Hello and welcome to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry podcast with me Kate Lamble.

This was the second week of evidence focusing on the smoke ventilation system.

And we learnt the designer didn't think any system installed at Grenfell Tower could comply with building regulation guidance.

And one component used was sold with misleading information about its performance.

Before we get into the evidence, I just want to take a second to remind ourselves why this

system was so important. Building regulation guidance in England and Wales stated that it was probable that as residents

escaped a fire, smoke would spread into the common spaces, the lobbies or corridors that others

would need to use to get out of the building. There should be a system to ventilate these areas,

it said. Buildings as a whole needed to offer an appropriate means of escape for residents

and facilities to assist firefighters. But we know that at Grenfell, many people opened their

front doors to find the lobby filling up with thick black smoke. This was not only scary to walk

into, but it was also full of toxic gases, which burned and stung

as people tried to escape down the staircase. In 2018, the inquiry heard a 9-99 call made by

Marcio Gomez, who lived on the 21st floor of Grenfell Tower, as he tried to get out at around

half-past three in the morning. Right, put them...

Wait, close or wait, put it against your mouth.

Put him over your mouth.

Keep down in.

Marcia Gomez told the inquiry he couldn't see anything in the smoke and it was hard to breathe.

Horrible. It was just as if it was filled with something but not air.

And it just felt like my lungs was just that tight.

It was just very difficult to breathe.

...