Government 'must look at smoke effect on Grenfell firefighters'

The government "needs to seriously look" at the effects of toxic smoke inhalation on firefighters who served at the Grenfell Tower fire, a minister has said.

- Rajeev Syal

The comments from Andrew Gwynne, a health minister, came after the Guardian disclosed that more than a quarter of firefighters who battled against the fire in 2017 have long-term health disorders.

A report published yesterday in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, titled Grenfell Tower Fire: Toxic Effluents and Assessment of Firefighters' Health Impacts, examined the health over three years of 524 of the 628 firefighters who attended the first day of the blaze.

Over the first three years, 136 reported life-changing conditions. These included 11 cases of cancer, 64 respiratory diseases, 22 neurological disorders and 66 digestive illnesses.

Asked on LBC about the Fire Brigades Union's call for regular health checks for about 600 firefighters who served on or near Grenfell Tower in June 2017, Gwynne said he would speak to the fire minister in the Home Office, Diana Johnson.