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Exposures to Firefighters at Grenfell Tower
In the early morning of June 14, 2017, an emergency call summoned firefighters to Grenfell Tower, a 24-story high-rise in London, England. Initial responders quickly extinguished the fire in a fourth-floor apartment but did not realize that it had already spread to the building’s exterior cladding, which contained combustible materials. Within an hour, approximately 40 engines were responding to a blaze that ultimately engulfed the entire building and burned out of control until the afternoon of June 15. Seventy-two people lost their lives. Two studies published online in January by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine focus on exposures and health outcomes experienced by firefighters who responded to the Grenfell Tower fire. The studies compile data from the official inquiry of the incident, firefighters’ statements, and other sources. Information from the studies appears below.
From “Firefighters Exposed to Toxic Smoke at Grenfell Tower Fire Suffering Debilitating Health Effects, Research Finds”:
“We know that firefighters are exposed to toxic contaminants in fire throughout their careers, and that preventative measures are needed to protect their health. Although it is not possible to definitively trace any disease back to a single incident, it is alarming that a high proportion of the firefighters who were exposed to very high smoke levels that night are now falling ill.” - Anna Stec, Professor in Fire Chemistry and Toxicity at the University of Central Lancashire
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SOURCES
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: “Grenfell Tower Fire: Firefighters’ Activities and Their Exposure to Fire Smoke and Heat” (January 2025). Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: “Grenfell Tower Fire: Toxic Effluents and Assessment of Firefighters’ Health Impacts” (January 2025). University of Central Lancashire: “Firefighters Exposed to Toxic Smoke at Grenfell Tower Fire Suffering Debilitating Health Effects, Research Finds” (January 2025). RELATED The Synergist: “Could It Happen Here? Talking About Somebody Else’s Accident” (September 2017).