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London fire: six dead, 20 in critical care after tower block blaze – latest updates London fire: six dead, 20 in critical care after tower block blaze – latest updates
(35 minutes later)
2.21pm BST
14:21
Manchester-based housing association Irwell Valley has written to its tenants to try to reassure them in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.
It points out that its tower blocks are compliant with fire safety legislation but as such they don’t have firm alarm systems. It will be arranging meetings for residents concerned about safety.
Important reassurances from @IrwellValley concerning fire safety at the Haughton Green tower blocks. pic.twitter.com/W4HjmHrNWG
2.13pm BST
14:13
Josh Halliday
The “stay put” policy (see earlier) has been a cornerstone of fire safety advice for housing blocks like Grenfell Tower since the 1950s.
The official guidance states that residents should only evacuate if their own flat is on fire – everyone else, generally, is safe to remain.
But that policy is expected to come under intense scrutiny after what fire industry experts called an “unprecedented” inferno that has so far claimed six lives, with the death toll expected to rise.
Darren Baird, a former senior fire safety officer at Greater Manchester Service and the managing director of Total Fire Services, said he expected the stay put policy to be reviewed for council blocks that have undergone major refurbishment work, like Grenfell Tower.
“I’ve been to hundreds of tower block fires and every one has been contained in the flat of origin. It very, very rarely spreads beyond even the room of origin,” he said.
“Our general advice would be that unless the fire is in your flat, stay put. Unless you’ve had refurbishment work that you’re unsure of, stay put. It’s been inherent and built into buildings and tower block designs since the 1950s.”
The stay put advice was reviewed following the Lakanal House fire, in south London, in which three women and three children died in July 2009.
The fire service was criticised at an inquest into the blaze for its lack of consistency in telling residents to stay put or get out, but a review of the policy determined that it should not be altered.
Baird, who advises seven major housing groups on fire safety, said the principles of the policy are based on flats that contain a fire for at least 60 minutes, sometimes up to three hours, before the fire service arrives.
However, he said this “60-minute box” principle goes out of the window if major refurbishment works have introduced defects.
“If it’s your flat that’s on fire you evacuate, if it’s not your flat then you’re ‘normally’ safe to remain where you are,” he said. “The thing that conflicts with that is if there’s been some refurbishment work done and that has altered that compartmentation.”
Baird said the major refurbishment of Grenfell Tower may have left the building “like swiss cheese”, full of holes that would accelerate the spread of the blaze.
“There’s evidence that the floors may have been reconfigured, heating systems may have gone in and external cladding has been fitted – that changes the parameters [of the advice to stay put],” he said.
Updated
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2.06pm BST
14:06
Residents in Grenfell Tower were repeatedly reassured about fire safety by their landlord, according to local councillor Judith Blakeman.
She told the Press Association that residents had expressed concerns about fire safety in the block “over several years” and have constantly been reassured by Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), which runs the council’s homes.
Blakeman said: “The residents have expressed concern over several years about the fire safety at the block and they’ve constantly been reassured, ‘No, it’s ok, your flat is secure for an hour unless you’re close to the fire. Stay in your flat and you’ll be rescued within the hour by the fire brigade.’
“The fire brigade have undertaken a recent inspection and said it’s OK, because the residents kept demanding it and we kept demanding it on behalf of the residents.
“Obviously I’ve raised these issues about Grenfell Tower at the board as well. It’s all, ‘Don’t worry, it’s ok.’
“We were told that in response to all concerns raised by residents they had invited the local fire station in to do a safety survey and they were content that everything was in order.”
Blakeman said KCTMO told her both its health and safety officers and the fire brigade had inspected the building and that everyone was “quite happy”.
She said: “But if the cladding was partly responsible for the fire we need to know what the specification for the cladding was and why it suddenly just went up [in flames] in about five minutes, because it should have been fire resistant, surely.”
Updated
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2.04pm BST
14:04
Alexandra Topping
Firefighters in their gear at the scene said they couldn’t speak freely but said they had been in the fire, rescuing residents. Some had used up four oxygen canisters, known as BA (breathing apparatus), going in and out of the flames. Cuts to the fire service had taken a serious toll on operations they said.
Put it this way, you’re meant to work on a fire for a maximum of four hours, we’ve been here for 12. Hopefully we’ll get home at some point before we have to come back tonight.
One firefighter said he’d never seen a fire like it.
And I hope I never do again. It would be unlucky to see this twice. It was surreal.
Updated
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2.02pm BST
14:02
Harriet Sherwood
At the Westway sports centre, a steady stream of people are carrying bags of donated supplies through the main entrance which has begun to resemble a refugee camp.
Mattresses are being laid in a sports hall ready for those made homeless by the fire.
Large numbers of volunteers are sorting through food and clothing, although staff are saying they are close to capacity. “It’s a good problem to have,” said one.
Esther Watts, 50, was at her home in an adjacent block of flats, Hurstway Walk, when she was woken in the early hours by her dog barking and someone banging on her door. She opened it to find a police officer saying: “Get out now, go now, there’s a fire.”
She sent her 12-year-old son Aidan ahead of her while she dressed and collected the dog, Rosie. She left her three cats in the flat. “I hope they’re still there,” she said.
Watts said she was worried about a friend who lives on the 18th floor of Grenfell Tower with her two young children, and another friend who lives on the 14th floor with her toddler son. She has not heard from either woman.
Justine Bell was also asleep in a friend’s flat in Grenfell Walk, 100 metres from the tower. She said she saw two children on about the 15th floor crying for help, and above them a rope made from bedsheets “like Rapunzel”.
When she started watching, the fire was relatively contained “but it spread so quickly”. She added: “I’m pretty traumatised.”
She is particularly worried about her friend, who has a mental illness and whose medication is in the flat. “We need to get some help,” she said.
Updated
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1.56pm BST
13:56
Peter Walker
Theresa May’s newly appointed chief of staff promised last year that the government would review fire safety regulations, but the changes have yet to be published.
Gavin Barwell, who was housing minister before losing his seat in last week’s general election, was swiftly made the prime minister’s new main aide, following the departure of the much-criticised Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy.
Following the massive and fast-spreading fire at Grenfell Tower in west London, in which at least six people have died, some fire safety experts have said that delays to the regulations could have made such tower blocks more deadly in a fire.
Barwell told the Commons in October that part B of the building regulations, which cover fire safety, would be reviewed as part of a process following a 2009 fire at a tower block.
The blaze at Lakanal House in Camberwell, south-east London, killed six people, with an inquest finding it spread because botched renovations compromised fire stopping between the flats.
“We have not set out any formal plans to review the building regulations as a whole, but we have publicly committed ourselves to reviewing part B following the Lakanal House fire,” Barwell said. However, since then his department has not published any review.
Dr Jim Glocking, technical director of the Fire Protection Association (FPA), an industry body, said his organisation had been pushing for a review of fire-related building regulations for some time (see earlier).
Updated
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1.53pm BST
13:53
Green party London assembly member Siân Berry has called for an inquiry into the fire and spoken of her alarm about claims that residents’ concerns about fire safety were ignored.
She said: “It is striking that there are still no central fire alarms and drills required for residential buildings compared with any office, and it appears that residents’ concerns were not addressed.”
.@sianberry's statement on the Grenfell Tower fire pic.twitter.com/iUzncODrJP
Updated
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1.43pm BST1.43pm BST
13:4313:43
Here’s the front page of the Evening Standard.Here’s the front page of the Evening Standard.
Here's our final edition @EveningStandard on this sad day pic.twitter.com/Dgk6kOsLW4Here's our final edition @EveningStandard on this sad day pic.twitter.com/Dgk6kOsLW4
The paper reports that a 12-year-old girl, Jessica Urbano, is among the missing.The paper reports that a 12-year-old girl, Jessica Urbano, is among the missing.
She phoned her mother from a fire escape at 1.39am but she has not been heard from since.She phoned her mother from a fire escape at 1.39am but she has not been heard from since.
1.35pm BST1.35pm BST
13:3513:35
Cladding review launchedCladding review launched
Robert BoothRobert Booth
Dozens of tower blocks from the 1960s and 1970s have been refurbished with new thermal cladding similar to that used on Grenfell House and a review of some of those installations is already underway, the Guardian understands. Dozens of tower blocks from the 1960s and 1970s have been refurbished with new thermal cladding similar to that used on Grenfell Tower and a review of some of those installations is already under way, the Guardian understands.
A construction industry source confirmed that professionals are examining multiple refurbishment projects in the wake of the fire. One architect, who has been responsible for several recladding projects but asked not to be named, said that the common rainscreen system used on Grenfell House is designed to include fire-breaks at every floor and around every window. A construction industry source confirmed that professionals were examining multiple refurbishment projects in the wake of the fire.
He said that if installed correctly, flames should not be able to sweep through the cavities behind the panels because fire retardant breaks are supposed to be installed at each floor and around each window.“The issue is the cavity between the existing wall and the rainscreen,” he said. “There needs to be firestops at every floor level and around every window.”It is not yet known what caused the fire or how it spread. Rydon, the contractor said it “met all required building control, fire regulation and health & safety standards”.The architect added that 1970s blocks like Grenfell feature “one escape stair which is not designed for a mass evacuation, but is designed for a small number of people to get out whose individual flats are on fire.”He said the “stay put” strategy which was in place at Grenfell, was intended to stop people getting hurt if a small number of flats were on fire.“The stay put strategy clearly wouldn’t work when the fire is roaring up outside the building,” he said. “That is a strategy that would lead to certain death in the circumstances of this fire.” One architect, who has been responsible for several re-cladding projects but asked not to be named, said that the common rainscreen system used on Grenfell Tower is designed to include fire-breaks at every floor and around every window.
He said that if installed correctly, flames should not be able to sweep through the cavities behind the panels because of the fire retardant breaks.
“The issue is the cavity between the existing wall and the rainscreen,” he said. “There needs to be firestops at every floor level and around every window.”
It is not yet known what caused the fire or how it spread. Rydon, the contractor said it “met all required building control, fire regulation and health and safety standards”.
The architect added that 1970s blocks such as Grenfell featured “one escape stair which is not designed for a mass evacuation, but is designed for a small number of people to get out whose individual flats are on fire”.
He said the “stay put” strategy which was in place at Grenfell was intended to stop people getting hurt if a small number of flats were on fire.
“The ‘stay put’ strategy clearly wouldn’t work when the fire is roaring up outside the building,” he said. “That is a strategy that would lead to certain death in the circumstances of this fire.”
Updated
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1.28pm BST1.28pm BST
13:2813:28
Sarah MarshSarah Marsh
People have been offering food, shelter and support to those affected by the Grenfell fire. Here are some of the ways you can help:People have been offering food, shelter and support to those affected by the Grenfell fire. Here are some of the ways you can help:
The Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund has just launched an emergency appeal to raise funds on behalf of residents of the Grenfell Tower. You can donate here.The Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund has just launched an emergency appeal to raise funds on behalf of residents of the Grenfell Tower. You can donate here.
Volunteers are calling for donations, including blankets, food, clothing and other essential items for those who have been affected. Westaway Sports Centre posted to call for donations on its Facebook page. Volunteers are calling for donations, including blankets, food, clothing and other essential items for those who have been affected. Westway Sports Centre posted to call for donations on its Facebook page.
You can also send donations to London restaurants Tredwells, The Gilbert Scott and Marcus Belgravia who are dropping off items Thursday and Friday.You can also send donations to London restaurants Tredwells, The Gilbert Scott and Marcus Belgravia who are dropping off items Thursday and Friday.
If you can't get over to W11 we'll be doing drops tomorrow & Friday pm - collections welcome @Tredwells @Thegilbertscott & @MarcusBelgravia https://t.co/Iylwo8Kp90If you can't get over to W11 we'll be doing drops tomorrow & Friday pm - collections welcome @Tredwells @Thegilbertscott & @MarcusBelgravia https://t.co/Iylwo8Kp90
Juliette Jowit adds:Juliette Jowit adds:
After one parent visited a centre for Grenfell residents who escaped the fire, a primary school in west London began what will surely be a widespread trend to collect items to help.After one parent visited a centre for Grenfell residents who escaped the fire, a primary school in west London began what will surely be a widespread trend to collect items to help.
Survivors who have lost all their possessions most need nappies, children’s toys and books, bedding, towels, toiletries - including sanitary products and loo roll - non perishable food and water, said St Mary’s and St Peter’s in Teddington.Survivors who have lost all their possessions most need nappies, children’s toys and books, bedding, towels, toiletries - including sanitary products and loo roll - non perishable food and water, said St Mary’s and St Peter’s in Teddington.
Updated
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1.23pm BST1.23pm BST
13:2313:23
Haroon SiddiqueHaroon Siddique
Friends are searching for a mother and daughter who are missing after the fire. Artist Khadija Saye, 24, who is currently showing her work in the Venice Biennale, was in her flat on the 20th floor, with her mother, Mary Mendy, who is thought to be in her 50s. Friends are searching for a mother and daughter who are missing after the fire.
Artist Khadija Saye, 24, who is currently showing her work in the Venice Biennale, was in her flat on the 20th floor, with her mother, Mary Mendy, who is thought to be in her 50s.
Tottenham MP David Lammy tweeted for help in tracing his “dear friend” Saye:Tottenham MP David Lammy tweeted for help in tracing his “dear friend” Saye:
If you have any information about Khadija Saye pls contact me. She is our dear friend, a beautiful soul and emerging artist. #GrenfellTower pic.twitter.com/quSP6PtD7VIf you have any information about Khadija Saye pls contact me. She is our dear friend, a beautiful soul and emerging artist. #GrenfellTower pic.twitter.com/quSP6PtD7V
Lammy’s wife, artist Nicola Green, said: Lammy’s wife, the artist Nicola Green, said:
We’re desperately trying to communicate with all the hospitals. We’re told some people have been rescued up to the 19th and 20th floor. She was on the 20th floor. Nobody has any information at this point.We’re desperately trying to communicate with all the hospitals. We’re told some people have been rescued up to the 19th and 20th floor. She was on the 20th floor. Nobody has any information at this point.
Green said Saye was last heard from at 3am when she was direct messaging from her flat, as her phone was not working.Green said Saye was last heard from at 3am when she was direct messaging from her flat, as her phone was not working.
She was on Facebook saying she was unable to get out of the flat, that the smoke was so thick. She was saying she just can’t get out and ‘Please pray for me. There’s a fire in my council block. I can’t leave the flat. Please pray for me and my mum.’ She was on Facebook saying she was unable to get out of the flat, that the smoke was so thick. She was saying she just can’t get out and, ‘Please pray for me. There’s a fire in my council block. I can’t leave the flat. Please pray for me and my mum.’
At one point she said she’d just tried to leave again and said it was impossible. She said she felt like she was going to faint. Someone asked ‘Did you try going down low with towels?’ She said ‘Yes, it’s in my room’. I’m assuming she meant the smoke. At one point she said she’d just tried to leave again and said it was impossible. She said she felt like she was going to faint. Someone asked, ‘Did you try going down low with towels?’ She said ‘Yes, it’s in my room.’ I’m assuming she meant the smoke.
Green who has her friend and fellow artist for four years, said:Green who has her friend and fellow artist for four years, said:
We are all praying for her. She’s got artists and friends and colleagues all praying for her... She’s got a huge career ahead of her. She’s received an enormous amount of attention in her first major exhibition. She’s an incredible, amazing, soulful artist. We are all praying for her. She’s got artists and friends and colleagues all praying for her … She’s got a huge career ahead of her. She’s received an enormous amount of attention in her first major exhibition. She’s an incredible, amazing, soulful artist.
UpdatedUpdated
at 1.24pm BST at 2.06pm BST
1.16pm BST1.16pm BST
13:1613:16
Peter WalkerPeter Walker
A leading fire safety official has told the Guardian that his organisation has warned ministers for years that building regulations connected to fire needed to be improved, but that reviews were repeatedly delayed.A leading fire safety official has told the Guardian that his organisation has warned ministers for years that building regulations connected to fire needed to be improved, but that reviews were repeatedly delayed.
Dr Jim Glocking, technical director of the Fire Protection Association (FPA), an industry body which carries out tests on fire safety issues, among other things, said a major issues was that insulation underneath cladding on the outside of tower blocks did not need to be fireproof. Dr Jim Glocking, technical director of the Fire Protection Association (FPA), an industry body which carries out tests on fire safety issues, among other things, said a major issue was that insulation underneath cladding on the outside of tower blocks did not need to be fireproof.
Glocking said that while he did not know the situation at Grenfell Tower, the rapid spread of the blaze indicated thus could be the case. Glocking said that while he did not know the situation at Grenfell Tower, the rapid spread of the blaze indicated this could be the case.
He said the association had received increasing numbers of reports about insulation on the outside of buildings catching light.He said the association had received increasing numbers of reports about insulation on the outside of buildings catching light.
“They can be slapping on up to 300mm deep of polystyrene on the outside of the building,” he said. “It can be very significant. I have no knowledge of what happened in this particular case.”“They can be slapping on up to 300mm deep of polystyrene on the outside of the building,” he said. “It can be very significant. I have no knowledge of what happened in this particular case.”
Laboratory tests on such cladding carried out by the FPA “found that there was scope for really large-scale fire spread under certain circumstances”, he said.Laboratory tests on such cladding carried out by the FPA “found that there was scope for really large-scale fire spread under certain circumstances”, he said.
“The problem with external fire spread is that, obviously, the external envelope is the communicating feature of all areas of the building. It does offer scope for very rapid and large-scale fire spread, on a scale that was unheard of, but we’re starting to hear more of, certainly around the world.”“The problem with external fire spread is that, obviously, the external envelope is the communicating feature of all areas of the building. It does offer scope for very rapid and large-scale fire spread, on a scale that was unheard of, but we’re starting to hear more of, certainly around the world.”
Glocking said that while having windows open in summer would increase the spread of fire into flats, FPA laboratory tests had show it could also happen via external wall pipes to bathrooms or kitchens. Glocking said that while having windows open in summer would increase the spread of fire into flats, FPA laboratory tests had shown it could also happen via external wall pipes to bathrooms or kitchens.
He added: “think the inexcusable element here is that with cladding or insulation there are choices. There will be a perfectly good non-combustible choice that can be made, but somebody is not making those calls.” He added: “I think the inexcusable element here is that with cladding or insulation there are choices. There will be a perfectly good non-combustible choice that can be made, but somebody is not making those calls.”
The FPA had “lobbied long and hard” for building regulations on the issue to be changed, but nothing had happened, Glocking said: “Various ministers have said over the years that there will be an imminent review, but it keeps being put on hold, in spite of organisations like ourselves campaigning very hard.”The FPA had “lobbied long and hard” for building regulations on the issue to be changed, but nothing had happened, Glocking said: “Various ministers have said over the years that there will be an imminent review, but it keeps being put on hold, in spite of organisations like ourselves campaigning very hard.”
I asked Glocking if the FPA’s message to government had been that if nothing was done then there could be a very major incident. I asked Glocking if the FPA’s message to the government had been that if nothing was done then there could be a very major incident.
He replied: “Sadly, that is very much the case.”He replied: “Sadly, that is very much the case.”
UpdatedUpdated
at 1.18pm BST at 2.13pm BST
1.14pm BST1.14pm BST
13:1413:14
Haroon SiddiqueHaroon Siddique
This is what we know so far:This is what we know so far:
UpdatedUpdated
at 1.18pm BSTat 1.18pm BST
1.12pm BST1.12pm BST
13:1213:12
Harriet SherwoodHarriet Sherwood
The Lancaster community centre was overwhelmed with donations by midday.Volunteers ferried crates of water, food and other essentials from a stream of cars queuing outside.Workers at the centre appealed for donations by putting posters on their gates but by noon the signs had been replaced with notices saying: “Unfortunately we cannot accept any more donations of clothes as we have no room”.Inside the centre, tables were piled with baby food, nappies, toiletries and sandwiches. A separate room was crammed with clothing.“The community has really come together,” said one of the centre’s workers. “Local businesses are donating money and supplies. The response is amazing.” The Lancaster community centre was overwhelmed with donations by midday.
1.09pm BST Volunteers ferried crates of water, food and other essentials from a stream of cars queueing outside.
13:09 Workers at the centre appealed for donations by putting posters on their gates but by noon the signs had been replaced with notices saying: “Unfortunately we cannot accept any more donations of clothes as we have no room.”Inside the centre, tables were piled with baby food, nappies, toiletries and sandwiches. A separate room was crammed with clothing.“The community has really come together,” said one of the centre’s workers. “Local businesses are donating money and supplies. The response is amazing.”
Holly Watt
According to the annual accounts of Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), the group has focused on developing new homes from unused spaces across the borough.
The most recent accounts stated that the £10m Grenfell Tower refurbishment had created new accommodation from “unused spaces” in the building. This created nine “much needed new homes, all providing a good level of accessibility for disabled people.”
KCTMO took over the management of the homes of tenants and leaseholders from Kensington and Chelsea council in April 1996.
1.08pm BST
13:08
Alexandra Topping
Throughout the morning at St Clement’s church, evacuated residents ofGrenfell Tower and surrounding buildings gathered, many in tears. Somehugged and clung onto each other, others huddled in silence and shock.Amanda Fernandez, 31, who runs local art organisation FerArts, wasnervously waiting for news of numerous friends who lived in GrenfellTower.
I went to primary school just here, I probably know someone
living on each floor, some I probably know everyone on the floor. This is a very very tight community, people have been here for generations - it’s tragic.
Fernandez, who lives on nearby Barandon walk, said she heard sirensaround midnight. Told by her mother that there was a fire, she rushedto the scene as her cousins live in a building at the base of thetower and got there about 12.45am. She managed to contact them and theyand their children had run out of the house wearing only the clotheson their backs.
At that point it looked like there was a string of fire along the stairwell, at that point it looked containable we thought. We were just watching, thinking ‘someone is going to stop it soon’. There’s been fires in that tower before but it’s never escalated like that before. There are these new panels on it, I don’t know what they were made of but it smelt like plastic.
When [the fire] got outside [the building, it] was literally so rapid, like when a hair catches fire. First one side went, then another. Then you are just counting the floors, you can see people hanging out of the windows. And the screams, the constant screams.
Amanda Fernandez, 31: "First one side went, then another[..] you can see people hanging out of windows. And the screams, constant screams." pic.twitter.com/7Qv2M9r9tt
Saimir Iieshi, 39, a painter and decorator came to the UK as a refugeefrom Albania in 1997 and also lives on Barandon Walk. He watched inhorror from his balcony as the tower went up in flames, telling histwo sons to go inside.
I didn’t want them to see what I saw. I said there had been a fire but the police had evacuated everybody. I tried to protect them but they could hear the people.
I could hear people shouting: ‘Please, I have got kids, please save my kids’. It makes you feel useless. You hear that, you have children and it makes you feel so weak, it makes you feel like nothing.
1.06pm BST
13:06
Haroon Siddique
The London fire commissioner, Dany Cotton, said, thankfully, firefighters, have suffered only “minor injuries”.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the cause of the fire but added:
If there are mistakes made, we want to make sure we learn [from] them.
1.02pm BST
13:02
Haroon Siddique
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is at the scene. He says his thoughts and prayers are with with the victims and their friends and families.
He says there are concerns people are still on the premises.
Khan praises the emergency services for “running towards the fire”.
Dany Cotton, the London fire commissioner, says firefighters “continue to work tirelessly”. She adds:
This will of course be subject to a major speculation but at this moment we do not want to speculate about the cause of the fire or the fire spread.
Cotton says these questions will be answered in time. She expects firefighters to be at the scene for the next 24 hours.
12.46pm BST
12:46
The Met police commander Stuart Cundy has confirmed that at least six people were killed in the fire. “I anticipate that the number of fatalities will sadly rise,” he told reporters.
He said he could not confirm how many people were missing. “There may be people in that building who are as yet unaccounted for,” he said.
Cundy confirmed that the building was considered structurally sound after advice from structural engineers.
UpdatedUpdated
at 12.52pm BST at 2.14pm BST
12.37pm BST
12:37
74 people injured
NHS England has released a new update to say 74 patients are being treated in London hospitals and 20 are in critical care.
Here’s the breakdown:
There have been six fatalities.
A total of 74 patients are being treated in London hospitals.
64 of these patients were treated at the scene by ambulance crews and taken to hospital for further treatment. The remainder made their own way.
20 are in critical care.
The six hospitals that have received patients are the Royal Free, King’s College, St Mary’s, Chelsea and Westminster, Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Charing Cross.
Updated
at 12.53pm BST
12.32pm BST
12:32
PM 'deeply saddened'
No 10 says Theresa May is “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in Grenfell Tower”.
The prime minister has called for a meeting of the civil contingencies secretariat at 4pm.
Number 10 statement on the Grenfell Tower fire: pic.twitter.com/Pbxlmp5ToO
Updated
at 12.53pm BST
12.29pm BST
12:29
The police and fire minister Nick Hurd has expressed his condolences to the families affected and thanks to the emergency services. In a statement, he said:
My thoughts are with the residents and families of everyone caught up in this dreadful event. London fire brigade and the Metropolitan police have confirmed there have been fatalities and I extend my condolences to their loved ones.
The search and rescue operation is still going on and I wish to commend the brave actions of firefighters and other emergency responders who arrived at the scene within minutes and have been at the scene throughout the night.
I should like to stress that this is an ongoing incident and I would urge anyone in the area to stay away from the scene and follow the directions of the emergency services.
Updated
at 12.54pm BST
12.26pm BST
12:26
Contractors said refurbishment met fire regulations
Rydon, the contractors who carried out the £9.7m refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, insisted it met fire and health and safety standards.
In a statement it said:
We are shocked to hear of the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower and our immediate thoughts are with those that have been affected by the incident, their families, relatives and friends.
Rydon completed a refurbishment of the building in the summer of 2016 for KCTMO (Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation) on behalf of the council, which met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards. We will cooperate with the relevant authorities and emergency services and fully support their inquiries into the causes of this fire at the appropriate time.
Given the ongoing nature of the incident and the tragic events overnight, it would be inappropriate for us to speculate or comment further at this stage.
Updated
at 12.55pm BST
12.23pm BST
12:23
Holly Watt
Christopher Miers, an architect and the founder of the construction dispute resolution group Probyn Miers, said he was surprised how fast the Grenfell Tower blaze had spread.
He said the panels on the outside of the building should not have been able to catch fire, and fire compartmentation and firebreaks should also have stopped the spread of flames. He said:
Nowadays, in the UK, we don’t use materials with this degree of combustibility. They are sandwich panels which are two sheets of aluminium with a core, and the core can be made of different materials. In other parts of the world, in the Middle East and in China, the core material was still being made of combustible plastic product, but that is no longer permitted and has not been permitted in the UK for a long time. The panels are not likely to have a combustible element to them. It’s much more likely that the fire spread is not the panels themselves, but it’s more likely to have spread by other means.
Miers said Grenfell Tower appeared to have undergone fairly standard renovations: “The exterior of this building was clad in a rainscreen cladding system. What you see on the outside are aluminium composite panels. Behind that there is a void, to allow air to circulate, and behind that again is normally insulation.”
Miers said the renovation would have been carried out to improve the insulation of the building.
There are very specific regulations which limit the combustibility of the materials. Once a building is over 18 metres, all the materials in the exterior have to be of limited combustibility. One would expect that we will find that the exterior walling itself is not what we would think of as combustible. Having said that, most materials in intense fires can ultimately can show some degree of burning. Even when we think of material as of limited combustibility, in certain extreme situations, it can still burn.
Updated
at 12.57pm BST