Smoke's coming in.. it's hard to breathe
Fire horror dad tells of wife's despairing last call
THE heartbroken dad whose whole family was wiped out in the Camberwell tower block inferno yesterday wept: "My entire world is finished. I lived for my family now I'm left with nothing."
Devastated Rafael Cervi had watched helplessly from the ground as the blaze took the lives of his wife Dayana, daughter Thais, six, and son Felipe, three.
Three other people also perished in the blaze, which police believe was started deliberately.
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Rafael, 31, told of a series of increasingly frantic phone calls between him and his wife as he raced home on Friday after being told of the fire at 12-storey Lakanal House at around 4.30pm.
Rafael, a kitchen porter said: "I called her straight away and she was fine.
"There were no flames in our flat and she wasn't scared."
But the concerned dad got into a taxi and headed home to south east London.
He went on: "The next time she said there was smoke coming under the door so I told her to go to the bathroom with the children because there is an extractor fan in there. I told her to stay calm. She told me the power had been cut off but I didn't think to tell them to get out.
"When you are under pressure you don't think straight. I told her to put damp towels underneath the doors to stop the smoke coming in.
"I could see the fire was spreading quickly into my little girl's room. I told my wife to take the curtains down from the window, so it wouldn't spread.
Kissed
"I spoke to her for the last time at 5.26pm. She said, 'The smoke is coming in and Felipe is finding it hard to breathe. He's scared.' I tried to call her again, but she didn't answer."
After his last calls went unanswered, Rafael told firefighters his wife and children were trapped inside Flat 81 on the block's 11th floor.
His despair as he realised his family were in dire peril was captured on camera by music video maker Anthony Reece, 25. In the footage, Rafael can be seen being comforted by police officers.
Yesterday, overcome by grief, he asked why the fire service had taken two and a half hours to reach his family.
He said: "They said they had to go flat by flat but some of them were empty. There were 100 firemen there. Why didn't one of them go to save my family? Why didn't they send someone to every flat where they knew someone was in?"
"I was pointing to them saying, 'My kids are up there. My family is up there."
He added: "The fire officers had masks and oxygen. There were no flames in my flat, why didn't they go in?"
Rafael was told his son had been taken to central London's St Thomas' Hospital.
"When I got there a nurse told me it was too late. My son had died. I had to go into the mortuary and identify his body. I leaned over and kissed my son goodbye."
Meanwhile his father-in-law Fernando Francisquini went to King's College hospital to identify the body of Dayana.
Last night Rafael had still not had Thais' death confirmed and was desperately clinging to the faint hope that she might still be alive.
He said: "I've already lost my wife and son, surely I don't deserve to lose my daughter as well, my first-born.
"I can't understand why they can't tell me where my daughter is. I'm a good person. I don't ask for much but if she is dead I just want to know where she is.
"I hope she is not lying dead in that flat. She was my princess that is what I called her, my princess." His grief etched on his face, Rafael shook as he screamed: "The only thing I want is for someone to bring back my daughter."
He spent Friday night in a hostel and yesterday morning returned to the scene of the fire desperate for information on his daughter, whose body was thought to be one of three still in the building. Clutching a family photo, he told how everywhere he turned was a reminder of them. Rafael, who came to Britain from Brazil eight years ago, said: "I walked past Greggs the baker this morning.
"My son loved the sugar on top of their doughnuts. The man at the corner shop used to give my children lollies.
"Now everything's gone. I have nothing to live for. They were angels to me. I have lost my babies and my beautiful wife."
Police yesterday formally named Dayana, 26, and Felipe among the victims. The others were fashion designer Catherine Hickman, 31, and Helen Udoaka, 34, and her three-week-old baby Michelle.
Chief Superintendent Wayne Chance, who is heading the police investigation into the blaze, said: "The one further victim of this tragic incident is still to be identified.
"This is proving more difficult as the bodies of the last three casualties still remain in the housing block." He said the cause of the fire had not yet been established but confirmed that arson was suspected.
More than 30 people were trapped for several hours as the fire, which started on the ninth floor, leapt from flat to flat.
All those who died were on the 11th floor. One of the 80 firefighters who fought the blaze was still in hospital last night though his condition was not thought to be serious.
Last night it emerged that victim Helen Udoaka was on the phone to her husband as she became passed out from the smoke. He was rushing back from work to try and save her.
Mbet Udoaka's cousin Mary said: "Helen was panicking and crying, but they were on the phone to each other constantly until she was too weak to cry. He was beside himself. He so wanted to run to their rescue but was stopped."
The boyfriend of victim Catherine last night revealed he was about to propose to her. Mark Bailey was in New York when he learned of the blaze.
Hair stylist Mark said: "I decided during the trip that I was going to propose to Cat when I returned. When I got a call to say there was a fire at the flat I caught the first flight back, but it was too late.
"She was truly a saintly person, the most generous, beautiful girl I ever met. Neighbours gave harrowing accounts of the rescue services' battle to save the lives of the people they pulled out of the blazing block.
One said: "At 7pm a baby was carried out on a stretcher. It looked dead - no crying or screaming - and they were pumping its chest."
Another witness said: "A woman in her 30s came out on a stretcher and they were doing CPR.
"When they stopped pumping her chest it looked like she was dead. Her husband was screaming."
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This article has 33 comments
I am so sad for the families who lost their loved ones. .....May they rest in peace!
By Irma Roache. Posted July 6 2009 at 9:49 PM.
I send all my love to the family of this terrible incident RIP EVERYONE xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx words cant say enough to understand how your feeling xxxxxxxxxx
By Danielle. Posted July 6 2009 at 6:57 PM.
i'm so sorry for your loss, it's always the good ones! Life isn't fair, but you have to keep strong, they will be looking down on you giving you strength to go on! There with you every minute of everyday, in SPIRIT x R.I.P to all who tragically died :'( x
By Faith. Posted July 6 2009 at 6:44 PM.
God bless you all.The Nuhu family may you find the strength to get your life back together and stay strong for your children. Thinking of everyone involved in the tragic time. BNA Chelsea and GROSVENOR Camberwell
By amy moran. Posted July 6 2009 at 2:30 PM.
Heartfelt deepest sympathy for mr cerci on such a devestatingly tragic loss of such precious life.
By Peter green. Posted July 6 2009 at 11:24 AM.
R.I.P to all the victims of this horrific incident. My thoughts are with you rafael and the rest of the victims families.. Stay Strong your family would want you to, and they will always be smiling down at you. XX
By Suzanne & Daniel - Birmingham. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:38 PM.
my heart goes to all the families that have been destroyed by this tragic event.Such loving families going through so much heartache and the pain the people lost battling to save their own lives.may you all rest in peace.Just hope the people who are responsible
for this get the justice they derserve
By shane kelwick. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:35 PM.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragic incident. Condolences to the families who have lost loved ones. The US is praying for you all.
By Major. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:21 PM.
Tradegy, may you take one day at a time, they are not gone, just to a better place xx keep going xx
By debbie sandison. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:22 PM.
i cant believe something like this has happend,the fact it was soo quick is shocking and what is worse all those who didnt make it out especially the 2 kids and baby,u all fell asleep in mayhem but woke up in paradise and for the adults may you spend eternity with your babies and never know sadness again.and for your families know that ur loved ones will never feel any sort of pain or sadnees ever again.
By emma amendola. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:16 PM.
i cant believe something like this has happend,the fact it was soo quick is shocking and what is worse all those who didnt make it out especially the 2 kids and baby,u all fell asleep in mayhem but woke up in paradise and for the adults may you spend eternity with your babies and never know sadness again.and for your families know that ur loved ones will never feel any sort of pain or sadnees ever again.
By emma amendola. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:11 PM.
can't believe what's happened here my heart is with those who have lost there lives god bless them all R.I.P
By john craighan. Posted July 5 2009 at 7:18 PM.
sorry sorry sorry for your loss please keep strong as your lost ones would want. rip. god bless
By daniel stone. Posted July 5 2009 at 5:28 PM.
this is so sad i am so sorry to you all.may god look after you all bless you all ..R.I.P xxxx
By geraldine. Posted July 5 2009 at 5:16 PM.
My heart goes out to all the families who lost their loved ones in such a tragic way......R.I.P XX
By lisa costa. Posted July 5 2009 at 4:20 PM.
RIP all the victims of this terrible fire and i hope that if it is arson the people responsible are haunted for the rest of their lives!! Am sure the fire sevices did their best but how can something like this happen?
By Karen savage. Posted July 5 2009 at 4:09 PM.
How truly terrible for those who perished and for their families. What were they doing chatting on the phone when they should have got out of the building when they first knew about the fire?? Someone surely would have raised the alarm??
By Shannon. Posted July 5 2009 at 4:01 PM.
what a terrible death for them, my heart goes out to there loved ones at this dreadfull time, rip and god bless them and there families its so very tragic
By glynis. Posted July 5 2009 at 3:19 PM.
And all we hear about health and safety!! Where was it in Camberwell. My condolences to Raffael and his family but that is a bit too late. God bless you.
By Maura. Posted July 5 2009 at 3:15 PM.
So sad & so sorry to all familys involved xx R.I.P xx
By Andrea. Posted July 5 2009 at 3:16 PM.
rest in peace, such a horrific way to pass.. may their souls eternally light up the sky and may their families find solace, for they are surely now in the arms of the angels.xxxxx
By mari. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:56 PM.
My heartfelt condolences to all family & friends affected by this terrible incident.
Maybe now alot of people will realise that there is more unfortunate people dying than Michael Jackson..
THIS IS A REAL TRAGEDY....... God bless you all x x x
By jj. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:53 AM.
This indeed was a very tragic incident and deeply emotional as well considering the many lives that were lost especially those of Mr Rafael's family.For Mr Rafael and all the others who lost their loved ones,please accept my heart-felt condolences.Do take heart and try to accept these heartbreaking losses in good faith.Be consoled by the fact that your loved ones knew how much you cherished them and how much you would have given to save them from this disaster if it were possible!Above all place your trust in God for with Him there are no accidents.He is certainly aware of your loss and will certainly heal your broken hearts.And you must remember that He has power and the means to provide you with new channels for happiness.For the departed may they rest in the Lord.
By askel. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:31 PM.
My heart goes out to all the families who have lost their loved ones. May the souls of those who lost their lives rest in perfect peace. I pray for perfect healing for the other hospitalised victims.
By Stella. Posted July 5 2009 at 12:19 PM.
I think that the tower blocks need to be knocked down as they are not a good place to be i a fire because a lot of them have not been updated.
By ryan hughes . Posted July 5 2009 at 12:02 PM.
so so sad, my wife and I have a three year old son Dylan and a two week old son named Thomas born on Dylans 3rd birthday . This is heartbreaking, we moved from a tower block in Feb this year and happy we did, these are death traps and in the 21st century these either should be made safer or demolished .
All our hearts are with the ones left behind mourning the needless loss of such young lives
R.I.P all xxxxxxxxxxx
By tez and stacey anderson. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:32 AM.
such tradegy,poor children.rest in peace angels,condolences to families that have lost loved ones
By lorraine. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:01 AM.
RIP, My heart goes to the family, we used to be neighbours and they were close friends of my wife, spending lots of time together. It is really sad, and i knew Rafael was always working for the family.
Be strong Rafael, i know what a good father you have been and Dayana was truly devoted to the kids. We had a similar indecent at Don Phelan close and we all got out then, to happen to you for a second time is just not fair,
Please be strong my friend.
As for Southwark council i hope you are now going to review your housing blocks, as you only seem interested in collecting the rent. 3 years after Don Phelan still no Central Fire Alarm, central locking system broken at will, any one could set fires to these buildings as we have seen on numerous occasions.
By Ola. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:01 AM.
It is a tragedy, which should never have happen - from the view point of why are people housed in building with no fire escape plans. The fire was in the communial areas so the residents could not leave vi their front doors, luckily this block had balconies which probably saved a few lives. But not all of these high rise blocks do. these blocks should all have a second escape route. Its ludicrose. The council claim for years these flats would contain a fire if one occured, this obviously was not the case.
Isn't it time to have an investigation into all these blocks for many reasons including fire and safety.
By millie. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:44 AM.
tragic way to die R I P and condolences to those who are in mourning
By Carole. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:18 AM.
My condolences go out to those who have lost a loved one in the tragic incident.
I used to live in a tower block similar to this and have always said they're a death trap. Most have now been demolished, all other ones which haven't, should be.
R.I.P.
By Louise. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:46 AM.
so so sad and so sorry for all the families that have lost loved ones r i p
By jo. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:13 AM.
RIP to all who lost their lives.b
By Lola. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:38 AM.