Sam's story.

I started working as a chef in London when I was 16, and was a sous chef at 27, hoping to be a head chef soon. I thought I was lucky, doing something I loved, something to wake up for every morning.

On 8th July 2020, I was sorting stuff out at home where I lived with my mum and my elderly Aunt. I was taking an afternoon nap, when I was suddenly woken up by a really loud crash. I jumped up and half the house had crumbled all around me. I couldn’t get to mum or my aunt, who were upstairs. Rubble blocked the way to the stairs. It was terrifying, my main concern was mum and Aunty June: I couldn’t hear them.

I ran out front and saw mum on the first floor. The part of the house with June in it had been destroyed. I was scared the house would collapse, so I went for a ladder to reach mum, and saw the crane that had destroyed the house.

A neighbour helped. Mum had been in the same room as June, and was in shock and terrified. She was in her 60’s with arthritis, and it was hard to get her down from the first floor on a ladder. When we got mum down the firefighters arrived, cleared us out of the way, and searched for Aunt June using drones.

We were seen by paramedics on site: we were blocked up with dust, and I had cuts and bruises. Mum had other injuries from the rubble and climbing down. For 3 hours we stood on the street opposite watching the police and emergency workers, it was agonizing. Then we learned Aunty June had died.

We lived in my brother’s house for a week and were then moved into a hotel by Gateway Housing. Apart from speaking to a police Family Liaison Officer, we were left on our own. We had no ID, no proof of address, no address, we were homeless. There were no protocols for dealing with people in our position.

We got no help from anyone. The Swan Housing developers offered a £15,000 emergency fund for 200 people, and in September when it got colder they offered us £50 for new clothes.

Families Against Corporate Killers (FACK) reached out to me a few days after the accident, offered help, and introduced us to Helen Clifford. She came to see us in our hotel, the next day. The first thing Helen did for us was to arrange counselling. We needed professional help to get back to daily life, without therapy, we wouldn’t recover. The developers wouldn’t pay for anything, it was shocking, not what you’d expect, so Helen arranged deferred payments. It felt as though Swan were blaming us! It was incredible how they treated us, and that the law allows them to behave like that. It was so bad that Helen kept apologising.

After the initial shock, media interest faded, and there was no understanding of the lack of support we faced. In the last 5 years we’ve learned a lot about how the system does not favour victims in any way.

Helen dealt with the housing corporations, took us through every step. It was a huge relief in the most difficult time of our lives. We got a house with Tower Hamlets but it was uninhabitable, mouldy and damp. We faced 6 more months in the hotel, the last thing we wanted. Helen tackled the Council, and approached the media, and work started in 2 weeks. We were told to leave the hotel before the house was finished, so again Helen got onto the media, and we got 3 more weeks.

In that time, friends rallied around to decorate the house and get it ready. (These friends had brought us clothes on the night of the disaster: we saw the kindness in ordinary people). Whether it was the Police, the Health and Safety, Swan Housing, Helen was always chasing for answers. For years, it was a waiting game. Helen was always in touch, updating us, checking in, it was incredible support.

The disaster really affected me. Because of the PTSD, noise and loud bangs give me panic attacks and anxiety. I have angry outbursts, and get in a right mess, so I haven’t been able to work. I stay indoors all the time, outside is too stressful, it’s unbearable to go out.

For the first couple of years, I didn’t see anyone. In the last 18 months, I’m becoming more sociable again. I have to push on and fight through every day, and I’ll never be able to work in a busy kitchen again. It was all I’d ever wanted to do, but the disaster ruined my life, my career, my hopes.

We settled the case recently. I used to love the London buzz, but now I can get a property somewhere peaceful, and make a new start. I’m moving to North Wales with my husband, we’ll build a new life together, with our two dogs. Helen fought for me to do that.

It really meant a lot to have someone like Helen in our corner, someone who genuinely cared and made a difficult time so much easier to get through. She was always kind, patient and reassuring, even when things felt overwhelming. I honestly don’t think we could have managed it all without her support and guidance. We’re truly grateful and will never forget how Helen helped us through this

Construction News Article can be read here:

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/health-and-safety/squibb-firm-and-housing-association-pay-out-over-crane-tragedy-02-05-2025