Witness Statement of: Mushtaq Lasharie
No. of statement: 1
Exhibits: 1
Date of statement: 5 June 2018
GRENFELL TOWER PUBLIC INQUIRY
WITNESS STATEMENT OF MUSHTAQ LASHARIE
1, MUSHTAQ LASHARIE, will say as follows:
1. I make this statement about the events that took place on 14 June 2017 for the
purposes of Phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. I wish to make a further
statement for Phase 2 of the Inquiry.
Background
2. I was born on I am currently retired.
3. I lived in In Testerton Walk, London W11 with my wife Abida Lasharie,
daughter Beinazir Lasharie and her two children, my son Ghulam Lasharie and his
wife Sonia Zafar. I have lived in Testerton Walk since 17 January 1983.
4. Our flat had three bedrooms. You could see the Tower from all five windows in the
flat. Our balcony faced the Tower. Our flat is 40 to 50 yards away from the Tower, so
it is very close.
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Community
5. The community was very peaceful and friendly. I never felt in fear being there and I
could come home after midnight without any worry. As neighbours we used to do
things like keep post for each other. My five children grew up here on the estate and 1
never had any difficulties with them going out. My wife used to cook meals for other
children who lived on the estate who were friends with my children. I was very
involved with the families who lived on the estate and I was elected as parent
governor at the local school.
6. Most of my neighbours were supporters of me as the Labour Party Councillor for 18
years (1992 — 2010). 1 knew most of my neighbours because of this. When we moved
to the estate in 1983 I became involved in the Lancaster West Estate Resident
Association and the Estate Management Board. I was Deputy Mayor in 2003/2004
and I was part of the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation
(KCTMO) from 1994 to the early 2000s. 1 was active in the community even before I
became a councillor; I used to knock on the doors of people in the Walkway and
Tower to campaign. In the early 2000s I did a documentary where I interviewed 10 to
15 people who came to the area in the 60s and 70s. One person who was involved
lived in Grenfell Tower.
14 June
7. I was at home at around 12:00 on 14 June. 1 was sitting in my kitchen watching
television on my laptop. I was watching what was happening with a government being
formed after the General Election.
8. Just before 01:00 I heard noises coming from outside so I looked out of the kitchen
window and I saw Grenfell Tower on fire. From the kitchen window the Tower was
on the left hand side. I can't be sure if that was the time. I could see the flames on the
outside of Grenfell Tower. There was a lot of lire. I could see people outside and they
were running around. The noise was so loud and I could also hear that the residents in
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the Walkways had woken up because people were running in between Testerton Walk
and Barandon Walk and gathering in between. There is a walkway that connects the
two buildings and residents were running through this part.
9. My daughter-in-law and daughter ran out of the flat and they went outside of Grenfell
Walk which is opposite the Tower. They knew people who lived in the Tower. I left
the flat and I went to stand where the two of them were standing, in front of the
Tower. I have marked where I was standing at the time on a map which I exhibit at
ML/1. My son was also standing with me. My daughter-in-law was crying and my
son took her into his arms to console her.
10. The fire brigade was there and the firefighters were pushing us away. The firefighters
and police officers there stopped us going any closer. They kept saying "stay back,
stay back!" Debris was falling down from the Tower. There was panic, crying and
hysteria. I was trying to control my daughter, daughter-in-law and son because they
wanted to go inside the Tower to help people get out. I feared for their safety and I
thought that they would get caught in the fire. My daughter and daughter-in-law were
shouting and crying. I was very distressed and upset trying to restrain them. The
firefighters stopped them from going inside. I also thought about running in myself to
help people. I wanted my family to go back into the flat where they would be safe.
1 1 My daughter was panicking. She was telling firefighters "so and so is on this floor". I
had to control her. I was trying to grab her and hug her. She was jumping up and
down. I was holding her and trying to get her to go inside the flat. I was saying "it is
okay, the professionals are here". She was crying hysterically and I feared she would
have a panic attack. I was feeling very disturbed and very upset. I wanted to cry but I
thought that I had to be strong and I wanted to stay to see that everyone was safe.
12. My wife was still inside the flat with the kids. She couldn't leave them alone. I know
from speaking with her that the children were shocked and frightened. My main
priority at the time was my daughter-in-law, my children and grandchildren.
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13. There were quite a few people from Grenfell Walk and the Walkways gathered in
front of the Tower. There were dozens of people. I think that some people from the
Walkway were too frightened to come out and they stayed in their flats. Everyone was
frightened for their own safety, including me; and everyone was in a state of limbo
not knowing what to do.
14. I could see after 01:30 to 02:00 that the fire was really bad. I remember thinking "will
anyone get out of this Tower alive?" The families of residents inside the Tower were
gathered outside. There was nothing to speak about. We said three to four words to
one another like "oh my God" and "what is happening?" I felt very disturbed by what
I could see and unhappy. I was just standing there watching. I could see and hear
people from the Tower shouting "help!" and I could see people in the windows
waving their hands to get attention. I saw these people's faces. They had opened their
windows and were waving clothes. I saw a young black man in his 30s tie a bed sheet
to a window and try to come down the Tower. I didn't see what happened to him after
that.
15. I saw a Tower resident I know called Mouna. She rushed into Testerton Walk around
02:00 with her family. She lived in the Tower with her husband and three children.
Her mother and brothers lived opposite us. Her children were very distraught. Mouna
is a very close friend to my daughter and my wife and her children play with my
grandchildren.
16. The Tower by this time was alight and it looked like a fire bomb. I was fearful of the
building collapsing. I was worried about our safety and what would happen to our flat
if' this happened.
1 7. Debris was falling down from the Tower but we had moved and we were now
standing outside the door to Testerton Walk, out of reach from the falling debris. I
saw this falling debris and it again made me think that the Tower might collapse.
People around me watching didn't think that the Tower would be able to sustain this
fire. That's what people were saying. I saw the firefighters rushing in and out of the
Tower, pulling pipes and hoses and trying to put water on the building. I saw the
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firefighters going inside the Tower and coming out with people. The fire brigade was
trying to extinguish the fire. The police was there and were trying to keep people
away from it.
1 8. Between 02:30 and 03:00 the fire brigade and police asked us all to leave where we
were. At this point I was standing at Testerton Walk door with my daughter, daughter-
in-law and son. My wife, my grandchildren and my daughter's partner were inside the
flat. The fire was so huge that the whole Tower was now in flames. They wanted us to
leave the area. I walked away from where I was standing with my family at around
03:00. I was later thiven in a car to my son's house who lives in Chelsea. When we
got to his house we put the television on so we could watch what was happening.
19. I didn't have anywhere to sleep in my son's house so I slept on the floor in the sitting
room.
Aftermath
20. We stayed at my son's house for a couple of days. We didn't have a choice but to go
back to our flat in Testerton Walk.
21. I remember going back to the flat for the first time and seeing that our balcony was
full of debris from the Tower. No one was sure about the pollution levels with all of
the smoke in the air and this was a worry. There was no gas or hot water in the flat- I
spent the first six weeks without hot water. It was not what you would call a liveable
flat. The electricity was however working.
22. My family felt very distraught and upset when they returned to the flat. My family
and I had a feeling that the Tower could fall down and onto the Walkways. We were
fearful we might get hurt. I was worried about my daughter a lot and her mental
health. My family then moved out of the flat and into temporary accommodation. I
however stayed in the flat.
23. For the first week after the fire I was giving interviews and was generally out on the
streets talking to people in the community and spending time with them. Most people
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for the first days were sitting outside; some were at St Clements Church. I was
visiting churches and going around speaking to people. No one knew what was going
on. People were asking questions like "who died?", "how many died?", "who is still
missing?" There was no support for residents.
Impact
24. I knew an couple who lived in Flat 143 of Grenfell Tower. The husband is Sabah
Abdullah and he was married to Khadija Khalloufi. She died in the fire. Their
daughter lived in I knew them very well. I have known them
since the early 90s. Sabah and another professor wanted to start courses for Middle
Eastern people and I supported him in this. We became friends after that. We
campaigned together to lift the UK sanctions against Iraq. I used to visit their flat and
have coffee with them. Sabah used to campaign with me and help translate for people.
He is a very close friend and I saw him a couple of times a week. I am devastated
about Khadija's death. I knew her well. She used to call me councillor. She would
make coffee and tea and we would talk about life. She was beautiful, friendly and
kind. She would go out of her way to say hello.
25. 1 knew Joseph Daniels and his son Sam Daniels who lived on the 21st floor. Joseph
was the former husband of Lucy Daniels. Joseph died and Sam
escaped. Lucy was part of the Lancaster West Estate Resident Association. We were
involved in this in the 80s. As an activist I used to support them. I am devastated
about his death. We used to drink in the local pub together. It's devastating to have
lost him.
26. 1 knew Abdel Salam from Flat 81 on the 11th floor who died. He was an old man. His
family live in Ladbroke Grove. He was also a member of the Labour Party. He used to
come to me as I was a Muslim as he found it easier to communicate with me.
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27. I knew Nura Jemai and her whole family who died that night. Personally I was not
very close to them but Nura and my wife were close friends. When we were passing
we would say hello. Her children were the same age as my grandchildren. They used
to play together. The impact of their deaths on my family was huge. I saw her children
as my own grandchildren. My grandchildren have been asking about them.
28. I knew a IIindu family- husband wife and son. All three of them escaped and I saw
them the day after the fire at the local centre. His wife is close to my wife. Their child
is younger than my children but they were quite close.
29. My family has been devastated about what happened on 14 June. Because of what
happened, we are now all living in difference places. I have been strong enough to
stay back in the flat. I am now living alone and I feel lonely and isolated. Since the
fire I do feel like the community has become closer.
30. I have been attending the Public Inquiry hearings and I have been reminded about the
other people who died on the night and this is affecting me. It was very sad hearing
about the deaths of Victoria King and Khadija Saye. There was another lady I knew
who lived alone and had no children. She was very friendly. I think of these people
who lost their lives and it makes me cry.
Statement of truth
I believe that the facts stated in this statement are true.
I am willing for this statement to form part of the evidence before the Inquiry and for it to be
published on the Inquiry's website.
Signed:
Dated:
Mushtaq Lasharie
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