Emotional panel member tells of her shock as she flew over burning tower

An architect and panel member for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry became emotional as she addressed bereaved relatives and survivors of the fire and told of her “profound shock” when she flew over the burning block seven years ago.

Thouria Istephan, who is a registered health and safety practitioner with decades of experience as a practising architect, had to pause as her voice broke while she spoke on Wednesday.

Bereaved families and survivors of the June 2017 fire gathered in west London to hear inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick give his official findings and recommendations from his long-awaited final report into the disaster.

It found “decades of failure” by government and the construction industry to properly consider and act on the dangers of flammable materials on high-rise buildings, and concluded that the tower was covered in combustible products because of the “systematic dishonesty” of firms who made and sold the cladding and insulation.

Ms Istephan said the report’s recommendations “place new burdens and responsibilities on people and organisations”.

She added: “I make no apologies for that. Put simply, if you work in the construction industry and you do not feel the weight of responsibility you have for keeping people safe, you are in the wrong job.”

She recalled seeing the burning building from the air as she flew back from a holiday that summer, and the shock she felt.

She said: “Returning home from a holiday in June 2017, I flew over west London and saw the burning tower in the early hours from the air.

“As for so many others, this was a profound shock, first of course as a human response, but also as a professional who has spent their career working to make buildings safe.”

Becoming emotional at one point, she paused to compose herself while revealing that the inquiry work had “left a mark” on her.

She said: “The losses so many people have suffered, and my involvement in this process has left a mark on me as a person and as a professional which will last far beyond this inquiry.

“And although this inquiry is now ending, we know that for many people their journey continues. We wish them strength for the future.”

People bowed their heads and comforted each other as each of the 72 names of those who died were read aloud in remembrance at the end of the address.

The inquiry was led by Sir Martin, with Ms Istephan and Ali Akbor, a housing association chief executive, completing the panel.

Mr Akbor told those gathered: “What is needed is for those with responsibility for building safety – in my sector, as in Thouria’s – to read the report, to reflect on it, and to treat Grenfell as a touchstone in all that they do in the future.

“That is to act with professionalism, with competence, and to put people first.”