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Fire engulfs Grenfell tower block in west London | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A huge fire has engulfed a tower block in Latimer Road, west London, with eyewitnesses claiming people are trapped in their homes. | |
The fire at Grenfell Tower on the Lancaster West Estate was reported at 01:16 BST and about 200 firefighters are tackling the blaze. | The fire at Grenfell Tower on the Lancaster West Estate was reported at 01:16 BST and about 200 firefighters are tackling the blaze. |
The Met Police said people were being treated for "a range of injuries". | |
The BBC's Andy Moore said the whole tower block was alight and there are fears the building might collapse. | The BBC's Andy Moore said the whole tower block was alight and there are fears the building might collapse. |
London Fire Brigade sent 40 fire engines to the tower. | |
'Covered in ash' | |
Eyewitnesses said they could see lights - thought to be torches - flashing at the top of the block of flats, which people say is "close to burning through". | |
George Clarke, the presenter of Channel 4 TV programme Amazing Spaces, told Radio 5 Live: "I'm getting covered in ash, that's how bad it is. | |
"I'm 100 metres away and I'm absolutely covered in ash. | "I'm 100 metres away and I'm absolutely covered in ash. |
"It's so heartbreaking, I've seen someone flashing their torches at the top level and they obviously can't get out." | "It's so heartbreaking, I've seen someone flashing their torches at the top level and they obviously can't get out." |
'Crumbling' | |
Tim Downey, another eyewitness, told the BBC part of the building was "completely burned away". | |
"It has burned through to its very core," he said. | |
"It looks very bad, very very bad. I've never seen anything like this. It's just such a big fire. | |
"The whole building is just crumbling. It's just billowing black smoke." |