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| FLATS FIRE TRAGEDY |
Smoke alarm debate revived after
disabled woman dies
How the New Journal covered the death of Irene Linane in April
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GRIEVING relatives have paid touching tributes to a disabled
woman who died after a killer blaze swept through her home on Saturday
morning.
Multiple Sclerosis sufferer Clare Hope, 62, who had been restricted
to a wheelchair for the last six years, was caught in a ferocious
fire at her fourth-floor flat in Tonbridge House in Tonbridge Street,
King’s Cross.
The tragedy has revived concern over fire safety in council-owned
blocks – many of which do not have smoke detectors.
During a frantic early-hours rescue attempt, carer Kim Bui and a
team of more than 20 fire fighters helped Ms Hope out of the burning
building.
But after suffering from burns and smoke inhalation, the librarian
died at the Westminster and Chelsea Hospital the following day.
Ms Bui, who regularly took Ms Hope to the theatre and had been staying
at the flat overnight ahead of a planned trip to see a play in Stratford-Upon-Avon
on Saturday night, has been treated in intensive care but is expected
to be released from hospital this weekend.
Elizabeth Rowe, Ms Hope’s sister, said from her home in Hay-on-Wye
in Herefordshire: “Clare was so brave and wonderful, rather
ferocious in a way but very beautiful. If she wanted to do something,
she just did it. She lived for the theatre. People loved her.”
Rebecca Tippets, Ms Hope’s niece, added: “She was so weak
but she kept going when other people would have long given up. Clare’s
last thought was: is Kim alright? I don’t know how Kim managed
to pull Clare out of the flat – she is a very brave girl.”
Harvey Bass, chairman of the estate’s residents association,
said: “It is so sad, she was known by lots of people. She will
be very much missed.”
Although Ms Hope was a leaseholder at the council-owned block, the
tragedy has led to fresh concern over fire safety in properties
managed by the Town Hall.
Earlier this year, Irene Linane, 72, died in a fire at a tower block
in Holborn in April – triggering a New Journal call for installation
of smoke detectors on estates. But the council has yet to commit
to a full set of early warning systems.
Bobby Akhtar, 24, one of Ms Hope’s neighbours, said: “We
don’t have smoke alarms. Nobody really promotes it. Nobody
really wants to take responsibility.”
A Town Hall press official said: “We encourage all our residents
that do not have smoke detectors as standard to take advantage of
the council’s joint scheme with the fire brigade to provide
free smoke alarms.” |
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