Susanna Reid was close to tears today while speaking to a Grenfell fireman, who recalled trying to save a young girl from the burning building.
David Badillo was one of the first firefighters on scene when the fire had still been contained on one floor and was the first to enter the building.
"When we first turned up, there was nothing out of the ordinary - just a little kitchen fire," he told Susanna and co-host Richard Madeley on Good Morning Britain. "I was in the building for the first half hour so I didn't see it escalate."
David appeared on the ITV show for the tragedy's fifth anniversary with friend Manfred Ruiz, whose 12-year-old niece he had tried to save.
"After setting up the bridgehead, I went downstairs to get my breathing apparatus," he said. "As I was making my way to the fire engine I met - who I didn't know at the time - was Manny's niece, Jessie's older sister, who told me her little sister was in the building in the 20th floor.
"At this time I hadn't been outside so I didn't know how much the fire had escalated. Jessie's sister wanted to come with me so I said, 'Stay there, I'll go up, quickly get your sister.'"
David had jumped in the lift to go up to the 20th floor because he still imagined that the fire was just on the fifth and sixth floors.
"I had heard on the radio of reports that it had spread maybe one floor," he said. "This was still early on. I got in the lift, pressed the 20th floor to quickly get Jessie and bring her down and carry on what I was doing. The lift doors opened on the 15th floor and a big rush of black smoke filled the air.
"I was in quite a bit of trouble then - I didn't have breathing apparatus, I hadn't got to the fire engine yet. I managed to make my way out of the lobby area, back into the stairwell and decided I needed to get my breathing apparatus because there was smoke everywhere - to get Manny's niece.
"I went back down the stairs, ran back to the fire engine and as I got outside that's when I looked up at the tower and one whole side was alight. It was like, 'Oh my god.'
"I went to the fire engine, got my BA set and I realised I didn't have much time. I managed to get a couple of fire fighters who were at the bridgehead to come with me. I more or less ran up 20 flights of stairs, where I thought Jessie was, where her flat was.
"Heartbreakingly she had gone up to escape the smoke and she went up to the top of the building."
Jessie tragically died in the tragedy.
David said that he now dreads being called to another high-rise building and believes that cladding was the cause of the fire.
An emotional Susanna teared up as she said to Manny: "I can see how hard it is to hear - it's hard for me and all I did was report on it here in the studio. I can't imagine how hard it is for you to listen to. I know you're friends, you and David, and I know at the time David that you didn't realise you were looking for your friend's niece.
"But to find out that someone was in the building trying to get Jessica back to get her to safety and she had done what she thought was the safe thing to do. Unfortunately that meant that she was getting further into danger. It's hideous."
She added: "I find it remarkable that you are both able to speak so well and with such courage. That courage is remarkable and I admire you both for it."
*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV
