London Firefighters Honor Embattled Chief on Last Day

Dec. 23, 2019
London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton—the first woman to hold that post—was forced to step down following criticism over the 2017 Grenfell Tower blaze.

On London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton's last day, thousands of firefighters lined the streets Monday to celebrate the outgoing fire chief with a "guard of honor."

Cotton, the first woman to head the London Fire Brigade, was stepping down from her post earlier than expected following criticism over the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, ITV News reports. She had been set to retire in April 2020 after 32 years with the brigade but then announced her early resignation on Dec. 6.

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In October, a report was released that was highly critical of the London Fire Brigade's response to the devastating fire that killed 72 people at the block of flats on June 14, 2017. The initial inquiry report pointed to "significant systemic failings" by the brigade, including poor evacuation, command and communication procedures.

Since announcing her resignation, Cotton has received a wellspring of support from London firefighters, both current and former, according to ITV. She was greeted with bagpipes and hugs as she stepped into the street Monday.

"Things have been a bit difficult recently but the messages of support I’ve received, the emails, the messages on social media, have just made everything OK," Cotton told the crowd. "It makes me feel proud, the fire service looks after each other."

"I’m very, very sad to be leaving but I think the legacy of all these people here shows that I must have done something all right," she added.