A novice firefighter still on probation helped to save at least three lives during the Grenfell Tower disaster, according to a new London Fire Brigade report.
Harry Bettinson, then 25, was photographed looking exhausted and distraught the morning after the tragedy in West London that claimed 72 lives last June.
Bettinson, one of many firefighters who the report shows repeatedly risked their own lives during the desperate struggle to rescue those trapped inside, had been called to the blaze from Paddington fire station.
Harry Bettinson (pictured running to raise cash for Grenfell survivors in April), then 25, helped save at least three lives during the tragedy in West London that claimed 72 lives last June
The devastating blaze in West London claimed the lives of 72 people last June. Pictured: The fire still raging after dawn
The report also mentions the actions of Danny Brown and Charlie Batterbee from North Kensington fire station, who visited the flat where the fire started
As dawn breaks, flames continue to leap from every window as over 200 firefighters from across London fought to tackle the fire
Smoke rises from the building after a huge fire engulfed the 24-storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London
The report, quoted in The Sunday Times, shows firefighters also acted contrary to the official advice of telling residents to ‘stay put’ and await rescue.
Bettinson – from Chessington in London – is first recorded on a camera inside the tower at 1.46am as he safely escorts Abraham Abebe down from the seventh floor.
The report explains: ‘It is believed to be firefighter Bettinson as there are a set of diamonds on the helmet, indicating a probationary firefighter.’
It adds that Bettinson is ‘the only probationer wearing [breathing apparatus] at this time in the building’.
He later worked with a team of firefighters who rescued Sharon Laci and her daughter Chloe from the ninth floor.
That was at 1.58am – but the report only covers from the first 999 call at 12.54am to 2am, so any other rescues performed by Bettinson were not documented.
It is thought his team saved as many as 12 lives as the fire continued into the night.
The report also mentions the actions of Danny Brown and Charlie Batterbee from North Kensington fire station.
They were the first to go inside the flat on the fourth floor where the blaze began.
By the time they reached the flat, however, the fire had already spread to the tower’s cladding.
But the report explains that at 1.27am, Brown – despite running out of oxygen – hung out the window while Batterbee held onto him and attempted put out the fire outside.
Yesterday it was reported that an ‘expert witness’ to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has been dropped after the architects’ watchdog said he was not registered
Yesterday it was reported that an ‘expert witness’ to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has been dropped after the architects’ watchdog said he was not registered.
John Priestley had been instructed to give architectural evidence on the building’s refurbishment, including the choice of materials and design, its compliance with building regulations and quality of workmanship.
He had told the inquiry he was a registered and chartered architect and was named among a series of expert witnesses due to provide technical advice and reports.
The Architects Registration Board (ARB) said it was ‘taking appropriate action’ in response to ‘concerns raised with us regarding potential misuse of the title ‘architect’.’
The inquiry said in a statement: ‘All expert witnesses instructed by the inquiry are expected to comply with any relevant provisions and professional codes of conduct. Before he was instructed, John Priestley confirmed he was a UK registered and chartered architect.
‘Following the receipt of information that Mr Priestley is not currently registered with the Architects Registration Board, the inquiry has withdrawn his instruction as an expert witness.’
An ARB spokesman told The Times: ‘Based on the information available at this time, we have reason to believe the individual in question is Andrew John Priestley who first came on to the architects’ register in 1987, but has not been registered since 2010. We will be taking appropriate action in response to this matter.’