Baby dropped, caught from London blaze

A baby was caught by a member of the public after being dropped from London's Grenfell Tower as it was engulfed with flames, a witness says.

A baby was caught by a member of the public after being dropped from a west London tower block as it was engulfed with flames, a witness says.

Samira Lamrani said she saw a woman try to save a baby by dropping it from a window "on the ninth or 10th floor" from Grenfell Tower in North Kensington.

She told the Press Association: "People were starting to appear at the windows, frantically banging and screaming.

"The windows were slightly ajar, a woman was gesturing that she was about to throw her baby and if somebody could catch her baby.

"Somebody did, a gentleman ran forward and managed to grab the baby."

Lamrani added: "I could see people from all angles, banging and screaming for help.

"Us members of the public were reassuring them, telling them we've done what we can and that we've phoned 999, but obviously the look on their face was death.

"My daughter's friend said she observed an adult who made some sort of homemade parachute and tried to lower himself out of the window.

"The more I looked up, floor upon floor. Endless numbers of people.

"I could hear them screaming for their lives."

Another resident, called Zara, said she saw a woman throw her son, who was about five from a fifth or sixth floor window to escape the blaze.

She told LBC radio: "One woman actually threw her son out of the window. I think he's OK.

"I think he might have just had some broken bones and bruises.

"I left my phone at home so I went back to grab it and, by the time I got back, the road was completely blocked off, the fire had dramatically spread.

"It was like a scene from a Hollywood movie."


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world