London fire: Muslims up early for Ramadan may have saved Grenfell Tower residents' lives

Witnesses said that many of the people helping were Muslim

Andrew Griffin,Samuel Osborne
Wednesday 14 June 2017 09:49 BST
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Local to Grenfell Tower says without Ramadan, more people would have died

Muslims awake for Ramadan might have helped save lives after noticing the horrific blaze at Grenfell Tower.

Residents have told of how they didn't hear alarms as the fire swept through the 24-storey tower block in West London. But they were instead alerted to the blaze by fellow residents, some of whom may have been Muslim people who were awake early in the morning because of Ramadan and were among the first to notice the fire.

The fire broke out not long after midnight and when many people living inside the tower block were asleep.

Grenfell Tower fire: How the community responded

Muslims were among the first people on the scene as people were evacuated from Grenville Tower.

Andre Barroso, 33, told The Independent: "Muslims played a big part in getting a lot of people out.

"Most of the people I could see were Muslim. They have also been providing food and clothes."

He said lots of people were still searching for friends and relatives who lived inside the tower.

Many people have donated water, food and clothing to the nearby St Clement church, where locals have taken refuge. Others are distributing water bottles to those waiting outside.

"Everybody was hands on. It was wonderful to see everyone come together."

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