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London fire: Twelve confirmed dead but police expect further fatalities after tower block blaze – latest updates London fire: Twelve confirmed dead but police expect further fatalities after tower block blaze – latest updates
(35 minutes later)
9.06pm BST
21:06
Lisa O'Carroll
The absence of the council on the street as hundreds of families were homeless was concerning, said Judith Bakeman, a Labour councillor at Kensington and Chelsea. “There’s been so many cuts, there aren’t enough people to deal with this.”
Referring to Notting Hill Methodist church’s Rev Mike Long, she said: “Mike has been running this centre giving people food and water all day and not a single person from the council has been here.”
As we spoke, a volunteer from the Harrow Club and Latimer AP Academy came to tell the councillor she had 138 beds available. He said that no one official had been to the centre and he didn’t know what to do with that information.
Updated
at 9.07pm BST
9.04pm BST
21:04
Dozens of people have gathered for a vigil in the shadow of the Grenfell Tower.
Many were moved to tears after a moment of silent contemplation outside the Notting Hill Methodist Church in west London.
The Rev Mike Long invited those present to light candles to place on the steps of the church on Wednesday evening. He then played Amazing Grace on his flute as members of the crowd sang along. He said:
There are times when all the words we can say are not adequate and sometimes words fail us because no words can do justice to how we feel, or what we have seen or what has happened. Today is one of those days.
What we can simply do is look to all that we have seen today which is good, which is fabulous – people getting together.
Let light triumph over all that is rotten, that is desperate and that defies our understanding.
Updated
at 9.07pm BST
9.00pm BST
21:00
Here’s the full text of a statement from the prime minister:
I have just received the latest update on the appalling tragedy at Grenfell Tower. Twelve people have been confirmed dead in this terrible fire that has taken place, and sadly, the police expect that number to rise further.
My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all of those who had their homes destroyed. It’s impossible to comprehend the horror of what they’ve been going through.
The response of people living nearby, who have provided help, compassion and support has I think, once again, shown the fantastic spirit of London.
Earlier today, I ordered a cross-government meeting to ensure that every assistance was being given to manage the emergency service response, and that group will meet again tomorrow.
Once again, our emergency services – the fire service, ambulance, NHS and police - have shown incredible bravery, working in truly appalling conditions.
Their work will continue for some time, and I know everybody will want to join me in thanking them for their amazing bravery.
Many people will be working around the clock in the NHS to treat those who have been injured, and working elsewhere to provide help and support to those who have no home to return to.
Of course, once the scene is secure, once the recovery is complete, then an investigation will take place into the cause of the fire and if there are any lessons to be learned.
Until then, our focus must be on ensuring that the emergency services have what they need to continue with their harrowing work, and that help and support is being provided to all those who have suffered as a result of this tragedy.
8.47pm BST
20:47
May promised a “proper investigation”, that any possible lessons would be learned, and “action will be taken”.
She paid tribute to the efforts of the emergency services and said support should be given to the hundreds affected by the fire.
Asked about what action was taken to prevent such an incident – and what other action should have been – she said:
There are people tonight who have no home to go to, they have lost absolutely everything, so our focus must be on support to them.
In due course, when the scene is secure, when it’s possible to identify the cause of this fire, then of course there will be proper investigation and if there are any lessons to be learnt they will be, and action will be taken.
Updated
at 9.07pm BST
8.39pm BST8.39pm BST
20:3920:39
The prime minister, Theresa May, is speaking to reporters now. She has been asked about why checks on buildings undergoing refurbishment work have not already been carried out and whether the government has put in place sufficient safeguards. She says the focus is on dealing with the immediate problems people affected by the fire are facing.The prime minister, Theresa May, is speaking to reporters now. She has been asked about why checks on buildings undergoing refurbishment work have not already been carried out and whether the government has put in place sufficient safeguards. She says the focus is on dealing with the immediate problems people affected by the fire are facing.
8.27pm BST8.27pm BST
20:2720:27
GPs across north-west and north-central London have been asked to come forward to help manage the response to the fire, the London Central and West Unscheduled Care Collaborative has said.GPs across north-west and north-central London have been asked to come forward to help manage the response to the fire, the London Central and West Unscheduled Care Collaborative has said.
8.25pm BST8.25pm BST
20:2520:25
Lisa O'CarrollLisa O'Carroll
London Fire Brigade has confirmed it is using a drone to enter the upper floors of the building to assess the damage and potential further fatalities.London Fire Brigade has confirmed it is using a drone to enter the upper floors of the building to assess the damage and potential further fatalities.
The unmanned device could be seen flying into the gutted apartments on Wednesday evening, with footage being transmitted back beaming pictures of the wreckage back to firefighters on the ground.The unmanned device could be seen flying into the gutted apartments on Wednesday evening, with footage being transmitted back beaming pictures of the wreckage back to firefighters on the ground.
As the sun set, the block was still smouldering with a see-through building frame all that was left in parts of the upper floors. Flames could still be seen burning on at least one floor at 6pm.As the sun set, the block was still smouldering with a see-through building frame all that was left in parts of the upper floors. Flames could still be seen burning on at least one floor at 6pm.
London Fire Brigade confirmed that it was using the drone for “observation purposes”.London Fire Brigade confirmed that it was using the drone for “observation purposes”.
UpdatedUpdated
at 8.26pm BSTat 8.26pm BST
8.23pm BST8.23pm BST
20:2320:23
Lisa O'CarrollLisa O'Carroll
Besides the 44 families already being temporarily housed in hotels, the local council said it would be placing people either in the Westway sports centre, where emergency accommodation centre for 300 has been established, or in other hotels.Besides the 44 families already being temporarily housed in hotels, the local council said it would be placing people either in the Westway sports centre, where emergency accommodation centre for 300 has been established, or in other hotels.
8.07pm BST8.07pm BST
20:0720:07
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, says the response from the community had been an “extraordinary sight”. He told the BBC:The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, says the response from the community had been an “extraordinary sight”. He told the BBC:
As we’ve seen, and we saw in Manchester as well of course, is just everyone coming together when there is a tragedy on this scale. And just outpouring of the most extraordinary love and generosity and people just getting stuck in – putting their own interests aside. It’s just incredible.As we’ve seen, and we saw in Manchester as well of course, is just everyone coming together when there is a tragedy on this scale. And just outpouring of the most extraordinary love and generosity and people just getting stuck in – putting their own interests aside. It’s just incredible.
UpdatedUpdated
at 8.10pm BSTat 8.10pm BST
7.49pm BST7.49pm BST
19:4919:49
I was in bed asleep when my phone rang at 2.39am with an automated message from the King’s switchboard. It just said ‘major incident declared, King’s is a receiving hospital’, the same as it did after the Westminster Bridge and London Bridge terror attacks. My first fear was: is this another terror incident? Oh God, what’s happened this time? But my wife quickly told me from looking at the BBC News website on her phone that it wasn’t that; it was a major fire.I was in bed asleep when my phone rang at 2.39am with an automated message from the King’s switchboard. It just said ‘major incident declared, King’s is a receiving hospital’, the same as it did after the Westminster Bridge and London Bridge terror attacks. My first fear was: is this another terror incident? Oh God, what’s happened this time? But my wife quickly told me from looking at the BBC News website on her phone that it wasn’t that; it was a major fire.
Dr Malcolm Tunnicliff, the clinical director for emergency and acute care, tells Denis Campbell how south London’s King’s College hospital dealt with 12 casualties from the fire.Dr Malcolm Tunnicliff, the clinical director for emergency and acute care, tells Denis Campbell how south London’s King’s College hospital dealt with 12 casualties from the fire.
7.22pm BST
19:22
Emergency accommodation has been provided to 44 of the households affected by the fire, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council has said. Families with young children, elderly residents and those who are vulnerable have been given “immediate priority”.
The authority said it was helping anyone who needed emergency accommodation and had offered “financial assistance to cover their immediate needs”, adding that housing officers would work through the night to provide support.
People unable to return to their homes will be offered emergency accommodation at Westway Sports Centre in Crowthorne Road, north Kensington.
The council’s leader, Nick Paget-Brown, said:
This is a terrible day for Kensington and Chelsea and we are doing all we can to support the victims and their families. At present all our focus has to be on supporting the rescue and relief operation. But the cause of the fire will need to be fully investigated and we will keep people informed.
A council spokesman also thanked people who made “generous donations of food, clothing and other items”, but added: “We would ask you to please hold off for now as we have been inundated with useful items. When we need donations again we will update via our website and social media”.
A casualty bureau has been set up with the number 0800 0961 233, while residents displaced by fire have been asked to call 020 7361 3008. Volunteers who wish to help with the support effort can contact 020 7361 3008.
Updated
at 7.30pm BST
7.18pm BST
19:18
Robert Black, the chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea tenant management organisation (TMO), which manages Grenfell Tower, has said he is devastated by observations that the cladding on the tower may have added to the speed and intensity at which the fire spread.
He told ITV News London:
We had no expectation this would happen, we are absolutely devastated by it. And we are trying to work out – now at this stage I can listen to what people say but I don’t have any information and therefore it’s really difficult for me to comment.
We will be working with the fire brigade and the police and as you can imagine their ongoing investigation isn’t even finished yet.
Asked whether it was the TMO’s responsibility to keep people safe he responded: “Absolutely”. He added:
It’s a huge responsibility [to keep people safe] which we take seriously – what I have to work out now, along with the investigation, and find out what happened - is everything we have done is in line with the building controls laid down.
Updated
at 7.45pm BST
7.04pm BST
19:04
My colleague, Lisa O’Carroll, is at the scene of the fire and has details on what people there are saying they still need:
Truly shocking sight. Debris still falling from the sky. Lumps of Blackened styrofoam everywhere that turns to powder underfoot pic.twitter.com/6CvJMtptsk
#GrenfellTower pic.twitter.com/ykCdE0U327
6.53pm BST
18:53
More than £100,000 has been pledged to a series of appeals launched to help the people affected by the tower block fire, a crowdfunding website says. The campaigns on GoFundMe can be viewed here.
6.46pm BST
18:46
The British prime minister, Theresa May, has released a statement after the fire:
‪I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life at Grenfell Tower. My thoughts are with all those affected and the emergency services.‬
Updated
at 6.57pm BST
6.33pm BST
18:33
Haroon Siddique
Here’s what we know so far about the Grenfell Tower fire:
6.30pm BST
18:30
Following a meeting of the government’s Civil Contingencies Secretariat, the policing and fire minister, Nick Hurd, refused to be drawn on reports that ministers had been warned that building regulations were in urgent need of updating.
I hope people will understand that the priority of the government at the moment is to manage the emergency response, to deal with the security, to deal with lives to be saved, lives to be rebuilt, and to make sure that we have got the support in place for this emergency response.
That will then move into recovery phase and then we will move into a phase where we seek to answer the questions that people quite understandably have, so we really understand what happened here, what went wrong, so we don’t find ourselves in this situation, because I don’t think that anybody wants to go through another night like last night.
Hurd said that whatever resources were needed to deal with the situation would be made available.
Everyone I have spoken to on the frontline - the fire, the police, the ambulance services - resources have not been the issue. People arrived very quickly in good numbers and with the right equipment to deal with an unprecedented situation last night.
The government is absolutely determined to make sure we are there to support the emergency and support services but also the people who have been caught up in this tragedy.
6.23pm BST
18:23
Lisa O'Carroll
The Westway sports centre, near the tower, has been converted into an enormous emergency shelter following the Grenfell disaster.
Alex Russell, the director of communications for the Westway trust, the charity behind the centre, said they could accommodate 300 people tonight. The basement sports hall was covered with hundreds of airbeds, mattresses and duvets donated by local people from early this morning. Russell, speaking as the acrid smell from the still-smouldering 24-floor charred shell hung in the air, said:
We have been told to expect people not from the Grenfall Tower but the houses around the area that had to be evacuated. We are expecting several hundred and are welcoming people from now.
The reception area was full of tables full of donated essentials including bread, water, milk, cereals and other food.
The Westway operation swung into action independently of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said Russell.
The trust owns the land here and this morning we just thought we have an opportunity to help and the gym is a large, very safe place.
Updated
at 6.35pm BST
6.19pm BST
18:19
Housing activists have called the tower block fire a tragedy that was the result of a “combination of government cuts, local authority mismanagement, and sheer contempt for council tenants and the homes they live in”.
The statement was released by a network that counts among its members the Grenfell Action Group, which had warned about the danger of such a tragedy and claimed the local council was ignoring its concerns.
The statement from the London-wide Radical Housing Network demanded that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea offered Grenfell residents “secure, long-term local housing”.
The fire at Grenfell is a horrific, preventable tragedy for which authorities and politicians must be held to account. Grenfell’s council tenants are not second-class citizens – yet they are facing a disaster unimaginable in Kensington’s richer neighbourhoods.
This government, and many before it, have neglected council housing and disregarded its tenants as if they were second class. Nationally and locally, politicians have subjected public housing to decades of systematic disinvestment – leaving properties in a state of disrepair, and open to privatisation. Regeneration, when it has come, has been for the benefit of developers and buy-to-let landlords, who profit from the new luxury flats built in place of affordable homes. Across London, regeneration has meant evictions, poor quality building work, and has given tenants little meaningful influence over the future of their estates.
The chronic underinvestment in council housing and contempt for tenants must stop. It is an outrage that in 21st-century Britain, authorities cannot be trusted to provide safe housing, and that people in council properties cannot put children safely to bed at night.
The group also called for Gavin Barwell to resign as Theresa May’s chief of staff after he was accused of sitting on a report warning about the dangers of fire in high-rise blocks during his time as housing minister.
We support demands for a public inquiry into this disaster – there must be justice for Grenfell. We call for the immediate resignation of Gavin Barwell, Theresa May’s chief of staff, alongside anyone else whose negligence has contributed to this tragedy.
All Grenfell Tower residents must be offered secure, long-term local housing by RBKC, and the estate must be fully rebuilt so that no social housing is lost – this should not be an opportunity for the council to privatise homes, or for someone to make a quick buck.
Updated
at 6.23pm BST
5.58pm BST
17:58
Harriet Sherwood
Tensions have erupted in clashes with the police outside the Rugby Portobello trust, which is acting as a centre for dispossessed people.
The road outside the club was packed with people, some in tears and some wailing. A fracas broke out, apparently over a journalist trying to film a distraught woman. Some men moved to protect the woman and, within seconds, a large contingent of police officers were jostling with the crowd amid shouting and screaming.
Angry angry scenes here. One family heard some bad news. Anger turned on a cameraman and now this. Grenfell Tower. pic.twitter.com/1P1yUb7guL
One onlooker said the police and media were acting insensitively towards people whose loved ones were missing following the fire. “Emotions are running very high,” he said.
Superintendent Graham Price told the Guardian it wasn’t entirely clear what had caused the “disorder”, but he had reports that people in the local community could not get through on casualty helplines and had congregated at the trust.
“Some felt the media was being overly intrusive and that led to a bit of disorder,” he said.
Calm was swiftly restored but the incident was an indication of rising levels of anger and distress among locals.
Supt Price said the police were dealing with a very complex situation. “There are 24 floors [in Grenfell Tower] and around 200 residents and a lot unaccounted for. This is a very difficult time.”
Updated
at 6.18pm BST