'I thought it would be like Grenfell': Teenager's terror as blaze forces family to flee smoke-filled tower block
The video will start in 8 Cancel
Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
A teenager whose family was forced to flee a large block of flats following a fire said she feared 'it would be like Grenfell Tower'.
Goscote House - the largest high-rise of homes in Leicester - was evacuated on Saturday when smoke from a bin fire reached the upper levels to trigger alarms.
Hasni Mohamed, 49, his wife Rasheeda, 43, and their six children have lived on the 17th floor of the building for three years, the Leicester Mercury reports.
Their teenage daughter said: "The first thing that came into my head was London.
"I just remembered that and I was scared but then I had my little sisters so I had to look strong for them so I stayed like that."
(Image: leicestermercury WS)
Mr Mohamed said he too feared the incident would be reminiscent of when flames ripped through Grenfell Tower in Kensington, West London, in which 80 people have been identified as dead or presumed dead.
Mr Mohamed said: “We heard a smoke alarm. We’d all been asleep. Then we could smell a bad smell, like burning. It was getting worse and worse.
"Straight away we came outside. I could see smoke from the 15th floor. All the way up, smoke.
"After Grenfell, that sort of thing was going through our heads.
(Image: leicestermercury WS)
"We were all scared because of the fire in London. We worried it would be the same story."
Mrs Mohamed described how she fell down the stairs as she rushed to get out of the flat. She was carrying their youngest daughter when she tripped amid her panic.
She said: “We rushed and people were rushing and running on the stairs. I was carrying our little one. I fell and she banged the back of her head.
“There was a lot of smoke. Everyone was panicking. Still the kids aren’t settled.”
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Mrs Mohamed’s head and legs were also hurt in the fall and she is concerned that her daughter is still in pain.
Their eldest daughter, 16-year-old Hausne, also described scenes of people running to the exits.
She said: “When I woke up I could everyone running down the stairs and I started to panic as well.
“Everyone was waiting outside and panicking.”
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service is investigating the cause of the fire but it is being treated as “non-suspicious”.
Smoke spread through a rubbish chute to the 16th to 20th floors shortly after 12am on Saturday.
Teams used six breathing apparatus, two main jets and one hose reel jet as well as ventilation fans to clear the property of smoke.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: “A multi-agency response to this incident took place and aided in the temporary evacuation of premises.
“Responders thank the residents for their patience and co-operation as well as their good spirits during the incident.”
The Mohamed family said they felt lucky to get out and commended the emergency services for their work.
Mr Mohamed said “The fire service were very good. They helped so much.
“The ambulance people came and checked my daughter and it was all okay. We all managed to get out.”