Monday, 23rd December 2024

Two from Dominica missing after London tower inferno

Marjorie and Ernie Vital still not accounted for

Thursday, 22nd June 2017

©Camilla Turner

It is understood that two of the 79 dead or missing, presumed dead, in London's Grenfell Tower tragedy are are Dominicans who moved to London.

The fire, which engulfed the 24-storey tower block in west London on 14 June, was the deadliest in mainland Britain in more than 100 years.

It has emerged that two of those missing – 67-year-old Marjorie Vital and son Ernie, 43 – lived in the block after migrating from Dominica.

Mimi Delson, niece and cousin to the pair, spoke to the UK's Telegraph newspaper about her family.

"Ernie was staying with his mother, they were on the 16th floor," said Delson, 45, who lives nearby.

[caption id="attachment_3038" align="aligncenter" width="370"] Ernie Vital.[/caption]

"We've been to all the hospitals to look for them. Marjorie has been living in the flat almost since it was built. She moved over here from Dominica when she was a girl. She is well known in the community."

Ms Delson said that her children were classmates with lots of children from Grenfell Tower, at Kensington Academy.

"My children have lost a lot of their friends," she said.

Another family member has been appealing for information in a post on Instagram, according to TheDominican.net.

The website is also reporting that Marjorie and Ernie migrated from Soufriere, and "are believed to have been among the earliest residents of the ill-fated tower".