Dear Ed, I OFFER my sincere condolences to the Vickers family in Bethnal Green. Our very own MP for Poplar should hang his head in shame as an ex-fireman—he knows more than anyone the need to have an efficiently-managed fire service

Dear Ed,

I START this letter offering my sincere condolences to the Vickers family in Bethnal Green (Arson kills teenager and her gran, Advertiser Website, February 25).

I can only say the greed of becoming a politician far outweighs the representation of the constituents’ fire crews (Bethnal Green’s fire cover reduced to half by cuts three years ago).

Our very own Jim Fitzpatrick (junior Government minister and MP for Poplar) should hang his head in shame as an ex-fireman—he knows more than anyone the need to have an efficiently-managed fire service. He was very silent in the firemen's fight in 2002 for extra pay. I hope as an ex-politician in Tower Hamlets he has sleepless nights over this tragic incident on February 22, but doubt it.

The cutbacks in 2005 could possibly be contribute to the deaths of two members of this family. How many more must there be for the powers that be to realise cutbacks play with people’s lives?

Unfortunately, the Westminster gravy train’ is more appealing to some.

Karon Goldman

Bethnal Green

(address supplied)

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EDITOR: The one Bethnal Green fire crew on duty that night could have reached the blaze in two minutes, say local firefighters, but was on call elsewhere. First crew arriving was from Bow in five or six minutes. Opponents to the cuts say minutes and even seconds were vital in trying to rescue the two who died.