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| London tower block fire: Flames engulf Grenfell Tower | London tower block fire: Flames engulf Grenfell Tower |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A huge fire has raged through the night at a tower block in Latimer Road, west London, with eyewitnesses claiming people are trapped in their homes. | A huge fire has raged through the night at 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 00:54 BST and about 200 firefighters are still 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 had been alight and there were fears the building might collapse. | The BBC's Andy Moore said the whole tower block had been alight and there were fears the building might collapse. |
| BBC correspondent Simon Lederman said he understood "a significant number of people" were unaccounted for. | BBC correspondent Simon Lederman said he understood "a significant number of people" were unaccounted for. |
| Forty fire engines have been sent to the tower, and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said a "major incident" had been declared. | Forty fire engines have been sent to the tower, and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said a "major incident" had been declared. |
| At about 04:00 BST police said: "Residents continue to be evacuated from the tower block." | At about 04:00 BST police said: "Residents continue to be evacuated from the tower block." |
| Eyewitnesses said they have seen lights - thought to be mobile phones or torches - flashing at the top of the block of flats. | Eyewitnesses said they have seen lights - thought to be mobile phones or torches - flashing at the top of the block of flats. |
| Others says residents - thought to be trapped inside - have been seen coming to their windows. | Others says residents - thought to be trapped inside - have been seen coming to their windows. |
| An unmanned hydraulic platform has been shooting water at the side of the building at about the 10th floor. | An unmanned hydraulic platform has been shooting water at the side of the building at about the 10th floor. |
| Simon Lederman said firefighters had not been able to tackle the flames on higher storeys. | Simon Lederman said firefighters had not been able to tackle the flames on higher storeys. |
| He said the tower could be seen burning "from miles away", adding that the building had been "burning out of control", from the tenth floor onwards. | He said the tower could be seen burning "from miles away", adding that the building had been "burning out of control", from the tenth floor onwards. |
| Andy Moore added: "We've seen debris falling from the building, we've heard explosions, we've heard the sound of glass breaking. | Andy Moore 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 police keep pushing back their cordons, pushing back members of the public for fear the building might collapse." |
| London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner Dan Daly said firefighters were "working extremely hard in very difficult conditions to tackle this fire". | London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner Dan Daly said firefighters were "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." | "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. | London Ambulance Service medics specially trained in life-saving medical care in hazardous environments have also been sent to the fire. |
| The A40 Westway was closed in both directions. London Underground said the Hammersmith and City and Circle lines have been closed between Edgware Road and Hammersmith. | |
| Safety concerns | |
| According to Kensington and Chelsea Council, the tower block contains 120 flats and is 24 storeys high. | |
| It is managed by the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) on behalf of the council and had undergone a two-year, £10m refurbishment that was completed last year. | |
| The work included new exterior cladding and a communal heating system. | |
| The local Grenfell Action Group had claimed, before and during the refurbishment, the block constituted a fire risk and residents had warned that access to the site for emergency vehicles was "severely restricted". | |
| The BBC has been unable to contact the property's management company in the hours since 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. | 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." |
| Jody Martin said he ran towards the building to try and help when he saw the fire. | Jody Martin said he ran towards the building to try and help when he saw the fire. |
| He said he was shouting at people to "get out, get out" but that residents were shouting back that they were stuck as corridors inside the building were filled with smoke. | He said he was shouting at people to "get out, get out" but that residents were shouting back that they were stuck as corridors inside the building were filled with smoke. |
| 'Building crumbling' | 'Building crumbling' |
| Tim Downie, another eyewitness, told the BBC part of the building was "completely burned away". | 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." |
| Safiyah, 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. | Safiyah, 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." | "The entire building is burning through." |