Green Party response to news of cyanide poisoning at Grenfell
22 June 2017
Responding to the news that residents of Grenfell may have been poisoned by hydrogen cyanide during the fire last Wednesday [1], Jennifer Nadel, the Green Party’s candidate for Kensington in the recent general election, said:
“If this is shown to be true it’s yet another example of how the people at Grenfell were treated like second class citizens. What upsets and infuriates me in equal measure about this is that immediately after the fire our party contacted the council to ask what they had done to monitor air pollution in and around the tower after the blaze had taken hold. We were assured that there was little or no risk from dangerous air pollution.
“We need the council and the government to start being straight with us. We need them to swiftly carry out a full inspection to establish what damage survivors and those living close to the tower may have suffered from toxic air from the fire and then issue advice on the health care people should be seeking if it is deemed necessary. And we need them to ensure that monitoring of air pollution around the tower is now taking place and action will be taking if that monitoring gives us cause for alarm.”
Ends
Notes:
2. Green Party spokespeople are available for comment.
3. The latest estimate suggests 79 people have died in the fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower on 14 June. The Green Party’s Sian Berry, Caroline Russell, Amelia Womack, and Jennifer Nadel have all visited the tower and helped residents with their concerns and queries.