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Lakanal House fire: Inquest into tower block deaths begins Lakanal House fire: Victim's 'hour-long 999 call'
(about 1 hour later)
An inquest into the deaths of six people who died in a fire at a block of flats has begun. A woman who died in a fire at flats in south London fell unconscious while on a 999 call pleading for help for almost an hour, an inquest heard.
A three-week-old baby was among the victims when a faulty television started the fire on the ninth floor of Lakanal House in Camberwell in 2009. Catherine Hickman, 31, made the call from her 11th-floor home in Lakanal House, Camberwell, on 3 July 2009.
They were trapped on the 11th floor as the fire rapidly spread. She told the operator: "Oh my God, listen, I can see flames at the door".
An inquest is being held into her death and those of Helen Udoaka, 34, and her three-week-old daughter and Dayana Francisquini, 26, and her two children.
Jurors heard how faulty electrical equipment started the fire on the ninth floor of the 14 storey block, which housed 98 maisonettes.
It spread to other flats including number 79, where Ms Hickman lived, and flat 81, where Ms Udoaka and her baby daughter Michelle had gathered with Ms Francisquini, six-year-old Thais, and Filipe, three.
'Orange everywhere'
Counsel to the "super inquest" James Maxwell-Scott, went through a series of 999 calls made as the fire took hold.
He said: "It is clear that this call lasted nearly an hour and that the line was still open to fire brigade control when Ms Hickman lost consciousness."
She spoke to the operator a number of times, explaining that more and more smoke was getting in to her flat.
Mr Maxwell-Scott told the hearing at Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton that at 16:23 BST: "Catherine Hickman told the operator that black smoke was coming right up outside the window and that she could hear a noise.
"She said: 'What should I do, should I get out?' The operator told her to go into a room where there was less smoke."
Mr Maxwell-Scott said: "She asked whether she should go downstairs or out into the corridor and the operator said that she ought not to open the door because she did not know what was on the other side."
By 16:30, she told the operator: "It's orange, it's orange everywhere", that smoke was coming through the floorboards and she could not open any windows.
She was told to get down on the floor and hold something over her face. Minutes after that she said she could not breathe very well.
Jurors heard she told the operator she could see flames at the door before saying: "I'm getting really hot in here."
No charges
Some residents claimed the complicated layout had made evacuation difficult and some 11th floor residents were told to wait for rescuers to arrive.Some residents claimed the complicated layout had made evacuation difficult and some 11th floor residents were told to wait for rescuers to arrive.
The inquest has been delayed as it was awaiting a decision on whether Southwark Council would face criminal charges. The inquest was delayed as it was awaiting a decision on whether Southwark Council would face criminal charges.
'The truth'
Last year, the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no realistic prospect of a prosecution, despite the south London council knowing the building posed a risk but not acting and not carrying out a fire risk assessment.Last year, the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no realistic prospect of a prosecution, despite the south London council knowing the building posed a risk but not acting and not carrying out a fire risk assessment.
Dayana Francisquini, 26, and her children, six-year-old Thais, and Filipe, three, were among the six victims of the fire.
Helen Udoaka, 34, her three-week-old daughter Michelle and 31-year-old Catherine Hickman were also killed.
Lawyer Sophie Khan, who is representing the Francisquini family, said: "There has been a long delay in getting to this point and the relatives are hoping evidence will at last come to light that gets to the truth.Lawyer Sophie Khan, who is representing the Francisquini family, said: "There has been a long delay in getting to this point and the relatives are hoping evidence will at last come to light that gets to the truth.
"The relatives want to know why their loved ones died.""The relatives want to know why their loved ones died."
Nearly 100 families were made homeless by the fire. Almost 100 families were made homeless by the fire.
The inquest, expected to last until the end of March, will hear from relatives of those who were killed, as well as recordings of 999 calls made by those who died. The inquest, being heard by Assistant Deputy Coroner Frances Kirkham, is expected to last until the end of March and will hear evidence from relatives of victims as well as recordings of 999 calls made by those who died.
It is being held at Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton and is being heard by Assistant Deputy Coroner Frances Kirkham. The inquest continues.