The occupant of the flat in which the Grenfell Tower fire started must be exonerated from "sleazy accusations and hurtful innuendo" to stop "all the racist assumptions", his lawyer has told an inquiry into the tragedy.
Behailu Kebede suffered from increasing feelings of stress and trauma as a result of lies that were spread about him after the blaze, on top of trying to allay the feelings of guilt he had, Rajiv Menon QC said.
The aftermath of the fire, which broke out on the fourth floor, has affected him so negatively that he feels "terrified" about the prospect of giving oral evidence to the inquiry, Mr Menon added.
Appealing directly to the inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick, he said: "On a more personal note, Sir, Mr Kebede hopes that having heard all the evidence the inquiry will make a clear and unequivocal statement that Mr Kebede as absolutely blameless for the outbreak of the fire, its spread and its fatal consequences.
"This is vitally important. If the inquiry does not explicitly exonerate Mr Kebede, all these sleazy accusations and hurtful innuendo, all the racist assumptions and ignorance that currently prevail will continue unabated.
"The inquiry needs to set the record straight. The inquiry needs to change the narrative about Behailu Kebede. The inquiry needs to thank Mr Kebede for his prompt effort that he made on the night to contact the fire brigade, raise the alarm and warn his neighbours. Sitting on the fence in respect of Mr Kebede, with the greatest respect, will not do."
Sir Martin was forced to admonish several people who yelled their approval and then applauded Mr Kebede's lawyer as he spoke on the issue of racial discrimination.
Mr Menon had been supporting calls for the inquiry to consider whether racial or class discrimination played a role in the disaster when he was interrupted.
Sir Martin said: "This is the first occasion that someone has thought it right to try and interrupt proceedings.
"These proceedings have been conducted with a great deal of dignity and sensitivity and I expect it to continue in that way. I'm not willing to tolerate shouting, calling out or anything else from those in the room."
Despite this, Mr Menon was applauded at the close of his address, prompting Sir Martin to again urge the need for formality. He emphatically denied claims that Mr Kebede had packed a suitcase and fled the building.
Instead, he said he acted "quickly and instinctively", waking his flatmates and calling 999, but only got through to an operator after several attempts.
Mr Menon told the hearing: "He then banged on the doors of the five other flats on the fourth floor. He waited until somebody opened each door and again shouted 'Fire! Fire! Fire!'.
"Having warned all his neighbours on the fourth floor, Mr Kebede returned to flat 16, switched off the main electricity in the hallway and put on some trousers.
"He left his home for the very last time, shutting the front door behind him.
"All he had on his person were the clothes he was wearing and the mobile phone with which he was calling 999."
Video: How the Grenfell disaster unfolded
Mr Menon said Mr Kebede fled his flat barefoot without his wallet, flat keys and car keys.
He said: "He did not pack a suitcase and leave after raising the alarm, a nasty lie printed in the days after the fire and sadly continues to be peddled nearly a year later, most recently in a lengthy article called The Tower, published in the 7th June 18 issue of the London Review of Books.
"In short, Behailu Kebede did exactly what Grenfell Tower residents who discovered a fire in their flat were told to do by the fire action notice posted by the lifts."
The fourth-floor resident received a call from the police the following day and immediately assisted their inquiries.
Mr Menon said: "He had the most frightening, traumatic and shocking experience of his life. He didn't hesitate."
He continued: "It is important to stand against all the garbage that has been written... Mr Kebede is a significant witness in the police investigation, not a criminal suspect."
Mr Menon said: "His parents and children feel unsafe in his home and were forced to move out. The police were so concerned about Mr Kebede's safety that they suggested witness protection."
He has also suffered repercussions to his health - which were not outlined - but was said to be "terrified" at the prospect of giving evidence.
Mr Kebede's lawyer said: "He just wants to be given the opportunity to try and rebuild his life as best he can."
He had lived in the tower for decades, his first home since moving from Ethiopia, it was heard. "He was so happy to be given accommodation by the council."
But the refurbishment changed this - and Mr Kebede was concerned about work done on his windows.
It is suspected the fire broke out into the flammable exterior cladding through the gaps around the flat windows.
Mr Menon said: "Mr Kebede was not happy and no one he knew in the tower was happy.
"There were many problems and complaints. Mr Kebede personally had problems with incorrectly fitted double-glazed windows that left gaps between the frame and the concrete."
Many of his neighbours experienced electrical problems that were "apparently due to power surges", his lawyer said.
"What he never knew, however, was that a highly flammable fuel had been used to insulate and clad the exterior of the tower as part of the refurbishment."
Turning his attention to the Hotpoint fridge-freezer - where it was first thought the fire broke out - Mr Menon said there had been no prior issues.
He then set out seven points:
- Mr Kebede bought the fridge-freezer "brand new" more than five years before the fire.
- Other than when it needed defrosting, it "never caused him problems".
- The tenant "never had to get it repaired by anyone" nor did he try to do so himself.
- Speculation the fridge-freezer had been tampered with was "palpable nonsense".
- Whatever the cause or origin of the fire, it happened "accidentally and Mr Kebede bears no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for the fire, its spread or the dreadful consequences that followed".
- If the fire did begin in the fridge-freezer, this is "not uncommon".
- Research has shown that many popular fridge-freezer brands are more dangerous than realised.
Michael Mansfield QC, representing survivors and the bereaved, urged Sir Martin to make recommendations by the summer, instead of waiting to include it in a report.
The original target for the interim report was Easter, he said, but "that is gone by and we haven't even started evidence".
Mr Mansfield told the hearing that the public "don't have to wait for recommendations that are obvious", and "if it takes the usual course, the question of recommendations might not arise in part one" of the inquiry.
"If you are prepared to consider recommendations at a much earlier stage that in itself will encourage those who remain silent in relation to these events," he said to Sir Martin.
"For example, it might be possible by the summer for you to begin to indicate or actually make recommendations."