Doctor who treated Grenfell Tower fire victims reveals hidden home danger that could prove fatal in a blaze
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A doctor who treated victims of the Grenfell Tower blaze has revealed a hidden home danger that could prove fatal in a fire.
Dr Malcolm Tunnicliff, clinical director for emergency and acute care at King’s College Hospital, in south London, dealt with 12 casualties from the deadly inferno.
He said the injured were a mixture of children and adults, both men and women, ranging in age from four or five to middle age.
And before any of victims had even arrived, Dr Tunnicliff revealed staff were ready and waiting with cyanide poisoning kits.
According to experts, the foam found in old sofas and other upholsteries emits extremely dangerous toxins when burned.
(Photo: AFP)
(Photo: AFP)
(Photo: Channel 4)
"We knew in advance that it was a fire in an enclosed space so we also knew there was a real risk of cyanide poisoning from foam in older furniture burning," Dr Tunnicliff told the Guardian.
"So we had lots of cyano kits – which contain the antidote to cyanide poisoning – ready and waiting to give people."
For decades, polyurethane foam has been used as as padding in sofas, couches, chairs, pillows, and mattresses, as well as for padding under carpets.
And older furniture - where the foam has not been treated with flame retardant chemicals - is referred to as "solid gasoline" by fire experts.
(Photo: PA)
(Photo: The People)
When untreated foam is ignited, it burns extremely fast, reaching temperatures over 760 degrees celsius within minutes.
But what makes it even more deadly is the toxic gas produced when it burns.
Untreated foam emits hydrogen cyanide gas, which causes reduced oxygen, and when combined with carbon monoxide, is deadly.
Just one breath of superheated toxic gas can completely incapacitate a person.
(Photo: AFP)
Around 60 people were rushed to six hospitals across London this morning and scores of people are still missing.
As debris continued to tumble from the building, one witness described seeing a "child on fire" jump from the 22nd floor as the blaze took hold.
Another, who lost friends in the inferno, broke down in tears during a TV interview and said: "We saw a lot. We saw a lot."
(Photo: PA)
(Photo: SWNS.com)
The last fire in London to claim more fatalities than Grenfell Tower was the Kings Cross London Underground blaze in 1987.
The cause of this morning's inferno is also still not known - as fire chiefs claimed the blaze was "unprecedented" in modern times, not least in terms of the speed it spread.
Workers in white overalls and suited men from funeral companies were spotted removing bodies from the scene in west London this afternoon.
Fire chiefs revealed they have made it to the top of the building - and have searched most of the flats but are now using drones because the tower's "structural integrity" is a concern.
They say they do not expect to find any more survivors at this stage.
(Photo: John Nguyen/JNVisuals)
(Photo: Rex Features)
Built in 1974, Grenfell Tower was recently refurbished at a cost of £8.6 million, with work completed in May last year.
Rydon, the firm that carried it out, said its work "met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards".
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "There will be a great many questions over the coming days as to the cause of this tragedy and I want to reassure Londoners that we will get all the answers."
Nick Paget-Brown, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Borough, said: "Clearly, looking further ahead there needs to be a full investigation into the cause of this fire, why it started and why it appears to have spread so rapidly."
The Metropolitan Police have set up a casualty bureau for anyone concerned about their friends and family on 0800 0961 233.