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| London Fire: Several Grenfell Tower residents dead as blaze rips through 24-storey apartment block | London Fire: Several Grenfell Tower residents dead as blaze rips through 24-storey apartment block |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A number of people have been killed in a huge fire at a 24-storey tower block in west London, the fire service has announced. | A number of people have been killed in a huge fire at a 24-storey tower block in west London, the fire service has announced. |
| More than 50 people are also being treated in five hospitals across the capital, London Ambulance Service said, as 200 firefighters battle the flames that have engulfed Grenfell Tower in Kensington. | More than 50 people are also being treated in five hospitals across the capital, London Ambulance Service said, as 200 firefighters battle the flames that have engulfed Grenfell Tower in Kensington. |
| The Metropolitan Police has set up a "casualty bureau" hotline for people concerned about loved ones, using the numbers 0800 0961 233 or 020 7158 0197. Facebook has activated its safety check-in feature. | |
| London Fire Brigade (LFB) commissioner Dany Cotton said the fire was an "unprecedented situation" and confirmed "a number of fatalities". | London Fire Brigade (LFB) commissioner Dany Cotton said the fire was an "unprecedented situation" and confirmed "a number of fatalities". |
| She could not confirm the exact number due to the size and complexity of the building, she added. | She could not confirm the exact number due to the size and complexity of the building, she added. |
| She told reporters at the scene: "In my 29 years of being a firefighter, I have never ever seen anything of this scale." | She told reporters at the scene: "In my 29 years of being a firefighter, I have never ever seen anything of this scale." |
| The cause is so far unknown. Ms Cotton said a structural engineer was monitoring the stability of the building. | |
| Notting Dale ward councillor Judith Blakeman, who lives across the road from the block, said that between 400 and 600 people live in the building. | |
| Witnesses described terrifying scenes including of people jumping from their flats. | |
| "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'," one told the BBC. | "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'," one told the BBC. |
| Another, called Samira, told BBC News: "I think the speed of the fire was the most shocking thing for everyone, how quick it literally went from zero to 100." She claimed she had seen "a lot of people jumping out that basically didn't make it". | |
| Actor and writer Tim Downie, who lives about 600m from the scene, said: "It's the most terrifying thing I've ever seen. I just hope they have got everyone out. The first I knew was the noise of sirens, helicopters and shouting. I saw it engulfed in flames. | Actor and writer Tim Downie, who lives about 600m from the scene, said: "It's the most terrifying thing I've ever seen. I just hope they have got everyone out. The first I knew was the noise of sirens, helicopters and shouting. I saw it engulfed in flames. |
| "People have been bringing water, clothes, anything they've got to help, out to the cordon." | "People have been bringing water, clothes, anything they've got to help, out to the cordon." |
| Kensington and Chelsea Council has established an emergency centre for evacuees at the Harrow Centre, in Freston Road, a short walk from the burning tower. | Kensington and Chelsea Council has established an emergency centre for evacuees at the Harrow Centre, in Freston Road, a short walk from the burning tower. |
| It said in a statement: "At present all our focus is on supporting the rescue and relief operation. The cause of the fire will be fully investigated." | |
| Refurbishment had recently been carried out with new cladding on the outside of the 1970s-era structure and work on the gas supply to the flats. It cost £8.7 million, and was completed in May last year. | Refurbishment had recently been carried out with new cladding on the outside of the 1970s-era structure and work on the gas supply to the flats. It cost £8.7 million, and was completed in May last year. |
| A residents' action group said their warnings about safety had fallen on "deaf ears". | A residents' action group said their warnings about safety had fallen on "deaf ears". |
| It said there was only one entry and exit to the tower during improvement works at the block in Latimer Road and it had issues with evacuation procedures. | It said there was only one entry and exit to the tower during improvement works at the block in Latimer Road and it had issues with evacuation procedures. |
| After the fire, the group posted: "All our warnings fell on deaf ears and we predicted that a catastrophe like this was inevitable and just a matter of time." | After the fire, the group posted: "All our warnings fell on deaf ears and we predicted that a catastrophe like this was inevitable and just a matter of time." |
| Commander Stuart Cundy, from the Metropolitan Police, said: "I can confirm there have been a number of fatalities and others receiving medical care. We will be soon making contact with next of kin. | Commander Stuart Cundy, from the Metropolitan Police, said: "I can confirm there have been a number of fatalities and others receiving medical care. We will be soon making contact with next of kin. |
| "Anyone who is concerned about loved ones in relation to the fire should contact [the] casualty bureau which has been opened following the fire. If you do not get through immediately please do try again. | "Anyone who is concerned about loved ones in relation to the fire should contact [the] casualty bureau which has been opened following the fire. If you do not get through immediately please do try again. |
| "Extensive cordons remain in place and a number of nearby residents have been evacuated as a precaution. The A40 is closed in both directions. We kindly ask that the public stay away from the area." | "Extensive cordons remain in place and a number of nearby residents have been evacuated as a precaution. The A40 is closed in both directions. We kindly ask that the public stay away from the area." |
| London mayor Sadiq Khan told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's very distressing, not just for those of us watching as lay people, but also very distressing for the emergency services. | London mayor Sadiq Khan told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's very distressing, not just for those of us watching as lay people, but also very distressing for the emergency services. |
| "We declared a major incident very early, which meant not just the fire service but also the London Ambulance Service, the police and the others were involved at the scene." | "We declared a major incident very early, which meant not just the fire service but also the London Ambulance Service, the police and the others were involved at the scene." |
| More than 100 police officers were on scene, alongside 100 medics and 250 firefighters, he said. | More than 100 police officers were on scene, alongside 100 medics and 250 firefighters, he said. |
| Pressed on reports that residents had been advised to stay inside their flats in the event of a fire, Mr Khan said: "Thankfully residents didn't stay in their flats and fled to safety. | Pressed on reports that residents had been advised to stay inside their flats in the event of a fire, Mr Khan said: "Thankfully residents didn't stay in their flats and fled to safety. |
| "One of the concerns that we have is it's a 24-storey building but for obvious reasons, with the scale of the fire, our experts weren't able to reach all the way to the top, so of course these are questions that need to be answered as soon as possible." | "One of the concerns that we have is it's a 24-storey building but for obvious reasons, with the scale of the fire, our experts weren't able to reach all the way to the top, so of course these are questions that need to be answered as soon as possible." |
| Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, has said a "full investigation" will be carried out to try and prevent a similar incident taking place in future. | |
| "Lives have been lost, many people have suffered serious injuries and others will be made homeless as a result of the fire," he said. | |
| "A full investigation will need to be undertaken at the first possible opportunity to establish exactly what happened and what can be done to prevent such an incident happening again." | |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |