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

This is the inquiry's last week of evidence.

Next week, it will take on a very different role, that of an inquest,

spending three weeks listening to details from forensic pathologists and archaeologists

about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire.

Due to that change in role and the nature of that evidence, this podcast will not be covering those

hearings. But you can hear the commemorations which opened this inquiry

in episode 6 to 12,

and all the evidence about what happened on the night of the fire

can be found in episodes 13 to 113 of this podcast.

We plan to return when the inquiry produces its final report for government.

This programme, however, will be made up of two halves.

Later, we'll bring you the closing statements in relation to the aftermath of the fire.

Before that, we're going to start with the inquiry's final expert witness.

Professor David Perser has more than 40 years years experience studying the effects of toxic smoke,

and smoke is a key issue at Grenfell.

During the first phase of the inquiry, almost every witness described how their journey out of the building

was marked by thick black smoke.

You may find some of the evidence you're about to hear distressing.

As I opened my door, a gush of thick, swirling, acrid smoke came rushing into my flat.

I've smelled smoke before in barbecues and it never makes me gag.

...