A tragedy behind the tragedy involving several men, some even under the age of 40, which can only represent the tip of the iceberg. In fact, firefighters and survivors are so concerned about the health consequences they could face that many have requested health screenings. “We expect some shocking numbers to come out soon,” a fire department source told Der Spiegel, who said there could be at least 20 cases of terminal cancer among firefighters.
In the June 2017 fire, firefighters were left breathless in the tower and many of them kept their contaminated suits on for more than 10 hours. Others stayed in the smoky basement of the building for six hours. A 2019 University of Central Lancashire study found soil pollution from the fire disaster could lead to an increased risk of cancer and respiratory problems for those living in the area.
“We now know that firefighters are exposed to harmful and life-threatening pollutants as a result of their job. There is a lack of regular health surveillance and adequate exposure monitoring in the UK,” he said Richard the TowerUnion officer of the National Firefighters.
In addition to cancer, other illnesses such as kidney failure, heart disease and stroke have also been reported among firefighters since the disaster, which are speculated to be a result of the extreme physical exertion experienced during the tragedy. “Grenfell was our 9/11,” said one of the firefighters who was diagnosed with cancer.
The fire in Grenfell Tower – The Grenfell Tower was located in London in the North Kensington district: a 24-storey skyscraper, more than 67 meters high, it contained 120 apartments. It was destroyed by a fire that broke out at 1am. More than 250 firefighters worked for two days to extinguish the flames. Among the victims of the fire are the young Venetian architects Gloria Trevisan and Marco Gottardi.