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| Fire at Grenfell Tower in London Kills at Least 12 | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| LONDON — A fire transformed a high-rise apartment tower in West London into an inferno early Wednesday morning, sending at least 78 people to hospitals and raising fears that others might have been trapped inside. The Metropolitan Police said that 12 people had died and warned that the figure would almost certainly rise. | LONDON — A fire transformed a high-rise apartment tower in West London into an inferno early Wednesday morning, sending at least 78 people to hospitals and raising fears that others might have been trapped inside. The Metropolitan Police said that 12 people had died and warned that the figure would almost certainly rise. |
| “In my 29 years of being a firefighter, I have never, ever seen anything of this scale,” said Dany Cotton, commissioner of the London Fire Brigade. | “In my 29 years of being a firefighter, I have never, ever seen anything of this scale,” said Dany Cotton, commissioner of the London Fire Brigade. |
| By late afternoon, firefighters from all over London were still searching for victims and working to extinguish the remnants of the blaze, which was reported at 12:54 a.m. in Grenfell Tower, in the North Kensington area. A police commander, Stuart Cundy, called the fire London’s worst “in many, many years” and said it would be “a long operation” to locate and identify the victims. | By late afternoon, firefighters from all over London were still searching for victims and working to extinguish the remnants of the blaze, which was reported at 12:54 a.m. in Grenfell Tower, in the North Kensington area. A police commander, Stuart Cundy, called the fire London’s worst “in many, many years” and said it would be “a long operation” to locate and identify the victims. |
| The fire was the latest tragedy in a country that has seen three deadly terrorist attacks since March, two in London and one in Manchester. The office of Prime Minister Theresa May said she was “deeply saddened” by the disaster and would convene a 4 p.m. meeting to coordinate the government’s response. | The fire was the latest tragedy in a country that has seen three deadly terrorist attacks since March, two in London and one in Manchester. The office of Prime Minister Theresa May said she was “deeply saddened” by the disaster and would convene a 4 p.m. meeting to coordinate the government’s response. |
| At at 1 p.m. news conference — 12 hours after the fire broke out — Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed that some residents were still missing. “If you are somebody who lives in the building and has left safely, please let us know you are safe,” he said. “Obviously, we want to make sure that everyone is accounted for.” | At at 1 p.m. news conference — 12 hours after the fire broke out — Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed that some residents were still missing. “If you are somebody who lives in the building and has left safely, please let us know you are safe,” he said. “Obviously, we want to make sure that everyone is accounted for.” |
| Constructed in 1974, Grenfell Tower has 24 stories, with 120 apartments across 20 residential floors; it is owned by the local government and managed by an outside company. A refurbishment was completed last year. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but a tenant group had complained for years that the management company was inattentive and that the building was at risk of a deadly fire. | Constructed in 1974, Grenfell Tower has 24 stories, with 120 apartments across 20 residential floors; it is owned by the local government and managed by an outside company. A refurbishment was completed last year. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but a tenant group had complained for years that the management company was inattentive and that the building was at risk of a deadly fire. |
| Adib Abbas was visiting a cousin who lives on the ninth floor of the building. He said he was preparing a meal before their daily Ramadan fast when he smelled gas and then heard people in the floors below shouting. | Adib Abbas was visiting a cousin who lives on the ninth floor of the building. He said he was preparing a meal before their daily Ramadan fast when he smelled gas and then heard people in the floors below shouting. |
| “I opened the door and everyone was shouting ‘fire, fire, get back in,’” Mr. Abbas said. “Then a neighbor called my cousin and told us to wait for the Fire Brigade. We were terrified and thought about trying to get out the window. There were people dangling out the windows trying to get out.” | “I opened the door and everyone was shouting ‘fire, fire, get back in,’” Mr. Abbas said. “Then a neighbor called my cousin and told us to wait for the Fire Brigade. We were terrified and thought about trying to get out the window. There were people dangling out the windows trying to get out.” |
| “My cousin had his kids with him, and they started crying and screaming when the smoke started coming in. There was no way out, we were stuck, and no one was coming to help us,” Mr. Abbas added. “I don’t know how long it took, but it felt like ages before we got out. I could see people lying on the floor as we were being pulled out. I think a lot of people died. It’s a nightmare.” | “My cousin had his kids with him, and they started crying and screaming when the smoke started coming in. There was no way out, we were stuck, and no one was coming to help us,” Mr. Abbas added. “I don’t know how long it took, but it felt like ages before we got out. I could see people lying on the floor as we were being pulled out. I think a lot of people died. It’s a nightmare.” |
| The Fire Brigade said the flames had spread from the second floor to the top of the 24-story building; aerial photographs showed the charred, smoking ruins looming over West London. | The Fire Brigade said the flames had spread from the second floor to the top of the 24-story building; aerial photographs showed the charred, smoking ruins looming over West London. |
| Forty fire trucks and more than 20 ambulances were sent to the scene. The London Ambulance Service said it had taken 68 patients to six hospitals, and that 10 others had gone on their own; 18 were in critical condition. | Forty fire trucks and more than 20 ambulances were sent to the scene. The London Ambulance Service said it had taken 68 patients to six hospitals, and that 10 others had gone on their own; 18 were in critical condition. |
| Alison Evans, who lives near Grenfell Tower, woke to the sounds of sirens and helicopters and watched flames engulf the building from a nearby street. | Alison Evans, who lives near Grenfell Tower, woke to the sounds of sirens and helicopters and watched flames engulf the building from a nearby street. |
| “It just kept burning and burning for hours, and for hours there were still people at the top of the building screaming for help,” she said. “It was hell to watch.” | “It just kept burning and burning for hours, and for hours there were still people at the top of the building screaming for help,” she said. “It was hell to watch.” |
| At dawn, the blaze still burned brightly against the pale sky, with columns of thick black smoke ascending. Ashes filled the air, and small explosions could be heard as helicopters flew overhead. Firefighters on the ground trained hoses on the building. The police were extending their cordon around the building and pushing people back, apparently fearing that the tower could collapse. | At dawn, the blaze still burned brightly against the pale sky, with columns of thick black smoke ascending. Ashes filled the air, and small explosions could be heard as helicopters flew overhead. Firefighters on the ground trained hoses on the building. The police were extending their cordon around the building and pushing people back, apparently fearing that the tower could collapse. |
| Abdul Kadiri, who stood with his family watching the fire, said he heard sirens about 1:45 a.m. He said a friend who lived on the 15th floor of the tower had escaped. | Abdul Kadiri, who stood with his family watching the fire, said he heard sirens about 1:45 a.m. He said a friend who lived on the 15th floor of the tower had escaped. |
| “He was just so happy to be out of there,” Mr. Kadri said. “He was crying thinking of all the children that would have been asleep on the higher floors and probably weren’t able to get out.” | “He was just so happy to be out of there,” Mr. Kadri said. “He was crying thinking of all the children that would have been asleep on the higher floors and probably weren’t able to get out.” |
| Another resident, Hanan Wahabi, said she had spoken by phone to her brother, who was on the 21st floor, and urged him to leave. But he said firefighters had told him to stay in place until he could be rescued. Since then, she had been unable to reach him. | Another resident, Hanan Wahabi, said she had spoken by phone to her brother, who was on the 21st floor, and urged him to leave. But he said firefighters had told him to stay in place until he could be rescued. Since then, she had been unable to reach him. |
| “I have done a lot of crying,” she said. | “I have done a lot of crying,” she said. |
| Meriam Antur was asleep on the 19th floor with her two children, her husband away, when she woke to the sound of sirens, followed by shouting in the corridors. | Meriam Antur was asleep on the 19th floor with her two children, her husband away, when she woke to the sound of sirens, followed by shouting in the corridors. |
| When she opened her apartment door, Ms. Antur said, “my neighbors were running back and forth in the corridor shouting at each other. I didn’t understand until my friend came in and said we had to wait for the firemen and couldn’t go down.” | When she opened her apartment door, Ms. Antur said, “my neighbors were running back and forth in the corridor shouting at each other. I didn’t understand until my friend came in and said we had to wait for the firemen and couldn’t go down.” |
| “It took so long, my children were crying, and I’m pregnant,” she said, clasping her belly. “I was so scared. I thought we were going to die.” | “It took so long, my children were crying, and I’m pregnant,” she said, clasping her belly. “I was so scared. I thought we were going to die.” |
| Paramedics led Ms. Antur and her children away to be checked at a hospital. In the background, a woman ran barefoot down the street in her nightgown, screaming the name Elsa. Ms. Antur’s cousin said it was a neighbor who could not find her 6-year-old daughter. | Paramedics led Ms. Antur and her children away to be checked at a hospital. In the background, a woman ran barefoot down the street in her nightgown, screaming the name Elsa. Ms. Antur’s cousin said it was a neighbor who could not find her 6-year-old daughter. |
| Mohammed Bouya, who lives nearby, said he could hear people screaming for help from their windows. Firefighters told them to stay where they were, he said. | Mohammed Bouya, who lives nearby, said he could hear people screaming for help from their windows. Firefighters told them to stay where they were, he said. |
| Mr. Bouya said he heard a friend talking by telephone to his sister, who lives on the 11th floor. “He put the police officer on to her on the phone, and he told her to put wet towels on her head until they can try to reach her,” he said, adding that later the man was unable to make contact with the sister. | Mr. Bouya said he heard a friend talking by telephone to his sister, who lives on the 11th floor. “He put the police officer on to her on the phone, and he told her to put wet towels on her head until they can try to reach her,” he said, adding that later the man was unable to make contact with the sister. |
| In the early hours of the fire, witnesses said they could see lights — thought to be flashlights — blinking at the top of the building. | In the early hours of the fire, witnesses said they could see lights — thought to be flashlights — blinking at the top of the building. |
| A residents’ association, the Grenfell Action Group, had been warning for years about fire hazards, and what it called inattention by the landlord. | A residents’ association, the Grenfell Action Group, had been warning for years about fire hazards, and what it called inattention by the landlord. |
| According to the Get West London website, the Grenfell Tower block completed a renovation costing 10 million pounds, or $12.8 million, in May 2016. The upgrade — which included the installation of insulated exterior cladding, double-glazed windows and a new communal heating system — was financed by the local council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, as part of a multimillion-dollar improvement project in the area. | According to the Get West London website, the Grenfell Tower block completed a renovation costing 10 million pounds, or $12.8 million, in May 2016. The upgrade — which included the installation of insulated exterior cladding, double-glazed windows and a new communal heating system — was financed by the local council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, as part of a multimillion-dollar improvement project in the area. |
| In November, the Grenfell Action Group warned that Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organization, the entity hired by the borough to manage the property, had allowed the risk of “a serious fire.” | In November, the Grenfell Action Group warned that Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organization, the entity hired by the borough to manage the property, had allowed the risk of “a serious fire.” |
| In a blog post, the group wrote that in 2013, residents “ residents experienced a period of terrifying power surges that were subsequently found to have been caused by faulty wiring,” and that “our attempts to highlight the seriousness of this event were covered up by the KCTMO” and by borough officials. | In a blog post, the group wrote that in 2013, residents “ residents experienced a period of terrifying power surges that were subsequently found to have been caused by faulty wiring,” and that “our attempts to highlight the seriousness of this event were covered up by the KCTMO” and by borough officials. |
| The management organization’s chief executive, Robert Black, said in a statement: “The fire at Grenfell Tower is devastating and the reports of injury and losses of life absolutely heartbreaking. Along with my colleagues, I have been supporting residents since the early hours, working with the emergency services and the community.” He did not address the complaints raised by the Grenfell Action Group. | The management organization’s chief executive, Robert Black, said in a statement: “The fire at Grenfell Tower is devastating and the reports of injury and losses of life absolutely heartbreaking. Along with my colleagues, I have been supporting residents since the early hours, working with the emergency services and the community.” He did not address the complaints raised by the Grenfell Action Group. |
| Rydon, the construction company that carried out the renovation, said in a statement that the work “met all required building control, fire regulation and health and safety standards.” | Rydon, the construction company that carried out the renovation, said in a statement that the work “met all required building control, fire regulation and health and safety standards.” |
| Kensington and Chelsea is one of 32 boroughs that make up London, along with the City, London’s financial district. | Kensington and Chelsea is one of 32 boroughs that make up London, along with the City, London’s financial district. |