Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Two women feared dead in Grenfell Tower were 'threatened with legal action' after questioning fire safety

‘They bullied them and persecuted those like Nadia and Mariem who were brave enough to speak out, branding them troublemakers’

Samuel Osborne
Monday 19 June 2017 13:40 BST
Comments
Mariem Elgwahry (pictured), 27, and Nadia Choucair, 33, reportedly received letters ordering them to stop their campaign
Mariem Elgwahry (pictured), 27, and Nadia Choucair, 33, reportedly received letters ordering them to stop their campaign

Two women feared dead in the Grenfell Tower tragedy were allegedly threatened with legal action after they campaigned for improved fire safety.

Mariem Elgwahry, 27, and Nadia Choucair, 33, reportedly received letters ordering them to stop their campaign for improved safety.

Both women were fighting the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation for building improvements, with help from the Radical Housing Network, The Mirror reports.

Pilgrim Tucker, who works for the group, told the paper: “The TMO’s response was to threaten tenants with legal action and send out letters. Nadia and Mariem would have received them too.

Video Player Placeholder

“They both just wanted to do their best for their neighbours and keep everyone safe. Things had got so bad they knew a disaster like this was inevitable, but if there was a chance of stopping it they were up for the fight. But no one listened and now this community is ­devastated. We have to get justice for them. The TMO treated tenants disgracefully and with disdain.

“They bullied them and persecuted those like Nadia and Mariem who were brave enough to speak out, branding them troublemakers.

“Their job was to listen to the tenants and make sure homes were safe and they didn’t do that. If they had then this would never have happened.”

He said Ms Elgwahry and Ms Choucair organised a petition and a protest outside the TMO’s management offices.

Video Player Placeholder

KCTMO has said it is fully cooperating with investigations and could not comment on the alleged legal threats.

The Independent has contacted KCTMO for comment.

Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan Police warned the death toll could rise further, with 58 people missing, presumed dead.

This would make the Grenfell Tower blaze the deadliest in the capital since the Second World War.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in