London fire chief who in charge of Grenfell Tower to retire next year

Grenfell survivors today blasted the 'choreographed' retirement of London's first female fire chief and vowed: 'We will not allow her to evade accountability'.  

Dany Cotton, 50, took over as London Fire Brigade Commissioner in January 2017 - six months before the worst blaze for a generation in Britain tore through the tower block in North Kensington killing 72 people. 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has described her as 'a true role model' after she announced she is quitting in April 2020 after 32 years of service in the capital.   

But last year at the public inquiry into the fire she upset relatives of the Grenfell dead - and was branded her 'not fit' to lead - after saying she would not change anything about her team's response on the night of the Tower fire.

The London Fire Brigade enforced a 'stay-put' policy that meant people living in the tower were told to sit and wait in their flats as the fire engulfed the tower block.  

Former resident Natasha Elcock, from survivors' group Grenfell United, said her comments were heartbreaking and disrespectful to those who lost their lives.

She said: 'Dany Cotton still has serious questions to answer about what happened at Grenfell. She stood in front of bereaved families who lost loved ones and said she would not change anything about that night. It was devastating to us.

'We are still waiting for the phase one report. We will not allow this carefully choreographed retirement to allow Dany Cotton to evade accountability.

'This cannot be the start of people who have lessons to learn from Grenfell heading off to retirement without taking responsibility. Dany Cotton will still have questions to answer in phase two of the inquiry.' 

Ms Cotton had entered the tower that night and said she was one of those marked by the night, suffering significant memory gaps because of the trauma, which she has received therapy for. 

She said today: 'The utter devastation of the Grenfell Tower fire and its impact on so many people will never leave me.'    

She added: 'I want to reassure my staff and all those affected by the tragedy that I will remain dedicated to leading London Fire Brigade through any findings from phase one of the Public Inquiry and into phase two which is expected to begin next January.

'When I joined London Fire Brigade, I was one of a handful of women in the service. It was a very different organisation, with very different attitudes, and I hope that through my work I have helped change the perception of what an incredible professional career the fire and rescue service offers, equally, to both women and men.'   

In statement, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: 'I would like to pay tribute to Dany for her hard work, courage and dedication during her 32 years of service at London Fire Brigade and as London's Fire Commissioner.

'Dany has led the London Fire Brigade through an unprecedented period of major incidents, including the awful Grenfell Tower tragedy, and has proven time and again that she is a truly exceptional firefighter.

'I'm sure all Londoners would like to join me in thanking her for doing everything she can to keep our city safe.

'She is a true role model who has broken down barriers for women in London and inspired people who wouldn't otherwise have considered being firefighters to join the Fire Brigade.

'I wish her the very best in retirement when she leaves the Brigade next year.'

In September she faced the public inquiry set up to pin down why the fire happened and how another tragedy  

Survivors shook their heads as commissioner Dany Cotton defended the 'fantastic' actions of her fire service, recalling the heavy burden of committing crews 'to their potential death'.

At the end of a tense day of oral evidence at the public inquiry into the blaze, Ms Cotton was asked what she would do if she could go back to June 14 last year and change one thing.

The commissioner replied: 'I would not change anything we did on the night.

'I think, without exception, my firefighters, my officers and my control staff performed in a fantastic way given the incredible circumstances they were faced against.

'They were put into an untenable situation, a building that behaved in a way it should never have done, that put the residents' lives at risk, and without a shadow of a doubt I personally was responsible for committing my firefighters to their potential death in the pursuit of rescuing as many people in that building as possible.'

Ms Cotton told the inquiry she realised the fire was 'unfightable' as soon as she stepped out of her car and was met with scenes more at home in a disaster movie.

She recalled being hit by an 'overwhelming' anxiety as crews went inside the tower, physically touching firefighters to give them a final positive memory of being comforted.

Her 'clearly terrified' fire crews 'should never have been put in that position', she said.

In a written statement to the inquiry, she said: 'It has truly damaged some people who witnessed some terrible things and who will never forget them. They will wear the scars for the rest of their life.'

Ms Cotton revealed she was one of those marked by the night, receiving therapy after suffering significant memory gaps.

The hearing room was packed with survivors of the tragedy, those who lost friends and family and local community members, with extra chairs put in throughout the morning.

Other spectators were asked to leave to ensure there was enough space.