A fireman left “significantly disabled” after a building collapsed on him feels he has been failed by the London Fire Brigade over the incident and is suing his former employers for more than £300,000.
Daniel Gilbert, 33, was crushed by the rubble as he tackled a blaze at a pub in Grove Park, Lewisham, with 30 other firefighters in the early hours of October 13, 2010.
He was asked to remove a window from the building with an 8ft hook-ended pole, which he claims was either negligent or a breach of rules.
The pole got caught in mesh wiring around the window, meaning the pub’s upper floor crashed down on him as he pulled it away, leaving him with multiple spinal injuries, cuts to his head and a foot injury.
Papers lodged at the High Court claim no fire safety officer had been designated at the site and no risk assessment carried out.
His partner of seven years, 30-year-old Michelle Taylor, told the Standard: “It has been one long nightmare for the last three years. It has been very, very tough.
“And the general treatment by the fire brigade since what happened, well, we do not feel we have been treated very well. We feel totally let down in terms of support.
“We thought Daniel would always be a fireman, but because of this it’s turned out not to be. It’s affected us in a big way.”
The father of two, from Orpington, was off work for 11 months after spending nine days in hospital and being confined to a wheelchair and body brace temporarily before returning to work for “light duties”.
However, he was soon “unable to cope” after being required to return to full-time work, he claims.
The High Court papers add: “He suffered nightmares, anxiety, irritability, disturbed sleep, and depression.”
Mr Gilbert left the fire brigade in March this year and now works as a part-time taxi driver. He is suing for “pain, suffering and loss of amenity”.
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A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “As this court case has yet to be heard it would be inappropriate for us to make any comment.”
