London fire: Tearful friends of missing mum and two-year-old son in Grenfell Tower blaze pay moving tribute

Tearful friends gather near Grenfell Tower on Saturday.
PA
Francesca Gillett17 June 2017

The heartbroken brother of a woman missing alongside her young son following the Grenfell Tower blaze has joined friends at a tribute in her memory.

Zainab Dean was in her 14th floor flat with her two-year-old son Jeremiah when the fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

She was described as a "beautiful, loving lady" by friends, who carried flowers and wore t-shirts featuring her picture as they walked along Bramley Road in west London.

The group sang songs including Amazing Grace as they walked towards a spot where candles have been lit and messages left on heart-shaped paper.

When they were in sight of the remains of the tower, some pointed and shouted "we shall overcome" before breaking into song again.

Zainab Dean, one of those missing in the fire.

Francis Dean, Ms Dean's brother, was too upset to speak. Members of the UK's Sierra Leone community travelled from Manchester and Birmingham to take part, a friend, Isha Thomas, said.

She said Ms Dean had been on the phone to her brother from the 14th floor flat in which she was living with Jeremiah as the fire raged.

Friends of Ms Dean, who is originally from Sierra Leone.
PA

She said she believed Ms Dean was following advice not to leave the building, adding: "She was on the phone to her brother until four in the morning."

She added: "We are just devastated. I just want them (authorities) to answer. We need answers, we need to know what happened."

Ms Thomas, who knows Ms Dean through the City of Light evangelical ministry in Brentford, said the family have been checking hospitals but have heard nothing.

She said: "I'm hopeful, I have to be hopeful."

On Saturday Prime Minister Theresa May met with some of the residents of the tower in Downing Street.

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