible words)

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Has anything changed in there?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? All still the same, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Everyone around you: are you able to tell me what they’re like at the moment?

JESSICA: They can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: They can’t breathe? I know. I know you can’t breathe. But you can’t see if there’s any smoke in the room with you?

JESSICA: There is, a lot.

OPERATOR: There — sorry, there is…?

JESSICA: There’s a lot of smoke.

OPERATOR: There’s a lot of smoke? And is it all above you? Are you all sitting below it, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Are y… are you all laying on the floor as low as you can, as low as you can get, on the floor —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: — yeah? Okay. It’s important you don’t breathe it in. So, keep as low as you can. Don’t stand up at any point, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

OPERATOR: There’s a lot of smoke, I know, and I know it’ll be hard to breathe, but keep away from it, and all the firefighters are coming up the stairs; they’re just coming slowly, because of all the fire. They’re working their way through it, okay, and they’re going to come round door to door and get everyone out, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

OPERATOR: And there’s 25 fire engines there. So, there’s a lot of firefighters, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

(1 minute 13 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Are there definitely 11 of you in there? I mean, you counted before — was it definitely 11, including the baby?

JESSICA: Yeah (Overspeaking)

OPERATOR: — including the baby?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? So, the — okay, and how old were the other people? Were they all adults, other than the baby?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Okay, and how many men and women? Did you see?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You didn’t see? Just adults, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. So, what, what were you doing? Were you in bed?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? So, what woke you up? Was it the smoke alarms?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: That was good, wasn’t it; good smoke alarms.

(13 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: How’s everyone doing? Is anyone couching?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: They are? Badly, or just a little bit?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: You can’t breathe? I know. Is anyone coughing a lot?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe!

OPERATOR: Keep yourself low. Keep low.

JESSICA: No, it’s not — don’t leave!

OPERATOR: What — who — who’s leaving?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Hello?

OPERATOR: Who’s leaving?

JESSICA: Don’t leave me.

OPERATOR: Who’s leaving?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Jessica?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Who’s leaving? Is someone leaving the room?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? What do you mean by, “Don’t leave!” then?

JESSICA: I was being wrong.

OPERATOR: Sorry?

JESSICA: I was wrong.

OPERATOR: You were wrong? Did you think someone was leaving but they weren’t?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Oh, okay. Good. Yeah, everyone needs to stay in the same room and stay where they are.

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: If you go outside, it might be filled with even more smoke. It might be more dangerous, okay? So, tell everyone they need to stay —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: — in there, yeah? Stay in there, keep low —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: — keep away from the door and the window —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: — okay? The bedroom hasn’t got a bathroom in there, has it?

JESSICA: They do.

OPERATOR: They do?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Is it joined to the room? You don’t have to go back outside, do you?

JESSICA: You have to go back outside.

OPERATOR: Okay. Don’t go out there, then. That’s fine. Just stay away from it, okay? Just stay in the room you’re in. Don’t open the door.

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Good. Good. You’re doing really well. You’re being really brave. I know it’s scary, okay?

(34 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Hello? Hello? Are you still there?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Okay. Listen, everyone’s still on the floor, windows and door closed, and the door —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: The door’s got bed linen around it, hasn’t it, to stop the smoke coming in —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: — yeah? Okay. So, listen, the firefighters are coming to you. They

won’t be long, okay?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Are you — do you want me to stay on the line to you, or are you okay if I take more calls? Cos there’s a lot more people in the building.

JESSICA: No, no …

OPERATOR: No? Was that —

JESSICA: (Overspeaking)

OPERATOR: Is that you want me to stay on the line or not?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: You do? You want me to stay?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. I’m gonna stay a bit longer, okay? So, you still can’t see what’s going on in the room?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Are you able to peek out a little bit and see, just with your eyes, not with your mouth?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Have you done that?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Have you had a little look?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Are you able to do that for me —

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: — just so you can see what it’s like in the room? Is it cos you’re scared, yeah; you don’t want to?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to, but if you can it’d really help me, to know what’s going on in the room.

JESSICA: I can’t.

OPERATOR: You can’t? Okay. That’s fine. That’s fine. So, you said people were coughing. What are they like now? Are they coughing a lot?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Is…?

(20 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: How are you at the moment? Keep talking to me. Keep telling me what’s going on.

JESSICA: I can’t.

OPERATOR: You can’t?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: I know it’s scary and hard, but you need to tell me what’s going on as well, yeah? I can only help you if I know what’s going on in the room.

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Are you able to tell me anything?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Do you want me to leave you alone in there —

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: — so you don’t have to talk?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You don’t want me to?

JESSICA: (No reply)

(15 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Did you see anyone else in the building when you were going up onto, erm, the 23rd floor? Is there anyone else on the same floor?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: Or did you not see anyone?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You didn’t see anyone? Okay.

(23 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: So, how are you doing?

JESSICA: Bad.

OPERATOR: How’s your breathing? Is it worse or the same as before?

JESSICA: Worse.

OPERATOR: Worse? A lot worse, or is it getting slowly worse?

JESSICA: A lot.

OPERATOR: A lot? Okay. They are fighting their way to you, okay? There’s a lot — we’re sending a lot more fire engines. We’re gonna have 40 fire engines there soon, okay? We’re sending more.

JESSICA: Okay.

OPERATOR: Okay? There’s a lot of them there. The other people in the room: will none of them talk to me still?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Have you asked them? Were you able to ask them?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Can you just shout out to them?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Why not? Why can’t you shout out to them?

JESSICA: (Overspeaking) (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Sorry?

JESSICA: I can’t.

OPERATOR: You can’t? But they’ll still be able to hear you, even though you’ve got your face in the pillow? I can still hear you.

JESSICA: They can hear.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Can you ask them?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Are you able to do that?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No?

JESSICA: There’s fire in here!

OPERATOR: Is there a fire in there?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: Where’s it coming through?

JESSICA: Oh my God!

OPERATOR: Listen, where’s it coming in through?

JESSICA: The window.

OPERATOR: The window? Is everyone away from the window?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? You need to get as far away from the window as you can.

JESSICA: There’s a fire in here!

OPERATOR: It’s inside?

JESSICA: Oh my God!

OPERATOR: It’s in through the window, did you say?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello? Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: You said there’s fire coming in. Are the flames coming in through the window?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Are they inside the room?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Are they in — are the flames inside the room?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello?

CALLER 2: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Tell me what’s going on.

CALLER 2: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello? Jessica?

JESSICA: Yeah?

OPERATOR: Can you tell me what’s going on?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: You can’t? Is there someone there that can tell me? I need to know what’s going on.

CALLER 2: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Jessica?

JESSICA: Yeah (Overspeaking)

OPERATOR: I need to know what’s going on.

JESSICA: I can’t breathe!

OPERATOR: Hello? Jessica, can you talk to me?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Jessica, can you talk to me?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe!

OPERATOR: You said there’s flames coming in. Are they coming into the room?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe.

OPERATOR: Jessica, are the flames coming into the room?

JESSICA: Yes! I can’t breathe!

OPERATOR: Keep low, and keep away from the window. You need to stay away from the window.

JESSICA: I can’t! I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe no more!

OPERATOR: Jessica, keep on the floor.

JESSICA: I can’t breathe no more!

OPERATOR: Are you still on the floor?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: Have you still got your face covered, yeah? You’ve got your mouth and nose covered with the pillow, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Is everyone else as well?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. Good. That’s — keep like that, yeah? Don’t breathe in the smoke. Keep away from the window.

(21 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: So, Jessica, tell me what’s going on. Can you describe it to me?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe (Overspeaking)

OPERATOR: I know you can’t breathe, but I can’t see in the room. You need to describe to me what’s going on, okay? Can you do that? Can you tell me what’s going on? I can only help you if I know what’s going on.

JESSICA: There’s a fire in the room.

OPERATOR: In the room? So, what…?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Is the window on fire, or is it inside the room?

JESSICA: Yes.

OPERATOR: The window’s on fire? Is it actually in flames?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay, and is everyone as far away from it as they can get?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? And everyone’s still covered their mouths and noses?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay. The firefighters are coming, okay? Everything you’re telling me, I’m letting them know so they know where you are, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: They’re coming as quickly as they can, but keep calm, yeah? Just keep as calm as you can, okay?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: And it’d really help me if you can tell me what’s going on in there. I know it’s hard and scary to look …

(22 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Is everyone okay in there for the moment, yeah?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Why are they not okay? You need to tell me.

JESSICA: What?

OPERATOR: You need to tell me why everyone’s not okay. Explain to me —

JESSICA: Because they can’t breathe no more.

OPERATOR: I know they can’t breathe, but what’s — you need to tell me what’s going on, what everyone’s like. What’s happening?

JESSICA: (No reply)

(20 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: So, Jessica, you told me you didn’t know what side of the building you were on, the front or the back. Does no one else know as well?

JESSICA: The back.

OPERATOR: the back of the building? Okay. I’m just gonna tell the crews, okay?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: So, by the back, do you mean away from the front door where you go in, yeah? The back of the building away from the front entrance?

JESSICA: No, the first bedroom.

OPERATOR: Sorry, the first…?

JESSICA: The first bedroom.

OPERATOR: I can’t hear what you’re saying.

JESSICA: The first bedroom.

OPERATOR: The first…?

JESSICA: Bedroom.

OPERATOR: The first bedroom?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: But is the flat to the back of the building? So, the — you go in through the front door; is the far side of the building, away from the door, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Okay.

(37 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: You’re doing really well, Jessica. You’re being really brave, yeah? You know that, don’t you?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Yeah? Your mum: she’s downstairs still. Has she tried to call you again?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: No? Okay. She’s down there with the firefighters, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

OPERATOR: There’s a lot of them down there. They’re all trying to get to you. There’s a lot of other people in the building as well, yeah?

(10 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Okay. I’m just gonna speak to the crews at the moment, just for a minute. I’ll be a second, okay?

JESSICA: Okay.

(23 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Jessica?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: So, you said there was flames coming to the room from the window, yeah?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: You need to talk to the people in the room with you. Do you think it would be safer — I can’t see what’s going on. Do you think it would be safer to leave through the door and get to a different room if there’s flames coming into that room?

JESSICA: Yeah. Okay.

OPERATOR: Okay? You need to talk to the other people. Are you able to do that?

JESSICA: We can’t (Inaudible).

OPERATOR: You need to talk to the other people in the room. I know you —

JESSICA: They’ve tried already.

OPERATOR: Tried already? So, they’ve tried to go outside?

JESSICA: Yeah. Yeah.

OPERATOR: And what was out there?

JESSICA: Lots of smoke.

OPERATOR: Lots of smoke?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: But would it be safer out there away from the flames?

JESSICA: No. No.

OPERATOR: The person that tried to go out — would he talk to me?

JESSICA: No, he can’t.

OPERATOR: Why can’t he?

JESSICA: Because he can’t talk.

OPERATOR: Why can’t he talk? Can you pass the phone to him?

JESSICA: No, I can’t. He’s far away from me.

OPERATOR: What about the person next to you? Who’s next to you?

JESSICA: He’s not next to me. No one is.

OPERATOR: Who is next to you, though?

JESSICA: No one.

OPERATOR: No one? Are you —

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: — away from the others?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: Are you able to get a bit closer to them and give someone the phone?

JESSICA: No, I can’t.

OPERATOR: Why can’t you?

JESSICA: It’s hard.

OPERATOR: I know it’s hard. Can you try?

JESSICA: No, I can’t.

OPERATOR: It’d be a big help if you could.

JESSICA: I can’t.

OPERATOR: Jessica, it’d be really helpful if you could, so I can talk to —

JESSICA: I can’t!

OPERATOR: — someone who tried to leave.

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Is there — can you throw the phone over there?

JESSICA: No, I can’t.

OPERATOR: No?

(17 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: So, tell me what’s going on. Keep me updated.

JESSICA: (Overspeaking) I can’t see!

OPERATOR: I know. I know it’s hard. Take deep, slow breaths. So, it definitely wouldn’t be safer for you to go out the other door?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe no more!

OPERATOR: I know. I know. Would it not be safer for you to go away from the flames?

JESSICA: No.

OPERATOR: Jessica?

JESSICA: Yeah.

OPERATOR: You need to talk to the other people in the room and ask them —

JESSICA: I can’t breathe (Inaudible)!

OPERATOR: Jessica, Jessica, listen —

JESSICA: (Overspeaking)

OPERATOR: — listen, can you talk to the other people and ask them if it’s safer to go to a different room? Are you able to ask them?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

(10 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Are you asking them?

JESSICA: I can’t breathe!

OPERATOR: Are you still on the floor, yeah? Have you still got your mouth covered?

JESSICA: (No reply)

(11 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: Jessica, what’s going on?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Can you tell me what’s going on?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Jessica? Hello?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Jessica? Can you still talk to me?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Can you still talk to me?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Jessica, can you still talk to me?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Can you still talk to me?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Jessica.

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Tell me what’s going on.

JESSICA: (No reply)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: Hello.

OPERATOR: What’s going on? Talk to me.

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Jessica, can you tell me what’s going on?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: No?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Jessica?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: What’s happening?

JESSICA: (No reply)

(11 seconds of silence)

OPERATOR: What’s happening, Jessica?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: I can’t hear you, Jessica. What’s happening?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: What’s happening, Jessica? Will you talk to me?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Jessica, what are the flames like in the — are there still flames in the room? Are you still in there with them?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Can you move away from them?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Jessica? Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello, Jessica?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello? Jessica, can you talk to me?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Hello?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Jessica, can you talk to me?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Jessica?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: I can’t hear you, Jessica. Are you still talking to me?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Okay, Jessica, if you can’t talk to me any more, I’m going to clear the line, okay? Because I can’t help you if you won’t talk to me.

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Are you not going to talk to me any more, Jessica?

JESSICA: (Inaudible)

OPERATOR: Okay. Jessica …

 

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