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London fire: fears of people trapped as major blaze engulfs tower block – latest London fire: people trapped as major blaze engulfs tower block – latest
(35 minutes later)
6.40am BST
06:40
London fire brigade has updated its statement on the fire:
Forty fire engines and over 200 firefighters and officers have been called to a tower block fire on the Lancaster West estate in north Kensington this morning. The brigade has received multiple calls. The fire is from the second floor to the top floor of the 27-floor building.
Assistant Commissioner Dan Daly said: “Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus 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.“
The brigade was called at 0054 and is still at the scene. Fire crews from North Kensington, Kensington, Hammersmith and Paddington and from surrounding fire stations are in attendance. The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.
A cordon is in place around the building & approx 30 adjacent flats have been evacuated by police #NorthKensington https://t.co/QYF9V38wWJ pic.twitter.com/ugvDFswb7w
Updated
at 6.42am BST
6.35am BST
06:35
Alice Ross
Siar Naqshabandi, at the Rugby Portobello centre, said he lives on the third floor and said his brother, who was in the building, heard no fire alarms. “I came back at about 1.45am and saw the building was on fire. I rang him [his brother] and said, get out.”
He has more family living on the 23rd floor and an uncle is still missing. “They were telling people not to leave the building,” he said. “I told them to get down. They said we’re not allowed to get out.”
The fire at Grenfell Tower is still raging pic.twitter.com/TTvI9ehMIg
Updated
at 6.36am BST
6.32am BST
06:32
Two people have told Alice Ross, the Guardian reporter at the scene, that they heard no fire alarms – only household smoke alarms.
This man spoke to Assed Baig, a journalist with Channel 4 News, about his escape from his home on the 17th floor of Grenfell Tower with his 68-year-old aunt. We’ve not yet been able to independently verify his suggestion that the building had no central fire alarm, or that the cladding was especially flammable.
“We saw the fire engines, so we were looking outside at what’s going on. There was no fire alarms anywhere, because we don’t have a kind of integrated fire system – it’s just everyone’s house for itself. I walked out into the common area to see if the lifts are moving, to see if people are in a hassle – nothing. But I could smell the smoke.
“I went back inside the house, looked out the window. I started looking down the window – I had to really pull myself out to look down the window, from the 17th floor, and I see the fire blazing, and coming up really fast, because of the cladding – the cladding was really flammable, and it just caught up like a matchstick.”
This man managed to escape from the 17th floor with his 68-year-old aunt. He told me how he got out #LatimerRoad pic.twitter.com/d4miXigfN3
Walking with his aunt – “step by step, slowly, slowly” – down the smoke-filled stairwell from the 17th floor was terrifying, he says. “The smoke was already strong when I was getting out – god knows how it would have been minutes after.”
He lost everything in the fire.
Updated
at 6.45am BST
6.24am BST
06:24
Ambulance: 30 patients taken to five hospitals
London ambulance service has confirmed that 30 patients have been taken to five hospitals.
We have taken 30 patients to five London hospitals following the fire at #GrenfellTower & we remain on scene pic.twitter.com/lxfRseAIkg
The fire at Grenfell Tower remains a major incident and more than 20 ambulance crews remain at the scene, working with other emergency services. “Our priority is to assess the level and nature of injuries and ensure those in the most need are treated first and taken to hospitals.”
The building is still completely on fire, five hours after it first broke out pic.twitter.com/AZJnhu4Uuw
Updated
at 6.41am BST
6.20am BST
06:20
Alice Ross
Ahmed Chellat had come to the Rugby Portobello centre with his wife to look for his brother-in-law, his wife and three children. “We don’t know what’s happened,” he said. “I asked him to come out and he couldn’t. He was advised to put towels under the doors and he said they will come for him. We’ve heard nothing.
“Last time we spoke to them was about 2.30am – he said the fire brigade’s coming up to me.”
Chellat continued: “The whole issue here is for five hours we’ve been here with my sister-in-law and some tenants. There’s no councillors, no TMO [the tenants’ organisation] to say exactly what’s going on. If it wasn’t for the local people we would be in the street. This is ridiculous. There’s no one to tell them what to do.”
Cllr Aicha Less, from neighbouring Westminster, was delivering water and blankets to the centre and described the situation as a “complete shambles”. “There’s been no steer, no guidance,” she said. “People have been left there, they don’t know if their relatives are in the block or not.”
Some people have said names are being gathered at the nearby Harrow Club, while the Red Cross is giving out clothes at St Clements Church, one of the places evacuated people have been sent to.
Updated
at 6.43am BST
6.15am BST
06:15
Alice Ross
Some residents of the tower are at a makeshift centre in the Rugby Portobello, a community centre, where people are delivering water and blankets. Others have come to offer their houses to those in need.
One resident, who did not want to give his name but said he lived “high up” in the tower, said no alarms went off as the fire started.
“I heard my neighbour’s smoke alarm go off, and thought nothing of it. Then I heard a neighbour shouting ... I’m lucky to be alive – and lots of people have not got out of the building,” he said. “I’ve lost everything I own. I’m standing here in everything I’ve got.”
The building was an “accident waiting to happen”, he said, and there was not enough space at the base for fire engines to attend the scene.
He and others criticised the lack of information they were receiving. “There’s no coordination from anyone,” he said. “The police have not come to speak to us. We’ve been unable to give anyone our names. “It’s been five hours. There’s people here who don’t have a clue if their relatives are alive or dead.”
Updated
at 6.44am BST
6.00am BST6.00am BST
06:0006:00
Council head: 'several hundred' in tower blockCouncil head: 'several hundred' in tower block
Nick Paget-Brown, the leader of the Kensington and Chelsea council, has spoken on Sky News UK, saying that he was working to establish how many people were in the tower block at the time of the fire.Nick Paget-Brown, the leader of the Kensington and Chelsea council, has spoken on Sky News UK, saying that he was working to establish how many people were in the tower block at the time of the fire.
“Several hundred would have been in there. It’s a question of establishing how many were in there at the time of the fire.”“Several hundred would have been in there. It’s a question of establishing how many were in there at the time of the fire.”
He said emergency centres had been set up nearby to accommodate people who had been evacuated from their homes. “We’re providing as much support as we can ... it’s quite hard to get accurate and up-to-date information but the council will be doing all that it can to work with residents who have been evacuated.”He said emergency centres had been set up nearby to accommodate people who had been evacuated from their homes. “We’re providing as much support as we can ... it’s quite hard to get accurate and up-to-date information but the council will be doing all that it can to work with residents who have been evacuated.”
Paget-Brown said he had not spoken to residents who had been evacuated, but said were some being treated by emergency services.Paget-Brown said he had not spoken to residents who had been evacuated, but said were some being treated by emergency services.
“I think at the moment the main priority is to make the building safe and ensure that residents we can evacuate are evacuated.”“I think at the moment the main priority is to make the building safe and ensure that residents we can evacuate are evacuated.”
He said he did not know whether people were trapped within the building: “That’s a matter for the emergency services.”He said he did not know whether people were trapped within the building: “That’s a matter for the emergency services.”
Paget-Brown had toured the building last May following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. “I’m really not in any position to answer any questions about the structure. ... Clearly there’s a lot more work to do to actually evacuate the building and to establish how safe it is.Paget-Brown had toured the building last May following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. “I’m really not in any position to answer any questions about the structure. ... Clearly there’s a lot more work to do to actually evacuate the building and to establish how safe it is.
“This is a very, very, very severe fire.”“This is a very, very, very severe fire.”
He said the tower block was inspected at the time of its renovation last year. “We will have to await the studies as to what the source of this has been.”He said the tower block was inspected at the time of its renovation last year. “We will have to await the studies as to what the source of this has been.”
5.52am BST5.52am BST
05:5205:52
Jody Martin said he got to the scene as the first fire engine was arriving at Grenfell Tower.Jody Martin said he got to the scene as the first fire engine was arriving at Grenfell Tower.
He told the BBC: “I grabbed an axe from the fire truck, it looked like there was a bit of confusion about what to do.He told the BBC: “I grabbed an axe from the fire truck, it looked like there was a bit of confusion about what to do.
“I ran around the building looking for a fire escape and couldn’t see any noticeable fire escapes around the building. A lot of debris falling down.“I ran around the building looking for a fire escape and couldn’t see any noticeable fire escapes around the building. A lot of debris falling down.
“I eventually gained entry onto the second floor, and once I got to the corridor I realised there was so much smoke there.”“I eventually gained entry onto the second floor, and once I got to the corridor I realised there was so much smoke there.”
He added that given the thickness of the smoke, he would be surprised if anyone could have left the building without assistance.He added that given the thickness of the smoke, he would be surprised if anyone could have left the building without assistance.
“I watched one person falling out, I watched another woman holding her baby out the window ... hearing screams, I was yelling everyone to get down and they were saying, ‘We can’t leave our apartments, the smoke is too bad on the corridors’,” he said.“I watched one person falling out, I watched another woman holding her baby out the window ... hearing screams, I was yelling everyone to get down and they were saying, ‘We can’t leave our apartments, the smoke is too bad on the corridors’,” he said.
5.48am BST5.48am BST
05:4805:48
As daylight breaks on #LatimerRoad, the fires are still raging. pic.twitter.com/P1KFzDp2PWAs daylight breaks on #LatimerRoad, the fires are still raging. pic.twitter.com/P1KFzDp2PW
5.47am BST5.47am BST
05:4705:47
Saint Clement Church and Saint James Church, a parish covering Notting Dale, Notting Hill, North Kensington, and Holland Park, is receiving people who have been evacuated from their homes.Saint Clement Church and Saint James Church, a parish covering Notting Dale, Notting Hill, North Kensington, and Holland Park, is receiving people who have been evacuated from their homes.
St clement and st James church opens its doors to people who've been evacuated and other locals pic.twitter.com/2MIAh46ZT5St clement and st James church opens its doors to people who've been evacuated and other locals pic.twitter.com/2MIAh46ZT5
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has confirmed that he is in close contact with emergency services.Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has confirmed that he is in close contact with emergency services.
I'm in close contact with @LFBCommissioner re #NorthKensington fire. @LondonFire @Ldn_Ambulance @Metpoliceuk working together at the scene.I'm in close contact with @LFBCommissioner re #NorthKensington fire. @LondonFire @Ldn_Ambulance @Metpoliceuk working together at the scene.
5.40am BST5.40am BST
05:4005:40
The Metropolitan Police have clarified that it is the A40 that is closed in both directions – I’ve corrected my earlier post.The Metropolitan Police have clarified that it is the A40 that is closed in both directions – I’ve corrected my earlier post.
A40 Westway btwn Northern Rbt & Marylebone Rd - The road has been closed in both directions due to an emergency services Incident.A40 Westway btwn Northern Rbt & Marylebone Rd - The road has been closed in both directions due to an emergency services Incident.
There is no service between Hammersmith and Edgware Road on the Hammersmith and City Line, and severe delays elsewhere on the line. The fire is close to the Latimer Road tube station.There is no service between Hammersmith and Edgware Road on the Hammersmith and City Line, and severe delays elsewhere on the line. The fire is close to the Latimer Road tube station.
No service between Hammersmith and Edgware Road due to a fire at Latimer Road. Severe delays on the rest of the line.No service between Hammersmith and Edgware Road due to a fire at Latimer Road. Severe delays on the rest of the line.
5.23am BST5.23am BST
05:2305:23
This footage, only just shared on Twitter by Celeste Thomas, shows chaos on the streets at 1.50am, within an hour of emergency services being called to the blaze.This footage, only just shared on Twitter by Celeste Thomas, shows chaos on the streets at 1.50am, within an hour of emergency services being called to the blaze.
“People in night clothes, no shoes, crying, looking for family.”“People in night clothes, no shoes, crying, looking for family.”
Taken at 1.50am. People in night clothes, no shoes, crying, looking for family. #GrenfellFire #LondonFire pic.twitter.com/36AkIFMlJbTaken at 1.50am. People in night clothes, no shoes, crying, looking for family. #GrenfellFire #LondonFire pic.twitter.com/36AkIFMlJb
Thomas lives nearby the tower block and had earlier posted footage of the fire. Her house is inside the police cordon, she tweeted in the last few minutes, and she had been told to stay inside with the windows shut.Thomas lives nearby the tower block and had earlier posted footage of the fire. Her house is inside the police cordon, she tweeted in the last few minutes, and she had been told to stay inside with the windows shut.
5.19am BST5.19am BST
05:1905:19
Neither police, ambulance nor the fire brigade have given specifics about injuries, but multiple eyewitness accounts – including that of the Guardian reporter on the scene, Alice Ross – have spoken of people being trapped inside the building.Neither police, ambulance nor the fire brigade have given specifics about injuries, but multiple eyewitness accounts – including that of the Guardian reporter on the scene, Alice Ross – have spoken of people being trapped inside the building.
Local man and witness, Tim Downie, told the Guardian it seemed impossible that there would not be fatalities. “The sheer scale and the speed with which it spread, the closer you got, it seems like there must be casualties and fatalities.”Local man and witness, Tim Downie, told the Guardian it seemed impossible that there would not be fatalities. “The sheer scale and the speed with which it spread, the closer you got, it seems like there must be casualties and fatalities.”
By 5am, he said, the building was almost entirely burned out and the fire was sending a huge plume of acrid black smoke into the sky.By 5am, he said, the building was almost entirely burned out and the fire was sending a huge plume of acrid black smoke into the sky.
“It has gone very quiet now, we heard a lot of sirens and screaming in the early hours, but now the building is pretty much all consumed. I hope everyone is out and being treated.”“It has gone very quiet now, we heard a lot of sirens and screaming in the early hours, but now the building is pretty much all consumed. I hope everyone is out and being treated.”
He also told of seeing people using their mobile phone lights to get the attention of rescue crews.He also told of seeing people using their mobile phone lights to get the attention of rescue crews.
5.17am BST
05:17
Metropolitan Police confirm the A40 is closed in both directions as a result of the fire and are asking people to avoid the area to give authorities access to the scene. (They issued a correction to their earlier tweet, in which they’d specified the A4.)
A40 is closed in both directions following the #NorthKensington fire. Pls avoid the area to allow emergency services access to the scene.
The police cordon extends several blocks around the Grenfell Tower.
Updated
at 5.33am BST
5.14am BST
05:14
Ashish Joshi, a senior correspondent for Sky News UK, says the tower block has been gutted in the fire: “The building is pretty much burned down, there’s a tiny bit left that’s not on fire, but every single window is gutted ... there’s nothing left of it. The acrid smell is horrendous.”
The below footage shows the damage done in the four-hour blaze, still not yet extinguished.
In the light of day, this is what the block of flats looks like right now #latimerroad pic.twitter.com/hUvrARhba6
Current view, we're live below: pic.twitter.com/GETrkEejrR
And the view from BBC broadcasting house across the city.
The view of the fire from BBC broadcasting house. The smoke stretches for miles. pic.twitter.com/ArY22kGIp5
5.07am BST
05:07
5.06am BST
05:06
Alice Ross
Police are evacuating Barandon Walk and Tesserton Walk adjacent to the tower, with residents asked to gather their belongings and go to a nearby church about 20 minutes ago.
Residents from blocks surrounding Grenfell Tower are being evacuated as firefighters continue trying to contain the flames pic.twitter.com/NNmJ25UukZ
5.02am BST
05:02
Fire declared major incident
#NorthKensington tower block fire declared major incident, crews working hard at scene ©@Natalie_Oxford For updates:https://t.co/Gy6gUYc4ML pic.twitter.com/079acRjt7W
The London Ambulance Service has also tweeted a statement, attributed to Stuart Crighton, the assistant director of operations.
He says a “number of resources” are at the scene, including its specially-trained Hazardous Area Response Team and more than 20 ambulance crews, but still no detail as to the number of injuries.
Our latest statement on the #NorthKensington tower block fire. We have sent over 20 ambulance crews to the scene. More to follow. pic.twitter.com/j9JD8t6I3t
An evacuation process is still underway with people on the scene reporting that buildings near the Grenfell Tower are being evacuated due to falling debris.
We are being told to leave our flats nearby due to falling debris #GrenfellTower
Police banging on doors of nearby flats telling residents to evacuate. #LondonFire @gmb @piersmorgan @susannareid100 pic.twitter.com/ich5sd5pBZ
Jonathan Swain, of Good Morning Britain, says that falling debris is making fire crews’ jobs “extremely difficult and dangerous” – this video was posted 15 minutes ago.
Burning falling debris making @LondonFire job extremely difficult and dangerous. Pray those inside. @gmb @piersmorgan @susannareid100 pic.twitter.com/LuvSdYWIGN
4.55am BST
04:55
George Osborne, the Evening Standard editor, has tweeted this view of the “awful tower block fire” from a distance.
Just seen this awful tower block fire near my home in W London. My prayers with those affected & heroes tackling it pic.twitter.com/MFi1DAnCSK
4.54am BST
04:54
According to Get West London, the Grenfell Tower block had recently undergone a major £10 million refurbishment. Nick Paget-Brown, the leader of the Kensington and Chelsea Council, and Rock Feilding-Mellen, the deputy, visited the tower upon completion of the renovation in May last year.
The upgrade – which included the installation of insulated exterior cladding, new double-glazed windows, and a new communal heating system – was funded by the council as part of a multi-million-dollar regeneration of the area.
According to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s website, the tower block was built in 1974 and contained 120 homes, managed by the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation on behalf of the council. Among the tenants were Grenfell Under 3s Nursery and Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club.
The refurbishment also created “nine much-needed new homes have been created from unused spaces”.
4.46am BST
04:46
People remain trapped inside Grenfell Tower
Alice Ross has just filed this devastating account from the scene:
People can be seen at the windows, including one man waving a blanket from the window. People from neighbouring estates are huddled outside in their pyjamas near the flaming building, some shouting “put your head out the window” or calling the man with the blanket to shout his flat numbers so they can guide the fire services to him. Fire officers are spraying his window with water to try and douse the flames.
There’s a smell of acrid smoke and flaming debris is spiralling from the building. There’s the sound of breaking glass and dull pops.
“There was a woman with a child. I saw her waving maybe 30mins ago,” said a man who asked not to be named. “She said I’ve got a child ... I saw them spraying her window.”
Hadil Alamily said in the past hour she saw “someone jump on fire from the top floor”. She had seen him flashing a light in an SOS pattern.
“He was screaming help, help, help but no one helped. He dashed a mattress out of the window. He was literally on fire and jumped.”
Neighbours shouting to a man still visible in a window at Grenfell Tower pic.twitter.com/oUh7HgD08i
This footage was tweeted in the last 15 minutes.
Fire has now totally consumed #GrenfellTower. @LondonFire doing absolutely heroic work in very tough circumstances. pic.twitter.com/TeL2MJeHH0
This is really shocking. Eyewitnesses say some people were trapped. @abcnews pic.twitter.com/LrzVBeNVPf
4.41am BST
04:41
This from Alice Ross, my colleague in London: “I can see a man in the window.”
Neighbours say they've recently been able to see and hear people screaming for help from Grenfell Tower. I can see a man in a window pic.twitter.com/6MekZlpLdG
Sky News is reporting that police have told onlookers who may know people inside the building to cover their mouths with a wet cloth and get out of the building as soon as they can, by any means possible.
This has been confirmed by another reporter.
Police on ground telling families trapped #LatimerRoad #Grenfell to cover faces w/ wet towels & try to get out. Don't wait for fire brigade
There is still no detail from authorities on the human impact of the blaze – even whether people are trapped – with the latest still that word from Metropolitan Police: “a number of people have been treated for a range of injuries”.
4.33am BST
04:33
What we know so far
A huge fire has engulfed a tower block in West London.
The fire broke out shortly before 1am on Wednesday at Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road near Notting Hill.
The tower is at least 24 storeys high and contains 120 apartments.
200 firefighters have been tackling the blaze with 40 engines.
A number of people have been treated for a range of injuries according to the fire brigade
There have been multiple reports of people trapped in the blaze. These have not been confirmed by police or the fire brigade.
Streets around the tower have been sealed off and residents in ther houses evacuated.
London Fire Brigade say there is no known cause at the moment for the blaze.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has declared the fire a “major incident”.
This news story will be updated with developments, in addition to this rolling coverage.