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Fire engulfs Grenfell tower block in west London | 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. | 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 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. |
At about 04:00 BST police said: "Residents continue to be evacuated from the tower block." | |
London Fire Brigade sent 40 fire engines to the tower. | London Fire Brigade sent 40 fire engines to the tower. |
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said a "major incident" had been declared at Grenfell Tower. | |
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". | 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". |
Our correspondent added: "We've seen debris falling from the building, we've heard explosions, we've heard the sound of glass breaking. | |
"The police keep pushing back their cordons, pushing back members of the public for fear the building might collapse." | |
The BBC's Simon Lederman said the tower could be seen burning "from miles away". | |
'Covered in ash' | |
He said the building was "burning out of control", from the tenth floor onwards. | |
London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner Dan Daly said firefighters are "working extremely hard in very difficult conditions to tackle this fire". | |
"This is a large and very serious incident and we have deployed numerous resources and specialist appliances." | |
London Ambulance Service medics specially trained in life-saving medical care in hazardous environments have also been sent to the fire. | |
One eyewitness, 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." |
'Building crumbling' | |
Tim Downie, another eyewitness, told the BBC part of the building was "completely burned away". | |
"It has burned through to its very core," he said. | "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. | "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." | "The whole building is just crumbling. It's just billowing black smoke." |
Sophia, who is about 500m away from the building, said: "There are lots of people gathered in the street. I just see more and more flames burning and tragically I hear people crying for help. | |
"The entire building is burning through." |