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Grenfell Tower fire: 24-year-old artist Khadija Saye named as victim

Ms Saye sent messages saying she was unable to get out of her flat as the smoke got too thick

Andrew Woodcock
Friday 16 June 2017 07:15 EDT
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Khadija Saye was in her flat on the 20th floor when the fire broke out
Khadija Saye was in her flat on the 20th floor when the fire broke out (PA)

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Another victim of the Grenfell Tower fire has been named as 24-year-old artist Khadija Saye.

Ms Saye was in her flat on the 20th floor when the fire struck, with her mother Mary Mendy, who is thought to be in her 50s.

Tottenham MP David Lammy confirmed the news on Twitter, writing: "May you rest in peace Khadija Saye. God bless your beautiful soul. My heart breaks today. I mourn the tragic loss of a wonderful young woman."

The Labour MP knew Ms Saye through his wife Nicola Green, a fellow artist who mentored her for four years.

Ms Green told the Press Association that Ms Saye was last heard from at 3am on the night of the fire.

"She was on Facebook saying she was unable to get out of the flat, that the smoke was so thick," said Ms Green.

"She was saying she just can't get out and: 'Please pray for me. There's a fire in my council block. I can't leave the flat. Please pray for me and my mum."'

Ms Saye's work is currently on show in Venice, responding to the theme of diaspora.

Mr Lammy had previously labelled the Grenfell Tower fire "corporate manslaughter" as he spoke about the search for his friend.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is the richest borough in our country treating its citizens in this way.

"We should call it what it is, it's corporate manslaughter, that's what it is and there should be arrests made, frankly.

"We built buildings in the 70s, those 70s buildings, many of them should be demolished, they haven't got easy fire escapes, they've got no sprinklers - it's totally, totally unacceptable in Britain that this is allowed to happen and people lose their lives in this way, and people should be held to account."

Press Association

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