A HERO firefighter who risked his life battling his way up Grenfell Tower as the inferno raged has said the screams he heard will haunt him forever.
Leon Whitley, 34, climbed to the 15th floor of the burning building despite fearing it could collapse like the World Trade Center on 9/11.
But he said: “I’d want someone to go in and rescue my son, so that’s what I did.”
His dramatic account came as search and rescue teams finally reached the roof of the tower — more than two days after the fire ripped through the building.
But large areas remain unsearched due to safety fears, with some small fires still breaking out.
The confirmed death toll has risen to 30, but Leon fears it will eventually exceed 100.
He arrived at the scene in West London at 1.45am and was ordered to go with his partner to floor 15.
The dad of one said: “It was reminiscent of the Twin Towers.
“Those things go through your mind while you’re in there.
“We all know how that building collapsed. I thought, ‘We might not make it out this one’
“I usually walk into fires very cautious but not scared.
“That was the first time I was scared.
“You start thinking about your family and loved ones, but at the same time you get stuck in because you’ve got a duty to help people.”
Once inside and moving from floor to floor, Leon said the scene was like nothing he had experienced, adding: “It was hellish. I can still hear the screams now. It feels like a dream.
“It was crazy.
Grenfell Tower Fire Disaster Stories
“The screams were coming from all directions.
“I don’t think I will ever forget them.
“The screams were horrifying because you knew everyone needed help but you couldn’t see them.”
The upper floors of Grenfell Tower had remained out of bounds since the fire began in the early hours of Wednesday until today.
Met Police commander Stuart Cundy said: “The building itself is in a very hazardous state.
“It is going to take a period of time for specialists to fully search that building to make sure we locate and recover everybody that has sadly perished in that fire.
“We will be doing that as swiftly as we can.”
The bodies of 12 victims have been taken to the mortuary but “a number” remain in the tower, officials said.
