London Fires, Mostly

Many folks who lived in Grenfell Tower got out. Many others died.

We don’t know how many. A current estimate is 79. Determining the exact number will be difficult, since high temperatures may have effectively obliterated some human remains.

Some survived because they didn’t listen to official instructions to stay in their homes. That advice makes sense in a building with sprinklers and adequate interior firewalls.

In Grenfell Tower, not so much.

Emergency responders realized that sheltering in place was a bad idea at some point, and told those still in Grenfell Tower to get out.

Some could, others were trapped.

I’m covering a bit more ground than usual today. The manufacturer of a refrigerator-freezer involved in the fire has product information you may want to check on. That’s under Grenfell Tower Fire’s Point of Origin, below.

Bad as the Grenfell fire was, it could have been much worse: in terms of death, property damage, and how folks are reacting. I think the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the Grenfell Tower disaster are similar in some ways. And very dissimilar in others.

I’ll be talking about how folks are reacting to the Grenfell Tower fire, and a ‘van attack’ in Finsbury Park, another part of London.

This year’s responses to stress are far from ideal, but we are learning.

Links to news and background are at the end of this post.1


Grenfell Tower Fire’s Point of Origin


(From Metropolitan Police, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)

It’s small comfort that the Grenfell Tower fire was an accident. Apparently a refrigerator-freezer malfunctioned.

Glitches happen, which is why my household repairs or at least unplugs gadgets that might cause trouble. We also have smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher.

Folks living in apartments don’t necessarily have a choice over how the property and appliances are maintained.

The link in this excerpt works here in central Minnesota, so it’s probably not ‘regional.’ I don’t know if the telephone number is valid outside the UK:

“…What do I do if I have a Hotpoint fridge freezer?
Kevin Peachey, BBC News (June 23, 2017)

“Anyone who has a white Hotpoint fridge freezer model number FF175BP or graphite fridge freezer model number FF175BG should register their appliance with the manufacturer to receive any updates.

“Generally, the model number is found on a bar code on a sticker behind the salad container in the fridge.

“These models were discontinued in 2009, but 64,000 were sold between March 2006 and July 2009. It is not known how many are still in use.

“Owners should ring 0800 316 3826 or visit the Hotpoint website….”

Why Care?


(City lights in Asia and Australia.)

With all the misery in the world, why am I paying attention to what’s been happening in London? It’s not like I live there.

I’m aware that folks in Syria, the ones who couldn’t escape but are still alive, aren’t having a good time.

Coptic Christians living in Egypt — again, the survivors — have been getting many opportunities for martyrdom this year. Sadly, that’s hardly a new development.

Assorted suicide bombings and other attacks have been killing folks this month. Again, that’s not anything new.

Quite a few of the victims, and perpetrators, were Muslims. Some weren’t.

I could say it’s the Muslims’ fault for not being Christians living in the upper Midwest. That makes about as much sense to me as blaming Christians in Egypt for their troubles.

I could imitate folks who blame Christianity for atrocities like the Verden massacre, Islam for the 9/11 attack, or religion in general for making folks hate each other. That doesn’t make sense either. Not to me. (June 4, 2017; November 15, 2016; November 6, 2016)

I’ll get back to that.


1. Inspections, Evacuation


(From PA, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
(“Council staff have been advising residents”
(BBC News))

Camden flats: Hundreds of homes evacuated over fire risk fears
BBC News (June 23, 2017)

More than 800 homes in tower blocks on a council estate in Camden, north London, have been evacuated because of fire safety concerns.

“Camden Council says people in five towers on the Chalcots estate were moved for ‘urgent fire safety works’.

“The council said it was booking hotels but 100 residents are spending the night on air beds in a leisure centre….”

It’s an inconvenience, at least, for folks who were evacuated. Some apparently didn’t know about the order until they heard about it on the news, and aren’t happy about that.

The timing of this evacuation could probably have been handled better, however.

One of the folks said that the dubious cladding had been in place for about 10 years. The council had met with residents the previous night and reassured them that things were okay. The next day they were evacuated because the building is a fire hazard.

Another resident said that he, his parents, and two sisters were told they had five minutes to get out. It was 8:15 p.m. A neighbor had given them the information.

In their position, I’d be far less than pleased with the situation. On the ‘up’ side, they’re not getting burned alive in their homes.

I don’t know why at least some of the folks got such short notice.

Maybe someone in charge got information that made immediate evacuation necessary: even if it meant rousting folks out in the evening.

Maybe the folks had ignored, not noticed, or forgotten, earlier notices. Maybe the Camden Council isn’t well-organized, or someone didn’t finish the job of spreading the world.

It sounds like getting those folks out and fixing the structure is a good idea.

Besides easy-light kindling on the building’s exterior, officials noticed that insulation around gas pipes going into the apartments was worrisome: and so were the fire doors.

Again, there’s good news. At least architects had specified fire doors for the place.

Maybe this time around the powers that be will take a hard look at materials that actually get installed: and make sure they’re the same sort that was paid for.

It’s starting to look like the Grenfell Tower fire might not have spread as fast, if a contractor had used materials specified in the plans.

If true, there could be criminal charges down the road.

Grenfell Tower and towers on the Chalcots estate weren’t the only ones with questionable materials. As of Saturday this week, 34 tower blocks in 17 council areas have failed fire safety tests. That number has been going up daily.


2. Dead, Missing, and Missed


(From Various, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
(“Some of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire”
(BBC News))

London fire: Who are the victims?
BBC News (June 23, 2017)

At least 79 people are believed to have died, police say, five days on from the huge fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower in west London….”

Nine victims were formally identified on Monday. Families of four asked that their names be withheld.

Quite a few other folks are missing. Maybe they got out, but were injured and haven’t been able to tell others who they are yet. Maybe they didn’t make it.

What the dead and missing have in common is that they lived in Grenfell Tower. They were retirees, schoolkids, mothers, fathers, friends.

Some had “English” names, like Anthony Disson. I’m guessing it’s an alternative spelling of Dison, a form of the ‘Yorkshire’ name Dyson.

In America it can be what happened to “Theisen” when Danish, German, or Norwegian immigrants wanted to ‘fit in.’ Theissen is the same name, with an extra “s,” in German.

Anthony Disson was a retired truck drive, and had lived at Grenfell Tower for eight years. He called his son at 3:30 that morning.

He’d been told to stay in his 22nd floor apartment. Like I said earlier, that advice makes sense in buildings with the right sort of walls and doors.

His wife, sons and grandchildren, miss him now. That’s what the family said in a statement, and I believe them. He hadn’t met one of the grandkids yet.

Isaac Paulos, 5, had been leaving the burning building with his brother, Luca, 3, and his parents, Genet Shawo and Paulos Petakle.

He and his family got separated on their way out. They survived. He won’t be going back to Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School. I don’t know where his ancestors lived.

In my country, most folks with the Paulos surname either arrived from Portugal themselves, or are descended from Portuguese immigrants.

Khadija Saye, 24, was an artist and photographer. I don’t know if Ya-Haddy Sisi Saye was her professional name, nickname, or something else. She and her mother, Mary Mendy, were living on the 20th floor. She’s dead, her mother is missing.

Mohammed Alhajali, 23, was a Syrian refugee. He’d arrived in the UK in 2014, and was studying civil engineering. He and his brother Omar had been sharing an apartment. He won’t be studying for any more exams.

Omar Belkadi and Farah Hamdan, and their six-month-old baby, are dead. Their kids, 8 and 10, are alive, but hospitalized.

Abufars Ibrahim, 39, was apparently visiting his mother, Fathia Alsanousi, 72, and sister Esra Ibrahim, 32. He’s dead. They’re missing.

Khadija Khalloufi, 52, is alive. He’s been relocated to an old folks’ home: not his idea, he was forced there. He’s the only person from Grenfell Tower living at the place. But at least he’s alive. His wife, Sabah Abdullah, is dead.

A lot more folks are missing: like Marco Gottardi, architect, and his girlfriend Gloria Trevisan. They were staying with friends at Grenfell.

Sawsan Choucair doesn’t know what happened to the rest of her family: her mother Sirria, sister Nadia, and brother-in-law Bassam are missing; so are Zainab, Fatima, and Mierna, 3, 10, and 13.

Marketing manager Mariem Elgwahry, 27, talked to someone at 2:30 Wednesday morning. She hasn’t been seen since.

Five folks in the Miah family are missing: Husna Begum, 22, her mother Rabiya Begum, father Komru Miah, nearly 90; two brothers, Abdul Hamid and Abdul Hanif, 28 and 25.

The Ancestry.com website says Miah means “Muslim;” and can be a variant of Mian, a Hindi/Punjabi/Urdu name.

The Kidir family is missing, too, all of them: Hashim Kidir, his wife Nura Jamal, and their three children.

So are five folks in the El-Wahabi family: Abdul Aziz, 52, his wife Fouzia, 42, son Yasin, 21, daughter Nur Huda, 15, and youngest son Mehdi, 8.

I think the family of Jessica Urbano Ramirez, 12, described how many are feeling. Her family is “desperate for news about her whereabouts.”

Simple, Not Easy

Most folks where I grew up had Scandinavian, German, or British surnames, the same one their fathers had.

That’s the pattern my name follows.

Some names on the list of dead and missing are British, or at least European.

Many aren’t. Folks in some of the families don’t even have the same surname. They all lived in an another country. Why should I care?

I’m a Catholic, which could explain my sympathy for the Paulos family.

Maybe giving a rip about what happened to folks whose names suggest that they’re Muslims takes the most explanation.

Being Catholic doesn’t guarantee having sensible attitudes. I’ve run into a Catholic who said Protestants aren’t Christian. He may be sincere. I’m sure he’s wrong.

I get the impression that some Catholics are diffident about praying for folks who don’t share our faith. I could be wrong about that, and hope I am. Praying for others is a good idea. All others.

I take what Jesus said seriously, including this:

“But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
“that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.”
(Matthew 5:4445)

We live in a wounded world, so many folks don’t get along. At all. But praying for others is a must-do, even if we’re not on the same page. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 396401, 2259, 2303)

So is recognizing the “goodness and truth” in all religions that seek God. That’s particularly true for those whose people worship the God of Abraham. (June 18, 2017)

I talked about family names last month. Some parts of the world follow my culture’s custom of giving children the same surname as their father. Some don’t. (April 2, 2017)

My culture’s habit works, but isn’t among the unchanging principles we call natural law. (February 5, 2017)

The way I see it, I should love God, love my neighbor, and see everyone as my neighbor. Those rules are “the whole law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:3640, Mark 12:2831; Matthew 5:4344; Mark 12:2831; Luke 10:2530; Catechism, 1825)

It’s simple, and anything but easy.

‘Everyone’ means just that. Humanity is one huge family. A sadly-dysfunctional one. (Genesis 10:132; Catechism, 360, 396409)

I’ve been paying particular attention to London because folks there speak a version of my native language, English. That gives me easy access to news from that part of the world.

British culture isn’t quite like American culture. But we’re not all that different, either.

It’s not that I think folks in England are more — or less — important than those living elsewhere. It’s a bit easier for me to understand what’s going on in London than events in, say, Singapore or Guangzhou.

Besides, I think news from London shows how much can change in three and a half centuries — and how little humans have changed.

Great Fire of London, 1666

The mid-1660s weren’t a good time to live in London. About one out of four Londoners died in the 1665 plague.

Survivors either couldn’t afford to live anywhere else, or were wealthy enough to afford residences west of Charing Cross. The city was picturesque, an organically-grown jumble of flammable buildings.

A bit after midnight on Sunday, September 2, 1666, a fire started in a bakery on London’s Pudding Lane.

It’s not an exact parallel to the Grenfill Tower disaster, but it’s close: one fire, in one building, starting around midnight.

Fire suppression tech being what it was at the time, surrounding structures should have been torn down; creating a firebreak.

Folks who owned and lived in those buildings objected to having their homes torn down. That’s understandable.

London’s Lord Mayor was the only person with authority to order the demolition. He didn’t give the order until Sunday night.

Maybe he kept hoping the fire would burn itself out. Maybe he didn’t want the negative publicity demolition might cause. Or maybe nobody called him. Whatever the reason or reasons, by the time he did give the order — it was too late.

Winds drove the fire westward. The firestorm eventually spread north. Several days later, the Tower of London garrison blasted firebreaks ahead of the flames.

Death Toll: Unknown

Buildings around the bakery in Pudding Lane were long since gone by then.

So were about 13,200 more houses, 87 parish churches, St Paul’s Cathedral, and most of the city government buildings.

But many of the newly-cleared firebreaks held. Fires eventually ran out of fuel, and went out. The wind had finally calmed, which helped.

Only six folks died, officially. The actual death toll is unknown. Quite a few folks who would have been caught by the fire weren’t among the gentry, and so may not have been missed. Officially.

There’s evidence that temperatures reached well upwards of 1250 °C. Bodies would have been cremated, making an accurate death toll a matter of speculation. A recent estimate ran from several hundred to several thousand.

In fairness, survivors who were wealthy didn’t keep much more than their lower-class counterparts.

Efforts that Monday to keep the upscale parts of London from being incinerated were as ineffective as those elsewhere.

I gather that the firestorm had Londoners rather badly rattled. The Second Anglo-Dutch War was in progress, with all-too-predictable rumors of imminent invasion and/or foreign saboteurs.

This was before live video news, cell phones, and online media. Folks in England relied on newspapers to keep them up to date.

The London Gazette got their Monday edition out just before their printers went up. For many folks, all they knew was that London was burning.

These days, it’d be a bit like Americans tuning in to the news, hearing that New York City was in flames — followed by a burst of static and then nothing.

That doesn’t excuse the occasional lynching.

A local militia, the Trained Bands, and the Coldstream Guards, might have helped more with firefighting. But they were mostly rounding up Catholics, foreigners, and other odd-looking folks; or rescuing them from mobs. Sometimes both.

Popish Plot and a Playing Card

The Second Anglo-Dutch War was one of many post-Renaissance wars in Europe. It ran from March 1665 to July 1667, one of four in that series.

It’s nowhere near as famous as the Thirty Years’ War. That one ran out of cannon fodder in 1648.

The Anglo-Dutch wars happened because England’s leaders wanted a piece of the action in world trade.

Dutch leaders objected. They won the second A-D War, after only a bit more than 12,000 folks got killed.

It wasn’t a particularly “holy” war, but that didn’t stop propaganda from playing up the religious angle.

English folks who didn’t approve of pro-Catholic Charles II’s court said Catholics started the Great Fire.

Meanwhile in the Netherlands, other folks said the Great Fire was divine retribution for a Dutch town getting torched by the English.

Aside from the vocabulary, it’s pretty much the same thing I see in my Twitter feed. From both/all sides of American politics. Like I said, humans haven’t changed all that much.

London’s Court of Aldermen had an inscription added to the Monument to the Great Fire of London in 1681.

A loose translation reads: “Here by permission of heaven, hell broke loose upon this Protestant city…..the most dreadful Burning of this City; begun and carried on by the treachery and malice of the Popish faction…Popish frenzy which wrought such horrors, is not yet quenched….”

Kickoff for the Nine Years’ War was a few years away at that point. The inscription’s patriotic sentiment may have been meant to keep Aldermen from getting accused of involvement in the Popish Plot.

If that was their motive, I think it was understandable. Before the Popish Plot ran its course, 22 men had been executed for their alleged complicity.

Then someone started looking at the data.

The “Popish Plot” turned out to be fictional. Academics still aren’t sure whether or not folks accused by Titus Oates were chosen randomly.

When the dust settled, Oates was fined £100,000 and imprisoned: a life sentence. By the time he died he’d been an Anglican and a Catholic, spent a few years behind bars, been whipped, pardoned, released: and eventually forgotten by all but a few history buffs.

He did, however, have his very own playing card during his heyday.

The Monument’s ‘Popish Plot’ text was removed in 1830.2

Yellow Peril

I’d like to say that folks, Europeans at least, had finally achieved full enlightenment by the mid-19th century: putting aside all hatred and prejudice.

Instead, we got the yellow peril, World Wars I and II, and — in America — McCarthyism. As I keep saying, I don’t miss the ‘good old days.’3

“Yellow peril” as a distinct cultural issue didn’t get traction until the 19th century. I suspect the roots are much deeper.

I’m a bit more familiar with American “yellow peril” blunders, like Executive Order 9066. We didn’t start token efforts at correcting that injustice for far too long, and that’s another topic.

Folks from China who moved to Australia, Canada, the U.S., and New Zealand, worked harder for less pay than their more-settled neighbors. Human nature being what it is, some Australians, Canadians, and so forth, saw them as a threat.

Again, I see the same song playing in today’s social media: with a new ‘foreign threat’ and the same unreasoned fears.

No legislation will eradicate fears, prejudices, and selfishness. That doesn’t make them good ideas. (Catechism, 1931)


3. Meanwhile, in Finsbury Park —


(From Getty Images, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
(“A vigil was held outside Finsbury Park Mosque”
(BBC News))

Finsbury Park suspect Darren Osborne’s family ‘in shock’
BBC News (June 19, 2017)

The family of a man arrested after a terror attack near a north London mosque say they are ‘shocked’ and ‘devastated’.

“Father-of-four Darren Osborne was held after a van hit Muslims after evening prayers in Finsbury Park.

“They had been helping a man who had collapsed. He later died but it is not clear if it was because of the attack.

“Mr Osborne, 47, was held on suspicion of attempted murder and later further arrested over alleged terror offences….”

I don’t know what was going on in Darren Osborne’s head. He apparently was upset about an incident on London Bridge earlier this month. That’s understandable.

His sister said he’d tried to kill himself a few weeks earlier, and tried to get himself committed in a psychiatric hospital. They hadn’t accepted him. She also said he was taking antidepressants.

That may help explain why he decided to rent a van and run down those folks. But it’s not an excuse.

I’m pretty sure that there’s more to his actions than depression. I’ll admit a bias, since I’ve been taking antidepressants and other prescriptions to keep my glitchy neurochemistry working. (March 19, 2017; October 14, 2016)

Mr. Osborne is in serious legal trouble now, as he should be.

Deliberately killing innocent people is a bad idea. So is holding on to anger and hatred. (Matthew 5:22; Catechism, 2262, 2269)


4. Freedom and Racial Hatred


(From BBC News, used w/o permission.)

Finsbury Park attack: Theresa May condemns ‘sickening’ terror attack
BBC News (June 19, 2017)

A terror attack near a London mosque is ‘every bit as sickening’ as others in recent weeks, Theresa May says.

“A man drove a van into worshippers close to Muslim Welfare House in Finsbury Park as they were gathered to help an elderly man who had collapsed.

“He later died, but it is not clear if this was a result of the attack. Nine other people were taken to hospital….”

I’ve seen complaints that British authorities were a bit slower to identify this incident as a ‘terror attack.’ I don’t know enough to have an informed opinion about that.

We’ve got more than enough uninformed opinions flying around, so I’ll leave it at that.

As I said before, deliberately holding on to anger and hatred is a bad idea.

That’s probably what got Richard Evans in trouble over a social media post. His father’s an owner of the company that owned the van Mr. Osborne used.

South Wales police say the younger Mr. Evans posted “It’s my dad’s company I don’t get involved it’s a shame they don’t hire out steam rollers or tanks could have done a tidy job then.”

BBC News says that his father has condemned what his son allegedly wrote, and that he doesn’t agree with the sentiment.

Now Richard Evans is “being held on suspicion of displaying threatening, abusive, insulting written material with intent that is likely to stir up racial hatred:”

I share my country’s traditional high regard for freedom of expression. On the other hand, I think that was a profoundly daft thing to write.


5. Solidarity in Finsbury


(From Reuters, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
(“Faith leaders from the area met near the scene of the attack”
(BBC News))

Finsbury Park attack: Horror and sympathy among locals
Cherry Wilson, BBC News (June 19, 2017)

Two large police vans are parked just metres away from a large poster emblazoned with some of Arsenal’s most famous stars which stands by the club’s shop.

“Locals say this is a proudly multicultural area where the biggest rivalry is whether you support Arsenal or their north London rivals Tottenham.

“…Mum of four Nicola Senior, 43, is walking back from taking her children to school when she stops to take in the scene.

“She said: ‘I’m frightened. Is there going to be retaliation?

“‘I am fearful for my kids. Can we go to the park? Can we go to the church?

“‘It feels like this is happening all the time.

“‘For me, people want to live here quietly whatever their religion.

“‘This is such a mixed area. There are so many nationalities. People get on. They accept and respect each other.

“‘People are in shock. It affects everybody. I’m worried for the safety of all of us.’…

“…Nasser Alyarimi, 18, knows people who worship at the mosque close to where the tragedy took place.

“He said: “There’s been lots of incidents taking place. Someone I know was thrown down the stairs and had beer poured over her headscarf just because she is Muslim….'”

“…They talk about reaction to the incident and question why it was not widely reported as a terror attack much earlier.

“One friend, who asked not to be named, said: ‘I’m really upset. I feel let down by the government that we are being portrayed as savages that we are not.

“‘They’ve portrayed us as if we walk around killing infidels. Just because one or two people believe that it doesn’t mean the whole Muslim community does.’

“Many locals point to the streets and the various ethnicities of people walking around as an indication of the diverse make-up of this area….

“…Mendy Korer, Rabbi of Islington, says: ‘This is a great community to live in. There’s so many different types of nationalities and faith groups. We all understand each other….'”

I don’t know why Mr. Osborne drove all the way to Finsbury for his attack on a mosque. The Bristol Jamia Mosque was closer, and the largest in England’s southwest.

I don’t think it’s because the Arsenal Football Club’s home field is called Emirates Stadium. It used to be the Ashburton Grove, but got renamed when Emirates airline sponsored renovation work. And that’s yet another topic.

Three and a half centuries after the Great London Fire and Popish Plot, some folks still fear new neighbors. Some politicos still make outrageous accusations against their counterparts in the other party.

But I think for every Mr. Osborne and Richard Evans, there are many Nicola Seniors, Nasser Alyarimis, and Mendy Korers.

We seem to be learning that humans act like humans, no matter where our ancestors lived or how we worship. Or don’t worship, for that matter. I think that’s a step toward wisdom.


Scary Questions at the Family Get-Together


(From Reuters, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
(“Faith leaders from the area met near the scene of the attack”
(BBC News))

Eid: How to handle the tough questions at family gatherings
BBC News (June 23, 2017)

The holy Islamic fasting month of Ramadan is coming to an end this weekend. For many Muslims around the world, it’s the one time of the year that they return to their hometowns and gather with their extended family for a catch-up and feast.

“But as Christine Franciska of the BBC’s Indonesian Service explains, for many young people, Eid al-Fitr’s family gatherings are not as pleasant as they seem.

“It’s the time when aunties, uncles, and older relatives who you rarely see ask you ‘scary questions’.

“‘Who’s your boyfriend (or girlfriend) now?’ ‘When are you getting married?’ ‘Why are you looking a bit…fat?’

“‘It is not comfortable at all,’ said Indonesian Mochamad Fadly Anwar on Facebook. ‘And I think it crosses the line. I am like, hey mind your own business.’

“‘Those questions are legendary…’ said another user….”

“Legendary,” indeed. And, I strongly suspect, part of the common human experience: apart from differences in language.

In American culture, Thanksgiving is often a ‘family’ holiday. One branch of my wife’s extended family has big get-together in the summer. There’s a lot of them, so they rent a park in a nearby town.

I generally don’t ask the “legendary” questions. It’s not that I’m above that sort of thing. I’ll get the information in good time, from another family member.

I have, however, occasionally asked my kids “so, when are you going to make me an ancestor?” And that’s yet again another topic.

Had enough of my opinions? If not, here are more:


1 London, 2017:

2 London, 1666-1830:

3 Yellow Peril and getting a grip:

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About Brian H. Gill

I was born in 1951. I'm a husband, father and grandfather. One of the kids graduated from college in December, 2008, and is helping her husband run businesses and raise my granddaughter; another is a cartoonist and artist; #3 daughter is a writer; my son is developing a digital game with #3 and #1 daughters. I'm also a writer and artist.
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6 Responses to London Fires, Mostly

  1. Pingback: London Fires, Mostly

  2. Peggy Haslar says:

    Why should I care? Thanks for bringing to light so many facets of this story. The more I ponder the Father’s care for the sparrows…there is no limit to his care for those who are worth “more than many sparrows.” We are Catholic. We care. Since I work with children, thank you for lifting up Paulos.

    • You are quite welcome.

      Many families lived there – the folks I mentioned in this post are not all who were named in that BBC News piece. Sadly, I think it is extremely likely that many of the missing were not able to get out of the building.

      There are many opportunities for prayer here: for those who died, survivors, and those who may be able to correct the issues which made this disaster possible.

  3. irishbrigid says:

    Missing ‘and’? “her mother Sirria, sister Nadia, brother-in-law Bassam are missing”

    Missing word: “patriotic sentiment may have meant to keep Aldermen from”

    Another missing word: “course, 22 men had executed for their alleged complicity.”

    And another missing word: “So holding on to anger and hatred.”

    Misspelling: “enough uniformed opinions flying around, so”

    The Friendly Neighborhood Proofreader

    • Thanks! On the other hand, some uninformed opinions are so much like each other that they might as well be wearing uniforms. Now there’s a mental image. 😉

      • irishbrigid says:

        There are so many ways to respond to that, I’m not sure which one to pick. Somewhere between “Does the uniform come with a Che Guevara T-shirt?” and “They wear balaclavas and pillow cases.”

Thanks for taking time to comment!