Objective: This study aimed to characterize the smoke exposure of firefighters who attended the Grenfell Tower fire during the initial 20 hours.
Methods: As no compilation of exposure data exists, data were compiled from nine unconnected sources, including the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, firefighters' statements, incident logs, and the UK Firefighter Cancer and Disease Registry.
Results: Of the 628 firefighters who attended, information was available from 524. Eighty-nine percent reported exposure to smoke without respiratory protection equipment (RPE), of whom 23% also reported exposure to excessive heat. Common reasons for smoke exposure were assisting casualties (18%), running out of air (15%), and climbing stairs without activating RPE to conserve air (17%).
Conclusions: A significant proportion of firefighters reported inhaling smoke during the incident with potentially debilitating health effects.
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