EXCLUSIVE: Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal a total of 30 London Fire Brigade workers - 27 firefighters and three 999 control operators - have now been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder since the 2017 tragedy12:52, 15 Aug 2026Fire brigade staff haunted by the horrors of the Grenfell Tower blaze that killed more than 70 people have taken more than 8,000 days off work with PTSD, figures reveal.‌A total of 30 London Fire Brigade workers - 27 firefighters and three 999 control operators - have now been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder since the 2017 tragedy. And a Freedom of Information Act request shows a total of 8,218 working days have been lost due to firefighters needing sick leave because of PTSD brought on by the inferno.‌Today Ricky Nuttall, 45, told how his life was torn apart after he fought 550C heat to save a stricken resident on the 15th floor of the tower block - before making the decision he could not help. Two days after the fire, he was sent back in to the charred remains of the building to help recover bodies.‌Ricky said: "You could very easily piece together a picture of their final moments. And that makes it all very real. You start to think about how scared people would have been, and it's just an unimaginable, the fear and the pain that those poor people would have gone through. Seeing that and then having those images on your brain, that destroyed me."At his lowest, Ricky said his life spiralled into drugs and alcohol and he helplessly harboured thoughts of suicide to end the "unbearable pain". Because of his lifestyle, he suffered serious internal bleeding on New Year's Eve in 2022 and said he was in the back of an ambulance when he realised he needed to take control of his life.‌Ricky, who served with the fire department for 16 years, said it was his conversations with his father, Kevin, who died in February aged 66, that "saved his life". He said: "It got to the point where it just hurt too much to keep breathing. And that's a scary, scary place to be. This is about just being in too much pain to continue living. And I guess I probably didn't see a realistic way that I would ever feel any different."So then you're confronted with this idea that I was 36. And I'm thinking, 'I'm going to feel like this for the rest of my life, that could be another 50 years. I'm going to feel like this every day. Why would I want to live with this pain for 50 years?'"‌In total 72 people died in the fire when it engulfed the 24-storey block of flats in North Kensington, west London, in June 2017. More than 900 firefighters battled to put out the blaze which started in a faulty fridge-freezer before spreading to flammable cladding.All those who attended were later given a psychological health check. On top of the 8,000 working days lost to PTSD last year, another 446 days have also been lost from 999 control room staff also suffering from psychological trauma after working on the night of the fire. Some of the control room officers had to deal with harrowing pleas for help from people who were trapped in their flats as the flames engulfed their homes.‌Ricky, now a mental health advocate and published poet, said: "Call operators who deal with people who are trapped in buildings make 'fire survival calls'. What that means is if you're in a building trapped by the conditions of the fire and you cannot self rescue, you will be told, 'Stay where you are, stay on the phone, I will stay on the phone with you until the firefighter rescues you'."The control staff's job is to then remain on the phone with that person or persons, until the line goes dead or they're rescued. And the control staff on the night of Grenfell had to deal with 156 fire survival calls. That's 156. I think there were 11 control staff team on that night.‌"Some of those people would have picked up the phone, listened to someone die. put the phone down, it rings, pick it up again, and listen to someone die. That's why there's such a PTSD rate. They had a horrifically difficult job."The devastating fall-out from the fire also affected those living near to the tragedy, with residents saying they suffered PTSD. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of the 72 people who lost their lives, as well as the survivors, their families, and the Grenfell communities.“The Grenfell Tower tragedy profoundly affected London and changed the lives of many. It was one of the biggest challenges faced by the Brigade in living memory. The staff who attended the fire, as well as members of other emergency services who attended in support, showed courage in dreadful circumstances.‌“In the immediate aftermath of the fire, all those involved were contacted individually by a counsellor and offered support. This is still available to all who worked on Grenfell – including people who may be seeking support for the first time."We have taken several steps to improve staff wellbeing and mental health support across our workforce, including the introduction of mental health first aiders; a Counselling and Trauma Service available to all staff; enhanced support for trainee firefighters; and dedicated officers to support operational staff who have attended a traumatic incident."In September 2024, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry concluded the fire was the result of "decades of failure" by government and the construction industry. The damning report said all 72 deaths had been avoidable and spelled out the wholly preventable failings that led to the tragedy.‌The long-awaited inquiry report laid bare the horror that unfolded inside the burning block of flats, as terrified residents were told to stay inside and wait for rescuers who never reached them.The report author Sir Martin Moore-Bick placed the blame for the disaster at the feet of successive governments that had pushed for less red tape in building regulations, construction firms behind highly flammable cladding and the local council, which let down survivors. He said victims, the bereaved and survivors were "badly failed" through incompetence, dishonesty and greed.The victims included 18 children and ranged in age from an unborn baby, who was stillborn after the disaster, to an 84-yearold woman. The report concluded that the victims were all most likely dead after inhaling toxic fumes from the blaze before the flames reached their homes.Article continues belowThe report went into harrowing detail on the deaths, including heart-rending final messages such as Saber Neda's "I hope I haven't disappointed you" to his brotherin-law and Mariem Elgwahry's last words on the phone to her son: "I can't breathe."Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick said they and all the victims were "badly failed" through "systemic dishonesty" and a "lack of competence, understanding and a fundamental failure to perform the most basic of duties of care".*Ricky is an ambassador for the The Gratitude Games, a UK multi-sport event celebrating NHS staff and emergency responders while raising funds for vital mental health support. For more information please visit www.gratitudegames.uk