Mohammad Al-Haj Ali, a Syrian refugee, is the first victim to have been named following the devastating fire at Grenwell Tower. The 24-year-old University student was living on the 14th floor of the tower block, and attempted to escape the building by following his brother Omar, 25, down the stairs, but was tragically unable to get out. His brother is currently being treated in hospital.
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A friend of Mohammad, Abdulaziz Almashi, spoke to the Daily Telegraph, saying: "He survived Assad, he survived the war, only to be killed in a tower block in London". The Syrian Solidarity Campaign also posted a statement about the young man on Facebook, writing: "RIP Mohammed Al Haj Ali. A Syrian refugee in the UK, Mohammed passed away in the #Grenfell tower fire yesterday. We are heartbroken for his family, who thought he had found safety in the UK. To Allah we belong and to him we shall return."
17 people died in the fire
The charity had previously asked its followers to pray for the two brothers, writing: "Please pray for our brothers Omar Alhajali and Mohammed Alhajali, two Syrian refugees. They were in the building fire in London yesterday. Both were set to come to our Iftar this Saturday." The Metropolitan police have now said that 17 perished in the fire, and a further 17 are in critical care in hospital.
The Queen released a statement regarding the fire, which read: "My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost loved ones in the Grenfell Tower fire and the many people who are still critically ill in hospital. The royal couple also praised the fire services who were at the scene of the west London fire within minutes. Prince Philip and I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of firefighters and other emergency services officers who put their own lives at risk to save others," the statement read. "It is also heartening to see the incredible generosity of community volunteers rallying to help those affected by this terrible event."