Updated on 23 Jun 2017

Live Updates: Officials Say They Can't Risk Another Grenfell Fire And Evacuate Five Towers

A fire tore through Grenfell Tower, north Kensington, shortly before 1am on Wednesday 14 June.

by BuzzFeed News

BuzzFeed News

Police say 79 people have been confirmed dead or are missing, presumed dead, after a fire tore through the Grenfell Tower block in north Kensington, London, on Wednesday 14 June.
Speaking on Friday, 23 June, police said the fire originated in a faulty fridge-freezer. They added that tiles and insulation in the cladding failed safety tests. Manslaughter charges are being considered among other possible offences.
Meanwhile, hundreds of residents from five other towers were evacuated Friday amid fire safety concerns.
Theresa May announced a full public inquiry on Thursday afternoon, adding that "people deserve answers". Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called for the inquiry to publish an interim response this summer.
Witnesses said they saw people jumping from the building, and survivors have described how they managed to flee the building.
The building, constructed in 1974, is 24 storeys tall and contains 120 homes, according to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Residents' groups had issued numerous warnings in the past few years about the tower block's fire safety provisions. Read more here.

Updates

Posted at Jun. 23, 2017, at 20:49 PM

Thousands of people in five London towers are being evacuated while authorities assess buildings clad in the same material that went up in flames during last week's deadly fire at Grenfell Tower.

Georgia Gould — a councillor and leader of the Camden Council — said in a statement Friday that the evacuations will last three to four weeks while officials "undertake urgent fire safety works." She did not say how many people would be affected, but the BBC reported that more than 800 homes are subject to evacuation.

"I know it's difficult, but Grenfell changes everything and I just don't believe we can take any risks with our resident's safety and I have to put them first," Gould added during a news conference.

Gould said that people will be moved into temporary housing, hotels, and the homes of family and friends.

Read more here.

—Jim Dalrymple II

Posted at Jun. 23, 2017, at 14:41 PM

The Communities and Local Government Department has said 14 high-rise buildings in nine local authorities have failed cladding tests.

Some of them are in Manchester, Camden, Plymouth, and Hounslow.

—Patrick Smith

Posted at Jun. 23, 2017, at 12:05 PM

Hotpoint, the brand that makes fridges, freezers, and tumble driers is urging customers to contact the firm after investigators confirmed that one of its products was linked to the Grenfell tower fire.

Downing Street confirmed on Friday that experts are urgently testing the Hotpoint fridge-freezer model.

"The government has ordered an immediate examination of this unit by technical experts to establish the cause of the incident. This is a product which was manufactured between '06 and '09 and has not been subject to product recalls.

"This testing will establish whether further action is required," a spokesperson for the government said.

The model, FF175BP, does not feature on Hotpoint's website on its "safety notices" page.

Posted at Jun. 23, 2017, at 11:48 AM

Tens of thousands of pounds in charitable grants are set to be be made available to victims and families of victims in the Grenfell Tower disaster, as the donations from the public begin to be consolidated with support from the Charity Commission.

The next of kin of those who lost their lives when the fire tore through the flats will receive an initial £20,000 of charitable funds, the government announced on Friday.

Survivors of the tragedy will receive up to £10,000 if they were seriously injured, and another £10,000 will go to families as a "fresh start" grant after they are permanently rehoused.

The announcement comes after a joint approach was agreed to consolidate the £10 million raised by the public and make it available for victims next of kin and survivors of the fire. The is the first phase of joint funding and the government says there is more to follow.

—Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 23, 2017, at 11:35 AM

The government refused Friday morning to say how many of the 600 high-rise residential buildings covered in cladding in England have so far been through safety checks.

At a press briefing on Friday morning, a spokeswoman for Downing Street said figures for the number of samples that have been tested will be released Friday, but that the Department for Communities and Local Government is anxious about getting the figures right.

So far, the department has said that cladding from 11 high-rise buildings has failed urgent safety checks — but the failure rate on the tests is unknown because the officials won't give any indication of the number of samples they have so far tested.

As a result, it's impossible to judge at this point what percentage of the 600 tower blocks estimated to have used some form of cladding are a fire risk — and the scale of the potential problem that the authorities are dealing with.

Nor is it possible to say how long residents of those buildings will have to wait before they receive assurances that their buildings are fire-safe.

Asked by journalists why Downing Street wouldn't release the numbers, a spokeswoman said: "After yesterday's different figures being given out at different parts of the day, [DCLG] don't want that to happen again."

On Thursday, Number 10 initially said there were 600 high-rises in England covered in similar cladding to Grenfell. That was mistakenly reported by some outlets as meaning that 600 towers were covered in potentially combustible material. Later in the day, Number 10 rowed back on its earlier statement to say the 600 figure was for towers with any kind of cladding, not necessarily those with similar cladding to Grenfell.

On Friday, the government was more cautious about giving any figures. In addition to not saying how many samples had been tested, Downing Street had no answers to questions about the number of privately-owned residential buildings, hotels and hospitals that had cladding which may need to be safety-tested.

"[DCLG] wanted to be accurate," Downing Street's spokeswoman said. "They didn't feel that they could be quite accurate enough just in time for this briefing. We are absolutely totally committed to making sure that we give out transparent figures and as much information as possible, that's why we issued figures yesterday, but we want to be sure that's right. If that means you have to wait another hour or two, then you have to wait another hour or two. But those figures will emerge throughout today."

—Alex Spence

Posted at Jun. 23, 2017, at 09:50 AM

Metropolitan Police @metpoliceuk

LIVE: Detective Ch Superintendent Fiona McCormack provides statement on the investigation into #GrenfellTower fire https://t.co/du4ff7CQHZ
09:41 AM - 23 Jun 2017
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Superintendent Fiona McCormack of the Metropolitan police has revealed that insulation and tiles on Grenfell Tower failed safety tests.

She added police are considering manslaughter charges in relation to the fire.

Posted at Jun. 23, 2017, at 09:43 AM

Nine people are still receiving hospital treatment following last week's Grenfell Tower disaster, according to the latest figures provided by NHS England.

Of those, three are in critical care.

–Francis Whittaker

Posted at Jun. 22, 2017, at 14:28 PM

Private sector owners of high-rise buildings will not be forced to test for cladding similar to that used in Grenfell Tower, the Department for Communities and Local Government has confirmed to BuzzFeed News.

While councils across the country are testing social housing tower blocks for the type of combustible material that is believe to have contributed to the speed the Grenfell blaze spread, testing in the private sector will be on a "voluntary" basis.

In the House of Commons on Thursday, Theresa May said she had instructed local councils to conduct urgent tests "as a precaution", and some had already found flammable material. Downing Street later said that this involved three buildings so far, while around 600 have been identified as potentially having the cladding.

The prime minister told MPs that private landlords also had a "legal obligation to provide safe buildings. And if they cannot do that, we expect alternative accommodation to be provided. We cannot and will not expect people to live in unsafe homes." She "encouraged" them to do the same.

–Sara Spary

Posted at Jun. 22, 2017, at 10:16 AM

Urgent tests ordered after the Grenfell Tower disaster, in which at least 79 people died, have found combustible material on residential tower blocks across the country.

Theresa May told the House of Commons on Thursday that all local authorities with tall residential buildings were ordered to send samples of cladding on the outside of buildings to the Department of Communities and Local Government for testing.

The cladding on Grenfell Tower, which was made from aluminium and polyethylene, is thought to have contributed to the swift spread of the blaze by fire.

"The house should of course be careful in speculating on what caused this fire but as a precaution the government has arranged to test cladding in all relevant tower blocks," May said.

"Shortly before I came to this chamber I was informed that a number of these tests have come back as combustible. The relevant local authorities and fire authorities have been informed and as I speak they are taking all possible steps to ensure the buildings are safe and to inform affected residents.

"Landlords have a legal obligation to provide safe buildings. And if they cannot do that, we expect alternative accommodation to be provided. We cannot and will not expect people to live in unsafe homes."

Read more here.

–Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 21, 2017, at 12:12 PM

Today's Queen's Speech announced that the government will launch a public inquiry into the Grenfell tower fire and establish a new advocate for people who have lost loved ones in public tragedies.

The Queen set out that a full public inquiry into the disaster, in which 79 people have been confirmed dead or are missing, presumed dead, would be launched to "ascertain the causes and ensure the appropriate lessons are learnt".

She also confirmed that government would take "measures to introduce an independent public advocate, who will act for bereaved families after a public disaster and support them at public inquests".

Plans for an advocate were first introduced in the Conservative manifesto, which said a body would be established to "ensure that the pain and suffering of the Hillsborough families over the last 20 years is not repeated".

Read more here.

–Sara Spary

Posted at Jun. 21, 2017, at 10:57 AM

One week on from the Grenfell Tower fire, there are 10 people still receiving treatment across four London hospitals, figures released by NHS England show.

Of those 10, six are in critical care.

Yesterday, the clinical director of King's College hospital said some patients could take weeks or even months to recover.

–Francis Whittaker

Posted at Jun. 21, 2017, at 10:30 AM

Nick Paget-Brown, the under-fire leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, has released a statement marking one week since the Grenfell Tower disaster, and said no residents of the building have been offered accommodation outside of London.

Rumours that some residents had been offered housing as far afield as Lancashire have circulated on social media in the days since the blaze.

"The government has committed to re-housing all residents within three weeks of the disaster and as close to the Grenfell Tower as possible," Paget-Brown said on his blog. "We are committed to helping deliver that promise, and no residents have been offered accommodation outside of central London."

He also said that another centre specifically for the friends and family of those who died or are missing would be opening soon, with more details forthcoming in the next 24 hours.

You can read Paget-Brown's full statement here:

For many of us, Wednesday 21 June will be a day of remembrance for the victims and the residents of Grenfell Tower, as we mark a week since the start of the tragic fire. We remain heart-broken by the appalling loss of life and we are doing everything we can to help the families of the victims and the residents to get the help they need as they try to rebuild their lives. We have now allocated a social worker to every household from Grenfell Tower, plus other families who live near the tower and that have been affected. They have been visiting families since last week and will be a key support for families going forward. As of yesterday (20 June), a total of 250 households had been placed in temporary accommodation pending permanent rehousing. The Government has committed to re-housing all residents within three weeks of the disaster and as close to the Grenfell Tower as possible. We are committed to helping deliver that promise, and no residents have been offered accommodation outside of central London. The community assistance centre at Westway has been in operation since last Wednesday morning. In addition to the centre at Westway, which will continue to offer support to the community, we will also be opening a further centre specifically for the friends and family of the victims and the missing, details of which will be provided in the next 24 hours. We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to the community, the Emergency Services, hospitals, charities, volunteer groups, the Government and neighbouring local authorities and to our own teams who have been working tirelessly to try and help all those affected by this terrible event. We are enormously grateful for their support. We are deeply sorry for all those affected and today we will remember the victims and stand with the residents and our community.

–Francis Whittaker

Posted at Jun. 21, 2017, at 08:17 AM

The newly formed Grenfell Response Team and Kensington and Chelsea council have denied reports that residents are being rehoused of miles away from their homes and are being declared "intentionally homeless" should they refuse to move out of the borough.

In a video that has been shared widely on social media, one survivor says he's heard of a man who was taken out of a hotel and sent to live in Preston:

hass @truthsayer86

#grenfelltower survivor says they are being pressured to move as far north as Preston ð± @smtm_LFC

02:53 AM - 18 Jun 2017
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"They're doing disgusting things, they're cutting corners and we're all scared for what's going to happen to us," he says in the video.

"They're basically putting pressure on people, so if you don't accept the offer you're making yourself intentionally homeless."

However, James Ryan, a spokesperson for the newly formed Grenfell Response Team, told BuzzFeed News that claims of people being rehoused miles away from their homes are untrue. "We have endeavoured to keep accommodation as local as possible, and we completely accept residents' wishes to remain close to the community," he said.

Ryan said that so far 126 survivors of Grenfell Tower and residents who lived in the neighbouring building on Grenfell Walk have been placed in emergency hotel accommodation. He said survivors are currently being assessed for their housing needs, and that they will be rehoused in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea or a neighbouring borough.

"Work is taking place to assess the housing needs of all Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk families to identify suitable accommodation in [Kensington and Chelsea] and neighbouring boroughs," he said.

When contacted by BuzzFeed News, the Royal Borough of Chelsea and Kensington flatly denied any suggestion that residents would be designated "intentionally homeless".

Read more here.

–Fiona Rutherford and Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 20, 2017, at 15:40 PM

A hospital treating Grenfell Tower fire victims has said that patients caught in the disaster could face weeks or even months of recovery.

Fourteen people remain in hospital after the blaze, with eight in critical care, NHS England has said.

Duncan Bew, the clinical director of King's College hospital, told BBC News that doctors had expected hundreds of patients in the aftermath of the fire, but far fewer turned up than expected.

"We were ready to receive many more casualties," Bew said, with staff expecting to treat hundreds of people suffering from injuries ranging from smoke inhalation and burns to "people falling from a height from jumping from windows".

"We knew there were many more people in the building," he said. "As time went on and we realised that we weren't going to receive those casualties, it was very sad."

The vast majority of the patients the hospital received suffered from smoke inhalation rather than burns.

"We had patients who had saved their own families but had also tried to save other families as well," he said. "They had to make a very difficult decision. People went into the stairwells and went into toxic smoke. I think people who escaped felt that they were going to die and that the only way to stay alive was to go through the smoke."

In total, the hospital's major trauma centre received 12 Grenfell Tower patients and are still treating seven, five of whom are in critical care.

–Francis Whittaker

Posted at Jun. 20, 2017, at 15:28 PM

Martin Belam @MartinBelam

This appears to be @Conservatives councillor responsible for housing on Solihull council comparing #GrenfellTower câ¦ https://t.co/EQroljOHXS
06:00 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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A Tory councillor has been suspended over an offensive tweet about a Grenfell Tower protest, the leader of Solihull council has confirmed.

On Friday afternoon the Twitter account of councillor Ken Hawkins posted "Let's get ourselves a hangin!'" while sharing a photo of the hundreds of people gathered outside Kensington Town Hall to demand justice for the victims of the tragedy, which left at least 79 people dead.

Protesters chanted "no justice, no peace" and "Tories out" as they marched through the borough. Many were disappointed at the lack of support survivors had received from the government.

The tweet has been deleted, while the cabinet member for environment, housing, and regeneration's account has been set to private.

In a statement to BuzzFeed News Bob Sleigh, leader of Solihull council, said that he had taken immediate action to suspend Hawkins from his position in light of complaints about his social media activity over the weekend.

Sleigh added that the council's monitoring officer would conduct an investigation.

"Like the whole country, I have been shocked and deeply moved by the horrific fire at Grenfell Tower," he said in a statement.

“Over the weekend the Council received a formal complaint about the actions of a Cabinet Member, Cllr Ken Hawkins. In light of the complaint related to Cllr Hawkins comments on social media, an investigation will now take place led by the Council's Monitoring Officer in line with the Council's standards procedures."

The statement continued: “I have taken the immediate action to suspend Cllr Hawkins from his Cabinet Member position for the Environment, Housing and Regeneration. I will be taking responsibility in the short term for these areas.”

Ken Hawkins declined to comment.

Read more here.

–Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 20, 2017, at 15:25 PM

John Healey, the shadow housing minister, has written to Sajid Javid, the secretary of state for communities and local government, to demand answers as to why four ministers allegedly "ignored specific warnings that fire safety regulations were inadequate for high-rise residential buildings like Grenfell Tower".

The BBC programme Panorama reported on Monday night that in 2014 the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for fire safety and rescue wrote to Stephen Williams, then communities minister, and Eric Pickles, then secretary of state for communities and local government, to ask them to review safety recommendations.

According to the programme, in a letter sent in the aftermath of the Lakanal House disaster, in which six people were killed in a fire in a Camberwell building, the APPG's secretary Ronnie King wrote:

"As there are estimated to be another 4,000 older tower blocks in the UK, without automatic sprinkler protection, can we really afford to wait for another tragedy to occur before we amend this weakness?"

After further correspondence, Williams eventually replied: "I have neither seen nor heard anything that would suggest that consideration of these specific potential changes is urgent and I am not willing to disrupt the work of this department by asking that these matters are brought forward."

A year later, Panorama reported, the APPG wrote to James Wharton, who was also a minister at the department, to warn about the flammability of cladding, saying: "Today's buildings have a much higher content of readily available combustible material. Examples are timber and polystyrene mixes in structure, cladding and insulation.

"This fire hazard results in many fires because adequate recommendations to developers simply do not exist. There is little or no requirement to mitigate external fire spread."

In 2016, according to Panorama, the APPG wrote to yet another minister, Gavin Barwell. He replied first that he would make a statement "in due course" about his department's analysis of the regulation, then earlier this year replied again to "acknowledge that producing a statement on building regulations has taken longer than I had envisaged".

In his letter to the secretary of state, which was sent on Tuesday, John Healey asked:

Will you release in full the correspondence between your department and the All-Party Group?
Will you set out the reasons for not acting upon their concerns?
For each recommendation made in the rule 43 reports on the Shirley Towers and Lakanal House fires, will you set out your department's progress in implementing the recommendations?
Will you place in the Library of the House a copy of the research your department said has been undertaken on fire regulation and safety in a response to the BBC on these allegations?

Healey told BuzzFeed News: "There are serious questions for current and former Ministers to answer in light of the Grenfell Tower fire.

"I have written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, today to get the answers on why important warnings and recommendations over the last four years were not acted upon, so that we can ensure a tragedy like this never happens again."

Read more here.

–Marie Le Conte

Posted at Jun. 20, 2017, at 10:37 AM

BBC Breakfast @BBCBreakfast

This is the horrifying moment firefighters first saw the Grenfell Tower fire (Footage from BBC Panorama)

05:02 AM - 20 Jun 2017
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This is dramatic moment the first firefighters called to the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire were confronted with the scale of the disaster.

Footage broadcast by BBC Panorama on Monday captured the shock and disbelief of the crew as they started to realise they were about to deal with an unprecedented tower block fire.

Firefighters can be heard to say "That's a whole block" and "How is that possible?".

Tower blocks are designed to withstand fires be containing them in the single flat where they first occur – but this didn't happen at Grenfell, as the blaze ripped up the side of the building.

Fire safety experts have suggested that the type of cladding used on the outside of the building, a comparatively cheap variety that had a polyethylene core, could be responsible. This is set to be one of the key questions that a forthcoming public inquiry will investigate. At least 79 people died or remain missing.

You can read more here.

–Patrick Smith

Posted at Jun. 20, 2017, at 10:25 AM

London mayor Sadiq Khan has called for locals and residents of Grenfell Tower to be involved in the public inquiry examining the case of the residential block fire that has so far claimed at least 79 lives.

Khan, writing in a letter to prime minister Theresa May, said it was imperative that people from the area were involved in the public inquiry announced by the PM last week.

"Relations with the local community can be further strengthened by ensuring families, survivors and civil society groups have a role in drawing up the terms of reference for the public inquiry and are consulted on where inquiry hearings are held," he wrote, the Evening Standard reported.

"Any attempt to exclude them from the process risks further fuelling mistrust. It is crucial that families, survivors and local civil society groups are designated as core participants so that they can play a full and active role in the process."

It comes after many locals said their warnings over the building's fire safety were ignored by the local authority. In the fallout of the fire, which has displaced scores of families, the response by the Royal Borough of Chelsea and Kensington has been criticised.

Over the weekend it emerged that other London councils would take over the relief effort after a catalogue of errors. The councils, working with the British Red Cross and other emergency relief agencies, said the council's response was "simply not good enough on the ground".

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 20, 2017, at 09:34 AM

Eight people remain in critical care in hospital after the Grenfell Tower blaze last week. Seventy-nine people remain missing or dead after the huge fire, which devastated a tower block in west London.

Fourteen people remain in hospital in total, NHS England said in a statement. Twenty people had been in critical care, and 64 people were initially admitted to hospital.

King's College hospital is treating seven people, five of who are in critical care. Chelsea West is treating three people, one of who is in critical care. The Royal has only one patient – who is presently in critical care. St Mary's has three patients, and staff are caring for one in critical care.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 20, 2017, at 06:32 AM

The singer Adele has visited firefighters in Chelsea fire station after the horrific Grenfell Tower blaze that has claimed 79 lives so far.

Adele, who had also visited the site of the fire and spoken to relatives last week, apparently dropped into the station yesterday.

Rob Petty, a firefighter with London Fire Brigade, put pictures of himself and his fellow officers with Adele on Facebook. "Not everyday the wonderfully grounded and caring Adele pops into Chelsea Firestation for a cup of tea and a cuddle," he wrote.

At the height of the blaze more than 200 firefighters worked through the night to fight the fire. LFB Commissioner Dany Cotton said many of those who worked would need psychological support after the fire.

"I spoke to some people who were truly distressed," she said last week, describing how many of her crews had witnessed things they had never anticipated. "They are heroes but they have feelings," she said, talking about an experienced officer who was reduced to tears after witnessing a tower block resident leaping form the building yesterday.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 19, 2017, at 21:12 PM

The first payments are being made to families affected by the fire, officials said on Monday, and work continues on other relief efforts.

Prime Minister Theresa May chaired a meeting of the Grenfell Tower Recovery Task Force, which focused on the needs of people who lost their homes.

"While it was clear some progress is being made, the Prime Minister will continue to receive daily updates to ensure that the steps taken are being carried forward at sufficient scale and speed that help is getting to people who need it," Downing Street saidin a statement.

Eligible households have started receiving payments, and May said a commitment remains to find new homes for displaced residents within three weeks — in their same neighborhood.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who also attended the meeting, said he has offered volunteers to help Grenfell residents navigate the system of support available to them.

He added that he is pushing for a speedier timeline to check other tower blocks for fire risks.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at Jun. 19, 2017, at 20:51 PM

Fiona Rutherford @Fi_Rutherford

There are hundreds of people walking in complete silence. The families, friends, and survivors are leading the procâ¦ https://t.co/2fQqkXGIKm
03:24 PM - 19 Jun 2017
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Around 200 people took to the streets demanding justice after at least 79 people died, or are presumed dead, in a fire that tore through Grenfell Tower in west London.

It also marked the launch of the Justice 4 Grenfell campaign – a coalition of organisations working together to demand answers from the government, such as why the relief operation was so chaotic.

"People need to see the deeper meaning of the silence," one resident said. "That silence doesn't only represent the grieving of this community, it also represents the state that the operations of the most senior authorities have left us in."

Read more here.

—Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 19, 2017, at 15:09 PM

Fiona Rutherford @Fi_Rutherford

Lots of signs about love at the #justice4grenfell march

02:55 PM - 19 Jun 2017
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Families, friends, and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire are leading a march from Ladbroke Grove Library to Bramley Road, west London, as they formally launch the Justice 4 Grenfell campaign for those who died in the blaze last week.

As well as those personally affected, community leaders are expected to join the march, including Labour's Kensington MP Emma Dent Coad and barrister Michael Mansfield QC – who represented the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence and will be advising the group.

The campaign will outline its objectives and what they expect from the government in order for them to "move on as a community and begin the healing process", a statement released on Facebook said.

In a statement, Ishmahil Blagrove, one of the campaign coordinators, said: "It is time for all marginalised communities across Britain regardless of class, faith or ethnicity to come together and challenge the disparities in wealth and inequalities that have plagued our society."

In a statement, the organisers said it was crucial that the authorities "commit to rehousing all residents to ensure their future safety and security".

"The council has a responsibility to all these people," the most recent statement says. "No-one should be left in a worse situation by this tragedy, and the Grenfell community must be allowed to heal together in the local area if they wish to."

The Met police today confirmed that as many as 79 people were believed to have died, with more missing. Stuart Cundy, Met commander, warned it was likely the number would change.

–Rose Troup Buchanan and Elizabeth Pears

Posted at Jun. 19, 2017, at 14:49 PM

The Metropolitan police have formally identified more victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Abufars Ibrahim, 39, Anthony Disson, 65, and a a 52-year-old woman were formally identified as victims of the fire. The woman's family told the Met they did not wish to release her name publicly yet.

In a statement given to the Met, the family of Disson said they were "devastated" by the news.

"Tony leaves behind a large family, his wife, sons and grandchildren, including one grandchild he will never get to meet," they said, and asked for privacy during this difficult period.

"We miss him terribly, and are pulling together as a family and trying to stay strong under these tragic circumstances."

The Met's statement confirms that all of those named were residents of Grenfell Tower. Postmortem examinations are being conducted at Westminster Mortuary.

"The families of all four victims have been informed, and are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers," it adds.

On Sunday, the Met formally identified 23-year-old Mohammad Alhajali as one of the victims. Local 24-year-old artist Khadija Saye was also previously confirmed as among the dead.

Earlier today, Met Commander Stuart Cundy confirmed that 79 people were believed dead or missing.

You can read about all those still missing here.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 19, 2017, at 10:47 AM

People across the country fell silent at 11 am local time to remember those killed in last week's blaze in west London.

Members of the London Fire Brigade and other emergency services joined residents for the silence at the site of the disaster.

–Francis Whittaker

Posted at Jun. 19, 2017, at 10:13 AM

As Met Commander Stuart Cundy announced the latest death toll figure on Monday morning, he also revealed that five people who were reported as missing have been identified and are alive and well.

"Thankfully over the last few days, we have identified five people who people believed were missing and I am so grateful that they are alive, safe, and well," he said.

–Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 19, 2017, at 09:44 AM

Those dead or missing, presumed dead, from the Grenfell tower fire has risen to 79 people, the Metropolitan police have confirmed.

"I know that there are 79 people who are missing, or presumed dead," Commander Stuart Cundy confirmed, and said it was hard to convey the devastation within the flats.

Cundy also said the process of identifying victims was likely to take weeks due to the "indescribable" conditions inside the tower. "Due to the intensity of the fire we may not be able to identify everyone who has died," he said.

"With the agreement of the families and the coroner, once we have confirmed the identities of those who have died, we will be releasing their names," he said.

Just five people have been identified so far. Seventeen patients are receiving care across four hospitals in England, nine of whom are in a critical condition, according to figures released by NHS England.

However, Cundy said that the number of people presumed to be dead, or missing, may change as there may be people in the tower who people have not yet realised are missing.

"I must consider the fact that there may be others in the building who, for whatever reason have not been reported to us," he said. "There is also a real possibility that there may be people in the building that no one knows are missing."

— Rose Troup Buchanan and Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 19, 2017, at 09:12 AM

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 20:39 PM

Metropolitan Police

Video taken by a specialist police recovery team.

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 17:14 PM

Every family that lost their home as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire will receive a guaranteed payment of at least £5,500, the government has announced, hours after it was claimed survivors had been given just £10 by the local council.

A Downing Street statement said the payment would be made up of £500 in cash, paid immediately, and £5,000 paid into bank accounts starting from tomorrow.

The money is being paid from a £5 million fund announced by prime minister Theresa May on Friday.

In a statement, May said: "As we continue to respond to the needs of the community, our focus is on ensuring that all of those affected by this unimaginable tragedy get the right support as quickly as possible.

"My government will continue to do absolutely everything possible to help all of those affected through the difficult days, weeks, months and years ahead."

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 16:37 PM

The mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said the Grenfell Tower fire was the result of years of neglect by local and central government.

"There's a feeling that the council and successive governments don't understand their concerns and, frankly, don't care," he said after attending a church service close to the tower, where at least 58 people are thought to have lost their lives.

Khan described the fire as a "preventable accident that didn't need to happen," adding that the "tragedy we're seeing is a consequence of the mistakes and neglect from politicians from the council and from the government."

He added: "One of the things that we must do is support those families who've lost their homes, what we must do is make sure we help those who're grieving, we must make sure we learn the lessons, we must make sure it's not so hard for people who need help, to find help."

Read more here.

–Matthew Champion.

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 15:32 PM

The leader of Kensington and Chelsea council says he rejects the impression that local authorities lost control of the situation following the Grenfell Tower fire.

Following reports of chaotic and confusing scenes at rest centres, Nick Paget-Brown told BBC News it was "inaccurate" to say the council was not present and trying to help survivors and other affected residents.

"Right at the beginning we were quite aware that this was a huge enormity," he said, adding that no single local authority in London would have been able to deal with the aftermath of the fire alone.

"Kensington and Chelsea officials have been working around the clock since Wednesday, and I've come on air to support the work that they have been doing," he said. "I'm sure there are challenges, we will look at all of that, but to say that the local authority is not present and we're not working together with other councils is inaccurate."

Paget-Brown, leader of the Tory-run council, said he understood the "enormous concerns and anger" of people about the events leading up to the fire, which is understood to have claimed the lives of 58 people.

"I share that anger, the council is wanting to know why that fire started, why it spread so quickly," he said. "My immediate concern this weekend is to ensure that the right support services for some very vulnerable people are on the ground. I've been out this morning to check that they are, I've satisfied myself that they are, but this is a long term requirement."

Paget-Brown said concerns over the way the tenant management organisation handled the recent refurbishment of Grenfell Tower were "proper questions", but "not questions for this afternoon, those are questions for the inquiry" being set up by prime minister Theresa May.

Asked about MP David Lammy expressing concerns of documents that could prove useful to the criminal investigation into the fire being destroyed or going missing before police could get their hands on them, Paget-Brown said he "hadn't given any thought to it".

"My immediate concern and my immediate preoccupation since Wednesday has been to ensure that we are able to support and provide support to some very distressed, vulnerable people: children who will perhaps to go school tomorrow and find that classmates are no longer there; elderly people whose first language isn't English finding that they've lost the person who was giving them support," he said when asked if he had thought about resigning over the fire.

"I'm trying to make sure we get through that, that the council has the right support systems in place, with the help of other authorities and the mayor of London and gold command, and everybody else. But that's my immediate focus. I too want to know what went wrong with this refurbishment, and I will be asking those questions."

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 14:35 PM

Peston on Sunday @pestononsunday

Volunteer @partinator says victims of #GrenfellTower fire have no access to donated funds and are being given 'a teâ¦ https://t.co/jh5tExRaw0
09:34 AM - 18 Jun 2017
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Nisha Parti, a film producer and west Londoner, has been volunteering to help survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire. She told ITV's Peston on Sunday programme that Kensington and Chelsea council has been giving residents £10 when they are placed in hotels. She added that no one was telling volunteers or victims where the money being raised for them was going.

"There is money pouring in from all these amazing volunteers and we can't get access to the money to get it to the families," Parti said.

"Victims were going to hotels, arriving at hotels with no one from the council to greet them, to check them, to look after them, to give them clothes and food. Volunteers are now going to hotels with food packages with cash."

BuzzFeed News has contacted Kensington and Chelsea council for comment.

Appearing on the same programme, David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, who lost a friend in the fire, asked: "Why are we behaving like this is Victorian England?"

He said the response to the fire was "an outrage, it's a scandal, it's appalling".

–Ikran Dahir

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 12:33 PM

Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the Commons and a former Tory leadership contender, has admitted she feels a sense of "shame" over the Grenfell Tower fire.

"Totally, yes of course of course," she said in an appearance on BBC One's Sunday Politics show. "We all think, What should we have done or could we have? It's just unbearable. This cannot happen in the 21st century and yet it has."

DailySunday Politics @daily_politics

"We are all very conscious that the support wasn't good enough in the first couple of days" @andrealeadsom tellsâ¦ https://t.co/SJ4xtWCaxO
10:18 AM - 18 Jun 2017
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–Ikran Dahir

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 12:13 PM

David Lammy @DavidLammy

Have the offices been searched? Have the computers and documents been seized? This is a crime, we need urgent action

11:45 AM - 18 Jun 2017
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David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, has called on prime minister Theresa May and the Metropolitan police to seize all relevant documents to the Grenfell Tower fire investigation to remove the risk they will be destroyed.

Lammy, whose friend Khadija Saye died in the fire, said that within the community, suspicion was growing of a cover-up into what led to the deaths of at least 58 people.

"The prime minister needs to act immediately to ensure that all evidence is protected so that everyone culpable for what happened at Grenfell Tower is held to account and feels the full force of the law," he said.

"We need urgent action now to make sure that all records and documents relating to the refurbishment and management of Grenfell Tower are protected."

Asked by a Sky News presenter whether his intervention could only intensify anger, Lammy replied: "Why is it making things worse? You will be aware that as a journalist there are other major police investigations. Let's say the investigations around terrorism, you get a rolling commentary from the police. We know, minimum, that 50-odd people have lost their lives. Why is it not appropriate given there's a criminal investigation for the people who have lost loved ones not to hear a little bit more about this criminal investigation?

"People are suspicious that when it involves the state, when it involves a local authority, when it involves a failed [tenant management organisation], when it involves contractors suddenly we all go quiet and we talk about it being a tragedy. They want more than that actually, they want to know what is really going on, and they expect to hear that from the prime minister and others. That is not me stirring the pot, that is me speaking for the most vulnerable people in our society." –Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 11:26 AM

Sections of two London Underground lines were closed yesterday due to "the recent building fire near Latimer Road," Transport for London (TfL) said.

TfL said the London Fire Brigade had requested they close stations close to Grenfell Tower due to a short-term risk of debris falling on to the track.

The lines could reopen by Sunday afternoon.

Circle line @circleline

No service btn Wood Lane & Edgware Road due to recent building fire near Latimer Road. Services expected to resume at 2pm.
10:30 AM - 18 Jun 2017
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H&C line @hamandcityline

No service btn Wood Lane & Edgware Road due to recent building fire near Latimer Road. Services expected to resume at 2pm.
10:30 AM - 18 Jun 2017
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–Ikran Dahir

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 10:30 AM

BBC News (UK) @BBCNews

"My understanding is that the cladding in question... is also banned here" - Philip Hammond on #GrenfellTowerâ¦ https://t.co/GiVdlyTJ8T
08:51 AM - 18 Jun 2017
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Chancellor Philip Hammond has said the cladding used in a recent refurbishment of the Grenfell Tower may have been illegal to use in the UK.

People who witnessed the fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning said flames spread very quickly up the side of the building, and that the cladding had contributed to its spread.

The particular cladding used is banned in certain buildings in the US, and banned outright in Germany, but Hammond told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show it was his understanding it was also illegal to use in the UK.

"There are two separate questions, one is 'are our regulations correct, do they permit the right kind of materials and ban the wrong kind of materials?'. Second question is 'were they correctly complied with?'," he said.

Hammond said these questions would both be examined by the public inquiry ordered by the prime minister, and the separate criminal inquiry launched by the Metropolitan police.

You can read more about unanswered questions about the fire here.

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 18, 2017, at 10:23 AM

The Labour-run Ealing council says it is stepping in to help deal with the aftermath of the tower fire.

Rupinder Hardy, a manager at Ealing council, held meetings with volunteers last night and this morning, and told BuzzFeed News: "Now we've got a lot of Ealing people coming, and we've got representatives from government offices.

"I've suggested yesterday what I'd like to see, and I'd like to get this to feel like a rest centre, to feel welcoming, to feel inclusive, to give the opportunity to the community to be somewhere where they can talk to community groups and to be heard, and to have their outcomes met."

The news comes after prime minister Theresa May admitted the response to the fire had not been good enough.

Speaking to ITV's Peston on Sunday programme, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "You have a very large number of people looking for somewhere to live now because the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea doesn't have the capacity to deal with the crisis."

Read more here.

–Aisha Gani

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 17:01 PM

Theresa May has admitted the support on the ground for survivors of the Grenfell Fire disaster "was not good enough".

Following criticism of the authorities' response to the fire, which culminated in a series of protests last night, the prime minister said she was ordering "immediate action" to help victims' relatives and survivors.

May met with residents, volunteers and community leaders at Downing Street today, to, she said, "listen to their concerns and reassure them personally that government is there for them – and that everything possible will be done to help them through the hugely difficult days, weeks, months and years to come."

"The response of the emergency services, NHS and the community has been heroic," she said in a written statement issued after the meeting.

"But, frankly, the support on the ground for families who needed help or basic information in the initial hours after this appalling disaster was not good enough."

As well as the official response to the disaster being criticised, May has come under pressure personally for failing to meet residents in person at the scene.

She met emergency personnel at the base of the tower on Thursday, spoke with victims in hospital on Friday, and later that day spoke with residents and volunteers in the nearby St Clement's Church in a third private visit. The latter visit coincided with angry protests outside the church, which May left to chants of "coward".

"I have heard the concerns and I have ordered immediate action across the board to help victims' relatives and the survivors," today's statement said.

"People lost everything in the fire and were left in only the clothes they were wearing.

"I can confirm that a £5 million emergency fund that I announced yesterday is now being distributed on the ground so people can buy clothes, food and other essentials. If more funding is required, it will be provided."

The prime minister said all residents left homeless would be found a home nearby in three weeks, and that she had requested daily progress reports on the issue.

"There have been huge frustrations that people do not know who to talk to, that they can't get through on the council hotlines," her statement continued.

"I have ordered that more staff be deployed across the area, wearing high visibility clothing, so they can easily be found, dispense advice and ensure the right support is provided. Phone lines will have more staff."

May said the public inquiry she has ordered will be open and transparent, and that ministers will cooperate fully. The judge in charge of the inquiry will be announced in the coming days, she said.

"Victims have concerns their voice will not be heard, that their many questions about this tragedy will not be answered," May said.

"It has been decided today that the public inquiry will report back to me personally. As prime minister, I will be responsible for implementing its findings."

The prime minister said all councils had been ordered to conduct urgent safety checks on all high rise blocks similar to Grenfell Tower, to reassure residents.

"The fire at Grenfell Tower was an unimaginable tragedy for the community, and for our country," the statement concluded. "My government will do whatever it takes to help those affected, get justice and keep our people safe."

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 16:37 PM

The family of the first victim of the Grenfell Tower fire to be officially identified have paid tribute to him.

Mohammad Alhajali was a Syrian refugee who arrived in the UK in 2014. He had been studying civil engineering in London and had dreamed of returning home to rebuild his country. His brother Omar survived the fire.

Mohammad's family said in a statement: "Mohammad was a very amazing and kind person. He gave love to everyone. He came to the UK because he had ambitions and aims for his life and for his family. Our whole family will miss Mohammad dearly and he will never be forgotten. To God we belong and to him we return."

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 15:19 PM

Metropolitan police commander Stuart Cundy has announced that 58 people are presumed dead after the Grenfell Tower fire. This figure includes the deaths of 30 people already announced, and the 16 people whose bodies have been recovered to the mortuary.

Twenty-eight people are missing, presumed dead, a Metropolitan police spokesperson later clarified.

Fifty-two families are being supported by family liaison officers, Cundy said, adding that 19 people remain in hospital, 10 of which are receiving critical care.

He told journalists in the shadow of Grenfell that the death-toll could increase further still if people were in the tower that night of the fire that police are not aware of.

Cundy asked for anyone who escaped the tower but hadn't made it known to contact police: "I don't care the reason you haven't told us so far. I want to know and we all want to know you are safe and well."

He added: "Whilst I sincerely hope that our work over the coming days means that we able to say that less people are confirmed as having died, I also have to consider the sad reality that this may rise."

He confirmed that the first victim of the fire to be named, 23-year-old Syrian refugee Mohammad Alhajali, had been officially identified.

Cundy added that police would release images from inside the tower tomorrow, once they had informed families that they were planning on doing so.

–Ikran Dahir

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 13:38 PM

The prime minister is holding a private meeting with victims, volunteers and community leaders from the Grenfell Tower disaster at Number 10 Downing Street.

Theresa May has been criticised for not meeting with survivors, but this is her fourth private visit with those affected by the disaster.

Speaking outside Number 10 after the meeting, a representative of the group said: "I will make this very brief. We will not be making a full statement, we will be making this in the community with the community. We had two and half hours with the prime minister. I spoke about our demands and what we expect. You will hear from us in due course."

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 12:44 PM

Pressure is mounting on Theresa May over her response to the Grenfell Fire disaster, with some of her closest allies forced to defend her.

First secretary of state Damian Green said the prime minister was "distraught" over the fire after she was criticised for not visiting residents sooner.

Writing in The Times, former Tory MP Matthew Parris said May was "not viable", while many people online shared a cartoon from the same newspaper encapsulating the criticism of May's response.

The Times of London @thetimes

Saturday's cartoon by @BrookesTimes

11:48 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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Read more, including details on May's awkward interview with Newsnight, here.

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 12:09 PM

Jeremy Corbyn @jeremycorbyn

I have written to @Theresa_May regarding the decision to hold a full and independent public inquiry into the fire aâ¦ https://t.co/gqL9W2v30G
09:33 AM - 17 Jun 2017
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has written to prime minister Theresa May over her promise to hold a public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire.

In his letter, he expresses concerns that the inquiry could delay any parallel legal actions by families affected by the disaster, and says legal aid must be made available for them to do so.

Corbyn also backs mayor of London Sadiq Khan's call for an interim report to be produced this summer.

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 09:05 AM

Pressure is growing on the authorities over the circumstances that led to and the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Here are seven questions that the public inquiry ordered by prime minister Theresa May must answer:

What role did the cladding play in the rapid spread of the fire?
Where did the materials used in the refurbishment come from and who ordered them?
Why did the type of cladding change to a more flammable type of material during the planning process?
Were previous warnings ignored? And if so, by whom?
Were residents' concerns about fire safety ignored?
Isn't an inquest better than a public inquiry anyway?
Who is liable for all this?

Read more here.

–Patrick Smith

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 08:51 AM

A man has been jailed for three months for taking photos of the body of a man who died in the Grenfell Tower fire, and posting them on Facebook.

Omega Mwaikambo, 43, was arrested on Wednesday, the day the fire tore through the west London tower block.

He pleaded guilty to two offences under the Communications Act and was jailed for 12 weeks at Westminster magistrates' court on Friday.

Read more here.

–Matthew Champion.

Posted at Jun. 17, 2017, at 07:55 AM

In her official birthday message, the Queen has reflected on the "very sombre national mood", a day after visiting Grenfell Tower fire survivors, residents and volunteers.

"Today is traditionally a day of celebration. This year, however, it is difficult to escape a very sombre national mood. In recent months, the country has witnessed a succession of terrible tragedies," the message says, referring to the Manchester Arena bomb and the London Bridge attack, as well as Grenfell.

"As a nation, we continue to reflect and pray for all those who have been directly affected by these events. During recent visits in Manchester and London, I have been profoundly struck by the immediate inclination of people throughout the country to offer comfort and support to those in desperate need.

"Put to the test, the United Kingdom has been resolute in the face of adversity. United in our sadness, we are equally determined, without fear or favour, to support all those rebuilding lives so horribly affected by injury and loss."

The Royal Family @RoyalFamily

A message from The Queen on Her Majesty's Official Birthday. https://t.co/vaKt5qj7IZ

05:12 AM - 17 Jun 2017
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Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 21:13 PM

Crowds of people gathered outside Kensington Town Hall and marched down to Latimer Road demanding justice for the victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which left at least 30 people dead.

Local resident Hannah Wiggins, 20, was, along with her partner and friends, encouraging people in the community to write messages of love and support on t-shirts and a large piece of cloth.

Fiona Rutherford @Fi_Rutherford

Hannah, who lives in a neighbouring block to #Grenfelltower, told me that everyone is terrified, they don't even waâ¦ https://t.co/ttK7Cp0PPA
07:51 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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Another protester, Bahar Karimi, told BuzzFeed News that she was disappointed at the lack of support from the government, but proud of the community for coming together. "All the people donating, and giving to the community, are actually people that need help themselves – so their generosity is so amazing," she said.

Ryan Broderick @broderick

Live following #grenfelltower protesters https://t.co/CEXvz6W4VU
05:40 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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Read more about the protests on the streets of west London here. – Fiona Rutherford and Ryan Broderick

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 19:27 PM

Michael Gray @GrayInGlasgow

#JusticeForGrenfell arriving at Downing Street. Anger being directed at Tory Prime Minister Theresa May.

06:28 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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Hundreds of protesters made their way to Downing Street chanting "Justice for Grenfall" and "May must go". This followed the protest earlier in the day, when the protesters marched into Kensington Town Hall. There were reportedly 1,400 people in attendance.

Earlier in the day, Theresa May pledged £5 million for the victims of the disaster, as well as "A commitment that victims who lost their homes in the disaster must be rehoused at the earliest possible opportunity and we should aim to do this within 3 weeks at the latest."

However, she was also met with protests earlier in West London after she spoke to residents in a local church – she eventually left through a side door.

Paul Waugh @paulwaugh

#GrenfellTower fire protest outside Downing Street

06:15 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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A resident who lives near the tower, Chris Imafidon, held a poster of a missing child and a burned piece of cladding as he addressed the crowd.

He said: "I'm not here because I support the Tories, Labour or Liberals. I'm here because this child... went to bed and now nobody knows where this child is.

Holding the cladding up, he said: "I was in front of the block of flats that went up in flames and here is the evidence."

A sit-in was also held at Oxford Circus.

Lina - Ø³ÙØ±ÙÙ @Lina_Serene

Oxford street sit-in demanding #JusticeForGrenfell. For the many, not the few.

07:16 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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– Alan White

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 18:20 PM

Families are desperately searching for missing relatives who have been unaccounted for since an "unprecedented" fire ripped through Grenfell Tower in west London, killing at least 30 people.

Although several victims have been confirmed as dead by relatives, none have been officially named.

These are the people who are still reported to be missing.

—Sara Spary, Louise Ridley, Victoria Sanusi, and Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 17:55 PM

Fiona Rutherford @Fi_Rutherford

The organiser of the protest for #GrenfellTower tells me why people are gathering outside the town hall demanding jâ¦ https://t.co/nXQKlFgfhf
05:34 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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A large group of protesters are outside Kensington town hall, in west London, where they handed a list of five demands to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council.

Mustafa Mansour, who appeared to be one of the organisers, said they want the local authority to do more to help those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, to match the spirit of kindness from ordinary people.

He told BuzzFeed News people were angry because nobody from the council came outside to speak to the crowd and instead sent out a written statement that did not fully addresses their concerns.

Among the list of the demands was a call for those who have been displaced to be rehoused locally. The group said they urgently wanted to know the number of people who perished in the fire, as well as the number of people who were in the building.

Earlier today, speculation grew that the authorities were withholding the number of fatalities. Thirty people so far have been confirmed dead, but Met commander Stuart Cundy has said on several occasions that they expect the number to rise.

An extensive recovery operation is underway at the building to find and identify those who died.

Fiona Rutherford @Fi_Rutherford

People have started marching down Kensington high street. They're chanting "no justice, no peace" & "Tories out"â¦ https://t.co/TMKFgzgOJS
05:40 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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– Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 17:25 PM

Prime minister Theresa May has announced a £5 million fund to pay for emergency supplies, food, clothes, and other costs for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

According to Downing Street, the fund includes:

A commitment that victims who lost their homes in the disaster must be rehoused at the earliest possible opportunity and we should aim to do this within 3 weeks at the latest.
A guarantee to rehouse people as close as practically possible to where they previously lived – meaning they can continue to access the same public services such as their local school or local GP. This rehousing would be in the same borough and, if not, a neighbouring borough.
Until people are rehoused, the cost of temporary accommodation will be met on their behalf.
The government will also provide any necessary financial assistance to families who have been rehoused so children and their parents do not incur any extra costs in travelling to their local school.
The new £5 million Grenfell Tower Residents' Discretionary Fund, made immediately available and given to the local authority to distribute. This could be used to cover loss of possessions, funerals and emergency supplies.
Confirmation the Treasury will work with banks to ensure that those affected by the disaster who lost possessions like bank cards still have access to their accounts.
The Department for Work & Pensions are working with local job centres to ensure that those affected have access to the benefits and pensions they would normally receive.

May said in a statement: "The individual stories I heard this morning at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital were horrific. I spoke with people who ran from the fire in only the clothes they were wearing.

"They have been left with nothing – no bank cards, no money, no means of caring for their children or relatives. One woman told me she had escaped in only her top and underwear.

"The package of support I'm announcing today is to give the victims the immediate support they need to care for themselves and for loved ones. We will continue to look at what more needs to be done.

"Everyone affected by this tragedy needs reassurance that the government is there for them at this terrible time – and that is what I am determined to provide."

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 16:47 PM

Hannah Al-Othman ð @HannahAlOthman

Quite the crowd outside the church.

04:16 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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After being criticised for not speaking to residents affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, Theresa May made a visit to St Clement's Church, near the tower block, on Friday afternoon. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn visited the same church yesterday.

But the prime minister's visit to the refuge site was greeted by protesters demanding answers over the circumstances and aftermath of the fire and criticising a perceived lack of action since the disaster.

Hannah Al-Othman ð @HannahAlOthman

Theresa May is in St Clement's Church. A group of v angry women is waiting for her to come out.

04:04 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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"I want her to come out here and face us," Alison Moses told BuzzFeed News. "What are you doing here on Friday? I lost my home on Tuesday, people lost their lives on Tuesday."

As May spoke to people inside the church, people outside chanted "get her out". Amid an increased police presence, May exited by a side door, to chants of "coward".

Hannah Al-Othman ð @HannahAlOthman

This is turning quite nasty

04:31 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 14:41 PM

The Sun newspaper has denied that one of its reporters impersonated a relative of Grenfell Tower fire victim in order to enter a London hospital where survivors are being treated.

In a statement the newspaper said the claims were "untrue and malicious accusations".

According to The Guardian, sources said a Sun journalist attempted to impersonate a relative of Grenfell resident Marcio Gomes in order to interview him.

King's College Hospital told BuzzFeed News it would be informing the media regulator about an unspecified incident.

It said: "Following an incident at King's College Hospital, we have formally written to The Sun and will be informing the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). We are unable to comment on the specifics until our complaint has been investigated."

The Sun @TheSun

Statement: The Sun wants to make it completely clear that no reporter has âimpersonatedâ any Grenfell Tower familyâ¦ https://t.co/8Dri0PdK6y
12:04 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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At time of publication, IPSO said it had not received any complaints.

You can read the full story here.

–Ikran Dahir

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 14:29 PM

Twitter users, fueled by the left-wing Skwawkbox blog and elsewhere, have been posting theories that the government has issued a "D-Notice" censoring the media from reporting casualty numbers from the fire at Grenfell Tower in Kensington.

The rumours have grown out of the slow rise in official casualty numbers from the fire. Officials have confirmed that at least 30 residents of the tower block have died and emphasised that the total is expected to rise.

In one post titled "GOVT "PUTS 'D-NOTICE' GAG" ON REAL #GRENFELL DEATH TOLL #NATIONALSECURITY", Skwawkbox claimed "multiple sources told the SKWAWKBOX that the government has placed a 'D-notice' (sometimes called a 'DA Notice') on the real number of deaths in the blaze".

"D-Notices" (Defence and Security Media Advisory, or DSMA, notices) are part of a voluntary system between government and media outlets to advise when the government doesn't wish the media to publish sensitive details of stories which could endanger intelligence, security or police operations. They are rare: The last one was issued after the Manchester terror attack.

BuzzFeed News has confirmed with the DSMA secretariat that there are no advisories issued about the fire at Grenfell Tower, that notices would not be sent in relation to civilian disasters such as this one, and that so far as the DSMA secretariat is aware there is no national security element whatsoever to the tragedy.

–James Ball

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 14:05 PM

Survivors of the Grenfell Fire disaster, in which at least 30 people died, might not be rehoused in the same borough or even in the same part of London, according to the local authority.

Kensington and Chelsea council said in a statement on Friday afternoon: "While we will try do our upmost to ensure those affected remain in or near the borough, given the number of households involved, it is possible the council will have to explore housing options that may become available in other parts of the capital."

The council said all former residents who had approached them for help had been placed in hotels. On Thursday, several residents expressed concern that they will be permanently resettled in a different borough of London.

The council's admission appears to contradict a government pledge made on Thursday, when housing minister Alok Sharma told a briefing of MPs at Westminster on Thursday that "the government will guarantee that every single family will be rehomed in the local area".

You can read more about rehousing here.

–Patrick Smith

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 13:45 PM

The former London mayor has issued a statement criticising the "political game playing" he says is taking place in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Boris Johnson, now foreign secretary, said in a statement that he found it "unbelievable that Labour are suggesting that this tragedy was somehow caused by fire service cuts".

Two days ago, a spokesperson for Johnson told BuzzFeed News: "The current Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan had the opportunity when he arrived as Mayor to review and make any changes to the LFB. We should praise their incredible work to combat this awful fire."

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 13:31 PM

In less than 48 hours a single crowdfunding page has raised more than £1 million to help the victims of Wednesday morning's fire at Grenfell Tower in west London, which left at least 30 people dead.

The JustGiving page was created by Haley Yearwood, a teacher and director of learning for students in year 8 at Kensington Aldridge Academy.

"As I watched the news at 5 o'clock in the morning, I just wanted to make sure residents affected were well cared for after the tragedy," Yearwood said in a statement.

–Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 13:19 PM

Ever since the horrific news broke about the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed at least 30 and injured many more, celebrities have been flocking to social media and even to the scene to help survivors as best they can.

Tom Hardy has set up an emergency fundraising JustGiving page to help those affected.

Hardy wrote a long message to fans explaining his reasons for doing so, and admitted how the "harrowing" tragedy had affected him.

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 13:15 PM

Theresa May has been photographed leaving Chelsea and Westminster hospital after she visited victims of the Grenfell Tower fire today.

The PM had come under criticism for not meeting residents of the local area earlier.

Chelsea and Westminster has the city's specialist burns unit, and took 25 of those wounded in the blaze in the hours after the fire broke out. Only eight patients remain in the hospital, three in critical care.

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 12:59 PM

Sadiq Khan @SadiqKhan

My letter to the Prime Minister, demanding answers, action and justice for those affected by the #GrenfellTower firâ¦ https://t.co/TzSgqmzZpt
12:32 PM - 16 Jun 2017
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Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has written to Theresa May outlining four main areas of concern that the government needs to tackle on behalf of those caught up in the Grenfell Tower fire.

After spending "several hours" with residents yesterday, Khan said they "feel the government and local council haven't done enough to help them in the aftermath of this horrific incident, or to provide answers to their increasingly urgent questions". He said he promised the community he would "fight for them" and laid out the following four steps.

Victim support and information

Khan said victims need more information, urgently. They "cannot comprehend" why they are not being given more information. He said while the systems in place work for a terror attack, they should be rethought in the light of this disaster.

Relief organisation

The mayor noted that local organisational structures have been overwhelmed by the scale of the tragedy, and the response. "I would urge the Government to provide all necessary assistance and satisfy itself that the operation is functioning to the standard local residents have the right to expect," he wrote.

Tower block safety

Many people are "terrified" that a similar fire could take place in their block, Khan said, and the government needs to provide a list of those tower blocks already checked "by the end of today", as well as a timeline for the remaining buildings.

Public inquiry

Khan said the public, but especially the local community, could not afford to wait "years" for the public inquiry. He urged the government to publish an interim report this summer.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 12:44 PM

In a Channel 4 News interview with Jon Snow on Thursday, singer Lily Allen, who lives in the area, accused the media and the government of downplaying the death toll, which was at 17 at the time.

She said the government was trying to "micromanage" people's grief, and said the media were downplaying the death count.

The Met's Commander Stuart Cundy said on Thursday that identifying those who tragically died in the Grenfell Tower fire "is our top priority".

At a subsequent press conference on Friday, where it was confirmed that at least 30 people have died, BuzzFeed News asked Cundy why the process of confirming the numbers of those who have died was taking so long.

"What is important for me, on behalf of the police, is that I will only say something that I know to be true. So at this point in time, I know at least 30 people have died in this fire. The very nature of this intense fire that has occurred within Grenfell Tower – and I do believe that the number will increase," he said, as angry residents called for the process to be sped up.

"The building itself in a hazardous state. It is going to take a period of time for our specialists, both within the police and the London Fire Brigade, to fully search that building to make sure we locate and recover everybody who has sadly perished in that fire. We will be doing that as swiftly as we can, absolutely."

–Victoria Sanusi and Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 11:25 AM

At least 30 people have now died in the fire, Metropolitan police commander Stuart Cundy has confirmed.

In a statement to the press at the site of Grenfell Tower, he said that the fires within the building were now out, and that the evidence they and the London Fire Brigade had seen so far indicated that the blaze was not started deliberately.

"At this point in time we know that at least 30 people have died as a result of this fire. Sadly and tragically that includes one person who was taken to hospital and despite the very best medical care from the NHS has now sadly died," Cundy said during a press briefing on Friday afternoon. 12 people have been taken to the mortuary, although he said "a number" of bodies remained at the Grenfell Tower site.

Cundy said that 29 police liaison officers were supporting 36 families, and all of those in hospitals had now been accounted for. "Sadly, we do not expect there to be any survivors," he said.

Responding to a question from BuzzFeed News about the length of time it was taking to identify the bodies and release information, Cundy said: "I will only say something that I know to be true. I know at this point in time that there are at least 30 people that have died in this fire."

The Met officer was heckled by residents as he spoke, breaking off to say: "I do believe that the number will increase, sadly."

He went on to explain that the recovery operation would take a significant length of time because "the building itself is in a very hazardous state".

"I completely understand the need for those who have lost loved ones so that as quick as we can we are able to confirm that," he said. "As quick as can we will be recovering people and ensuring that we have a full search of Grenfell Tower. Sadly, I do believe that the number of those that have died will increase, and as soon as we can we will share that with the families and then the wider community."

Earlier in the press conference, Cundy said the situation inside the tower remained "particularly hazardous".

He continued: "It is going to take us a considerable amount of time to fully work through Grenfell Tower over the coming weeks to ensure that we complete our investigation here within the building itself. It is an absolutely priority and what we are all doing is as quickly and with as much dignity as we can recovering those that are still inside."

Richard Mills, of the London Fire Brigade, also tackled questions about the length of the operation. He said they had a number of urban search and rescue crews working to help "support the police in the extraction of the victims and the stabilisation of the building".

"We anticipate that this is going to be a considerably protracted incident, and we will remain on scene for as long as is necessary to ensure that we give as much support as is possible to our other colleagues and we reunite the victims as best we can with their relatives."

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 11:21 AM

Local authorities across the UK have ordered urgent safety reviews into their high-rise residential buildings in the wake of the Grenfell disaster, as anxious residents ask whether their homes are safe.

Councils have sought to reassure residents that their homes have not been fitted with the same aluminium composite material (ACM) as the London tower block. Here's what the authorities are doing:

A council flat tenant in Bristol has launched a High Court claim against Bristol city council to halt ongoing cladding works on 45 towers in the city.

Kensington and Chelsea council leader Nick Padget-Brown told BBC Newsnight on Thursday that no other towers in the borough have the same kind of cladding.

On Thursday Hounslow council halted renovation work to re-clad six "deteriorating" towers in Brentford.

Westminster council wrote to residents in one block in the Little Venice district saying there was "no reason to believe" the same materials used on Grenfell were used in a recent renovation.

Croydon said it was "making checks on all of our blocks with external cladding and looking at the implications as well as carrying out a full review of fire safety".

Camden, Islington, Wandsworth, and Sutton have all ordered reviews.

Southampton city council wrote to tower block residents to say that cladding has been installed on eight towers, but of a naturally fire-resistant mineral-based variety.

A review is under way of tower blocks in Salford.

Urgent checks are being carried out by the Northern Ireland executive. Glasgow has said it does not use the same cladding as used at Grenfell, as has Edinburgh city council and Aberdeen city council.

You can read each council's actions in more depth here.

–Patrick Smith

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 11:07 AM

Prime minister Theresa May has visited Chelsea and Westminster hospital this morning, following growing call for her to meet victims of the Grenfell fire.

The hospital, which houses the city's specialist burns unit, took 25 patients in the hours after the fire engulfed the 24-storey residential block. Eight patients remain in the hospital, three of who are in critical care, according to a NHS statement this morning.

May had faced criticism after she met with the fire crews and police officer at the scene in Notting Hill yesterday, but did not speak to residents. Queen Elizabeth, Prince William, and Labour leader Jeremy have all met with residents. Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom was forced to defend the Conservative leader to upset locals earlier today, prior to May's visit to the hospital.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 10:35 AM

An emerging London artist has been confirmed as among the dead following the devastating fire in Grenfell Tower block.

Khadija Saye, 24, had been listed as among those missing. Tottenham MP David Lammy, whose wife had mentored Saye, had been one of many desperately asking for information on the young artist's whereabouts after the fire.

"May you rest in peace Khadija Saye. God bless your beautiful soul. My heart breaks today. I mourn the tragic loss of a wonderful young woman," he tweeted this morning, after her cousin confirmed Saye's death on Facebook last night.

You can read more about Saye here.

–Sara Spary & Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 10:26 AM

Theresa May will chair a cross parliamentary meeting in Whitehall at 1.30pm today to discuss the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire.

At least 17 people have died, 12 remain in critical care, and many more are missing after the blaze ripped through the 24-storey residential block in west London early Wednesday morning.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 10:09 AM

The Queen and her grandson Prince William have arrived in west London and will meet residents and victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

The pair, whose arrival comes after Theresa May visited the scene to speak to emergency service personnel but not residents, visited the Westway Community centre. It has become a focal point for those affected by the disaster.

Yesterday, the monarch issued a statement praising the bravery of the emergency services and saying that her "thoughts and prayers were with all those who had lost loved ones" in the fire.

The Royal Family @RoyalFamily

The Queen and The Duke are meeting members of the emergency services, as well as local residents and community reprâ¦ https://t.co/8jYvHPqF8t
10:26 AM - 16 Jun 2017
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–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 09:56 AM

Prime minister Theresa May will visit victims of the Grenfell Tower block in hospital today, the BBC has reported.

May has come under increasingly heavy criticism after she did not meet with residents yesterday, instead speaking to fire crews and police officers during her brief visit. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been praised for his appearance, after he spoke to faith leaders and met with a number of those affected by the tragedy.

Earlier today, leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom was forced to defend May's absence to angry residents during a TV interview with Sky News. Leadsom said May was "trying to get a grip on this [situation] and provide practical leadership".

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 09:47 AM

UK Parliament @UKParliament

In recognition of the tragic events that took place at the Grenfell Tower, Parliamentâs flags are flying at half-maâ¦ https://t.co/JNlAXbvvyD
08:20 AM - 16 Jun 2017
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As many as 17 people have died in the tower block blaze that broke out shortly before 1am on Wednesday morning. 24 people remain in four hospitals across the capital, with 12 receiving critical care. Scores more are missing, as families desperately search for news.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 09:43 AM

Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom was forced to defend prime minister Theresa May as upset residents confronted her during a visit to Grenfell Tower.

"The PM has been incredibly closely following what has been happening," Leadsom said. "The prime minister is doing everything she can. I am sure if it is felt that it is helpful [for her to come down] then I am sure she will. At the same time, there are some very practical needs that need to be met for residents that have been affected and their families."

The leader of the Commons was criticised by local residents as she was interviewed by Sky News for her leader's absence in the area. One man said that private visits, which Leadsom said a number of MPs had made, were not enough.

"As the PM said yesterday, people will want answers," she said. "It is absolutely vital that we get to the bottom of it. We do need to know exactly what happened."

"The prime minister is trying to get a grip on this and provide practical leadership," she said as she left the small scrum of people surrounding her.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 08:58 AM

Fiona Rutherford @Fi_Rutherford

Ishmahil Blagrove had some strong words for the mainstream media outside #grenfelltower and everyone cheered.

12:40 PM - 15 Jun 2017
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Ishmahil Blagrove, a longstanding Notting Hill writer, filmmaker and resident, has told BuzzFeed News that he felt the needs of people who live in social housing were routinely overlooked, with preference given to wealthy residents who own their homes.

"When the average property price in this area is just £1.2 million – who do you think can buy it?" he said. "The council listens to the man who owns his house as opposed to the man who lives in social housing. That is where the crisis from this country is coming from."

A video of Blagrove criticising the mainstream media over their coverage was shared thousands of times on Thursday.

Blagrove has long campaigned on the issue of gentrification in his area, and has been a prominent advocate for those in social housing over the years. In 2014 he wrote a book on the history of the Notting Hill carnival, and discussed current police relations with the local community.

"The marginalised, the disenfranchised, the voiceless people are not heard, and only people that have a certain income, or have connections to certain people get heard. You have poor working-class people who have to be legitimised by some cut-glass accent before people take them seriously. That's the bullshit and fuckery that is going down."

He said that prime minister Theresa May was not listening to people, and the government had not acted after the Lakanal House fire in 2009. The fire, in a 14-storey tower block in MP Harriet Harman's Camberwell constituency, killed six people.

"You learned fuck all from that, do you understand me?" he said. "So don't tell me about lessons are going to be learned. Do not treat this community as some ignorant low-IQ community … We're not going to be dismissed with hollow platitudes which you use to dismiss and bury those who are responsible."

–Fiona Rutherford and Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 08:49 AM

The number of people in critical care has dropped to 12, in four hospitals across the capital. Only 24 people remain in hospital in total, the NHS also said in a statement.

The hospitals still treating people are King's College, Chelsea and Westminster, the Royal Free, and St Mary's. Both Charing Cross and Guy's and St Thomas' have discharged all their patients.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 08:19 AM

Harriet Harman @HarrietHarman

Ok, @theresa_may wrong not to meet #Grenfell tower residents. But she could do now & invite to Downing st to hear (We did re Lakanal)
07:10 AM - 16 Jun 2017
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Harriet Harman, Labour MP for Camberwell and Peckham, has urged prime minister Theresa May to invite Grenfell Tower block residents to Downing Street.

May has come under increasing criticism for not meeting residents of the block yesterday, instead speaking to fire crews and police officers. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spent time on the site and spoke with victims and residents.

Harman said victims and relatives of the Lakanal House fire, which claimed the lives of six people in 2009, were invited to Number 10 in the wake of that tragedy.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 07:25 AM

Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, has said the public needs quick answers over the Grenfell Tower fire. "It is very important that we get some quick conclusions" he said. "The final inquiry might take some time but that is not acceptable in terms of having some quick conclusions, both from the inquiry but also from the fire and rescue report."

Javid, speaking on Sky News, cited the Hillsborough report, which within three months led to suggestions for "wholesale changes in football stadiums across the country to make them safer", as an example of how he felt the investigation should proceed.

"As soon as we have information from that fire inspection report," he said, "which we have asked for within days, then we can act on that as well. There are some immediate lessons to be drawn and we cannot wait."

On the issue of rehoming Grenfell Tower residents, Javid said it was "important" that the families were kept in the local area. "I want to see them rehoused either in their local borough or a neighbouring borough, in the local area, and I think that is hugely important."

Javid defended Theresa May's visit to the building yesterday. The PM's visit was unfavourably compared to that made by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, after she did not meet the residents and spoke only to the fire crews and officers on the scene.

"What she wanted to do was speak to the people working on the recovery operation to make sure that they had everything that they've got," Javid said, adding that he would visit the site himself today and would meet residents. He continued: "Different people show their emotion in different ways. The prime minister is a person of action and she wants to help.

"One of the first things that she did as soon as she came back to Downing Street was authorise the release of emergency funding for the local authority so that they had everything that they need."

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 16, 2017, at 06:24 AM

The initial devastation has given way to anger as local residents and opposition politicians demand answers in the wake of the tragedy, many noted.

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 21:46 PM

A criminal investigation has been launched to look into the deadly fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower, Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan police announced Thursday.

The police probe is just one in a series of inquiries that have been called for since authorities said 17 people in the apartment building have so far been confirmed to have died in the blaze. Officials, however, say they expect that number to rise.

Cundy told reporters on Thursday that the investigation did not mean a crime had been committed – only that the Met would be looking into whether one had been.

"As the police, we investigate criminal offences," Cundy said, according to the Associated Press. "I am not sitting here and saying there are criminal offences that have been committed, that's why you do an investigation."

London mayor Sadiq Khan and prime minister Theresa May have both asked for a public inquiry into the blaze.

In a statement on Facebook, Khan said an interim report on the fire should be completed by this summer.

In a statement, Cundy said officials are still working identify those killed in the fire, as well as recover bodies in the 24-story building.

Of the 17 deaths that have been confirmed, he said, six bodies have been recovered and another 11 remain in the charred building.

Only six bodies have been identified, Cundy added.

"It is important to be frank – fires are still breaking out and conditions are very difficult and hazardous for the emergency services in the upper levels of the building," Cundy said in the statement.

–Salvador Hernandez

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 18:20 PM

Some people living in the area around Grenfell Tower are saying that the tragic fire that has so far claimed the lives of 17 people should be a turning point for those living on the less affluent side of Kensington.

Kholoud El-Jamal, 19, who lives nearby, told BuzzFeed News she was in disbelief as she watched the building, a local landmark, go up in flames.

A day later, she said she hoped the tragedy would lead to great equality and that those in power would take housing concerns more seriously.

"Now that this has happened, it should open people's eyes and show people that this is serious," she said. "Maybe this area isn't as rich, but our lives matter too."

Filmmaker Ishmahil Blagrove told BuzzFeed News that he felt the needs of people who live in social housing were routinely overlooked, with preference given to wealthy residents who own their homes.

"When the average property price in this area is £1.2 million – who do you think can buy it?" he said. "The council listens to the man who owns his house, as opposed to the man who lives in social housing. That is where the crisis from this country is coming from."

Read more here.

–Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 17:23 PM

Sadiq Khan @SadiqKhan

Spent today listening to #GrenfellTower community who are understandably distraught & frustrated. They need answersâ¦ https://t.co/6YGsu49LJr
05:04 PM - 15 Jun 2017
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–Francis Whittaker

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 17:09 PM

Hannah Al-Othman ð @HannahAlOthman

A group of v angry residents here saying "don't say this isn't political. This whole thing is political."

10:14 AM - 15 Jun 2017
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Survivors of the Grenfell fire disaster, in which at least 17 people have died, have expressed concern they will be permanently resettled in a different borough of London.

Dozens of families who escaped the blaze are either staying with friends and family, in nearby shelters, or in hotels as they start to rebuild their lives and seek new homes.

Housing minister Alok Sharma told a briefing of MPs at Westminster on Thursday that "the government will guarantee that every single family will be rehomed in the local area".

Earlier, Theresa May pledged that "every effort" would be made to re-house the families as close as possible to the tower.

But there was no guarantee that the Grenfell families would be housed in the Kensington and Chelsea borough, and many residents are still worried this won't be the case.

One resident, Eve Wedderburn, 40, told BuzzFeed News: "Don't say this isn't political. This whole thing is political. They have a decamp strategy, which is about rehousing all social tenants outside of the borough. They're rubbing their hands."

Dayo Gilmour, 43, said: "It's social cleansing. There's a 20-vote Labour majority here and they're trying to rid this borough of poor people. The people that live in those houses are people. And some of them are dead. People are angry, this is not going away."

Read more here.

–Patrick Smith and Hannah al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 17:06 PM

Fiona Rutherford @Fi_Rutherford

A day after the #grenfelltower tragedy one local resident tells me how he's feeling.

11:08 AM - 15 Jun 2017
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Peaky Saku, a music artist and producer who lives in a block near Grenfell Tower, told BuzzFeed News he saw the tragic incident unfold from his kitchen window, and said the full weight of what had happened had just started to sink in.

"I feel a bit a sick really, if I'm honest," he said. "This has been such a mad experience."

Read more about Saku here.

–Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 16:55 PM

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking

"Someone needs to be held accountable" - residents tell London Mayor @SadiqKhan during statement #GrenfellTower firâ¦ https://t.co/qeFKxDYCNo
04:25 PM - 15 Jun 2017
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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said he welcomed the prime minister's call for a public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire and said an interim response should be published this summer, as he addressed a sometimes angry gathering of local people near the site of the blaze.

Having visited a church which is helping some of those affected, Khan battled through crowds and was flanked by dozens of police officers as he addressed the media and local people, and was repeatedly heckled.

He said he had visited the site of the "horrific" fire, and has been told by the city's fire commissioner that "it would take days, if not weeks" for firefighters and forensic teams to go through the entire block.

His statement was interrupted by several hecklers, with people shouting "these deaths could be prevented" and "we need answers", and bemoaning the lack of help given by the authorities.

Addressing the anger, Khan said: "As you will see, people are understandably very angry and concerned, and have genuine questions, and will demand answers."

He said that while he welcomed Theresa May's ordering of a public inquiry, the judge conducting it should publish an interim response this summer, and that people affected could "not afford to wait a number of years".

Khan called for checks of other tower blocks in London and nationwide to be "undertaken as soon as possible", adding that it is "important these questions are answered and these reassurances can be given".

He said a number of people who had volunteered to help in the aftermath of the blaze were frustrated about the lack of help they had received, and called on Kensington and Chelsea council to help coordinate the distribution of donations.

Khan also praised London's fire service: "The way our firefighters have responded has been breathtaking," he said, adding they had gone "above and beyond the call of duty in their response".

He also said the community's response had showed "the very best of London."

The Metropolitan police told BuzzFeed News they had provisionally identified the bodies of six people, but would not be releasing their names at this time.

Addressing the media outside Scotland Yard on Thursday afternoon, the Met's Commander Stuart Cundy said some of the bodies may not be identified, and that the process could take weeks.

–Francis Whittaker and Sara Spary

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 16:26 PM

Hannah Al-Othman ð @HannahAlOthman

A man has asked me to share this. His grandparents and auntie and uncles are missing. He's heard nothing.

03:45 PM - 15 Jun 2017
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Atikul Hoque, 24, was handing out flyers by the Latimer Road tube station, desperately seeking information about five of his missing family members, including his grandparents.

Komru Miah and Rabia Begum were on the 17th floor with their children, Abdul Hamid, Abdul Hanif, and Tania Begum.

Hoque told BuzzFeed News: "We spoke to them but the last time we got in contact with them was about 4.20am.

"Their eldest son was informed as soon as possible, he got here about 2.30am and he was just watching. There was nothing he could do. He called his sister and the last thing she said was 'please forgive me'. He left there at 10pm that night and the next thing he knew his whole entire family had been burned.

"We've been calling all the hospitals, We spoke to the police but we've heard nothing. They were saying 12 people had died but now it's 17 and there's five of them missing."

–Hannah al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 16:18 PM

ð¥ð¥ð¥ @TazerBlack

Beautiful sight in west London right now.

08:36 PM - 14 Jun 2017
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Following the fire in Grenfell Tower, people came together to help those who have lost everything. Community centres have been overwhelmed by donations.

As it's the month of Ramadan, some of the survivors were fasting.

And when it was time for people to break their fasts, known as iftar, the rest of the community turned out to break it with them.

–Ikran Dahir

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 14:23 PM

The government has promised that it will rehome "every single family" displaced by the fire in the local area.

The promise emerged at the end of an hour-and-a-half briefing for MPs, chaired by fire minister Nick Hurd and housing minister Alok Sharma, in Westminster today.

"The government will guarantee that every single family will be rehomed in the local area," Sharma told the room, which had heard from a range of voices.

Jeremy Corbyn called on the government for reassurance that there would be a proper ministerial statement.

"I am very angry," the Labour leader told the room, having just come from Grenfell Tower. Residents there, he said, were ignored and their warnings not heeded. Across the country, he said people needed to be reassured: "They will be frightened, they will be traumatised."

Other MPs to speak included Labour politician Harriet Harman. Her constituency includes the Lakanal House tower block, where six people died after a fire in 2009. Harman said one of the failing from that incident was that residents waited until 2015 for a court case. "This is too slow," she said. Harman said it was vital that the state stepped in and provided help and support for all those who had lost everything.

Veteran Labour MP Hilary Benn said it was vital that all similar tower blocks across the country – of which there are thousands – urgently receive the correct fire safety advice. He said Grenfell Tower block residents were told to stay inside their flats; had they all done so, he said, they would have died.

Conservative MP Jeremy Leroy said that the inquiry should be conducted under the Inquiries Act, in that people be compelled to give evidence under oath.

Summing up, Hurd had said the government must consider the fire a "national tragedy," and praised the "protocol breaking bravery of firefighters".

"We have to act and think if it was our friends and are family in that building," he said. "There is no room for plodding bureaucracy."

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 13:39 PM

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn made separate visits to Grenfell Tower in west London on Thursday after a fire in the building killed at least 17 people and left dozens more in hospital.

The prime minister spoke to police officers and emergency services at the bottom of the tower block on Thursday morning, during a visit which was kept private. She did not speak to the media or appear to speak to survivors of the incident. Armed police were at the scene.

Shortly after, the Labour leader arrived later at St Clement's Church and was surrounded by a crowd of local residents who flocked around him as he got out of his car.

Corbyn spent about half an hour inside the church, which has been feeding and sheltering displaced people since yesterday morning.

SimonNRicketts @SimonNRicketts

Optics mean a lot in politics, particularly at times like this. Theresa May didnât meet #grenfell residents. Corbynâ¦ https://t.co/2vA66UGl8B
12:02 PM - 15 Jun 2017
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Alia Al-Ghabbom, who lives on the estate and is helping her friend search for his missing niece Jessica Urbano, met Corbyn inside the church. She told BuzzFeed News: "I live in the block next door. I just said 'thank you for being here, it really means a lot so us', he was really emotional.

"He didn't have so many words, he was just giving me a genuine hug. He was really genuine."

–Hannah Al-Othman & Marie Le Conte

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 12:56 PM

A refugee from Syria is one of the first victims of the Grenfell Tower fire to be named.

Mohammad Alhajali, 23, had been in the UK since 2014, a friend told BuzzFeed News.

He was studying civil engineering at the University of West London, which confirmed his death, and he dreamed of returning to Syria to rebuild it, said Abdulaziz Almash.

Almash, who said he was informed of his friend's death by police, told BuzzFeed News that Alhajali was "absolutely a great and passionate individual".

You can read more about Alhajali here.

–Victoria Sanusi

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 12:37 PM

A man was arrested after pictures of what appeared to be the body of a Grenfell Tower fire victim were posted to Facebook.

Police made the arrest at 6pm on Wednesday near the tower in west London. It is understood the arrest directly relates to the images being posted online, but police would not confirm this.

The pictures – which were still online on Thursday morning but have now been removed – showed a man in a body bag. In one picture the bag was sealed; in several others the man's face was visible.

The Metropolitan police said in a statement: "A 43-year-old man was arrested near to Latimer Road station at around 6pm on Wednesday, 14 June, on suspicion of sending malicious communications and obstructing a coroner.

"The arrest relates to the fire at Grenfell Tower. The man has been to a west London police station where he remains in custody."

You can read more about the incident here. –Patrick Smith

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 12:34 PM

A man and his mother survived the Grenfell Tower fire after he carried her down 23 flights of stairs, a friend of their family told BuzzFeed News.

Fahim Mazhary, 62, a community cohesion worker who lives opposite the tower, said his son's best friend Shakhaib Neda, 24, carried his mother out of the building as the fire raged.

Neda and his mother, who is in her forties, are believed to be in a critical care in hospital. Neda's father Mohammed is still missing.

"Can you imagine the panic in the minutes that you have, and you make it out," Mazhary told BuzzFeed News.

You can read the full story here. –Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 12:08 PM

The prime minister has ordered a full public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the huge blaze that engulfed a residential London tower block on Wednesday morning, and which has claimed 17 lives so far.

"What we need to do is to ensure this terrible tragedy is properly investigated," Theresa May said in a video statement this afternoon. "That is why I'm ordering a full public inquiry so we can get to the answers, we can find out exactly what happened and why it happened.

"It is right that, in addition to the immediate fire reports that are being produced and any police investigations, we have a full public inquiry.

"People deserve answers. The inquiry will give them. We need to know what happened, we need to have an explanation of this. We owe that to the families, the people who have lost loved ones, and the homes in which they lived."

May pledged that the government "stands ready to provide every assistance necessary" to the emergency services and the local authority.

The PM, who visited the scene of the fire earlier today, went on to say she wanted to reassure the residents of Grenville Tower that "every effort" would be made to rehouse them in London and as close as possible to their homes in the tower. May said all of those affected were "in our thoughts and prayers".

Her statement comes shortly after Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, demanded a full investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire. Khan praised the work of the emergency services, and said the operation was shifting from the search and rescue phase to the recovery phase.

"Under these circumstances, the full scale of the tragedy is becoming clear and there are pressing questions which demand urgent answers," he said.

In the wake of the fire, chancellor Phillip Hammond said he would no longer be giving a speech at Mansion House this evening. He had been expected to use the speech to oppose a hard Brexit.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 12:08 PM

Speaking to Sky News on Thursday afternoon during his visit to west London, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said authorities have serious questions to answer following the Grenfell Tower fire.

"Some very hard questions now have to be asked and some very hard questions must be answered," Corbyn said.

"The construction of a tower block is essentially a series of concrete boxes, which are the flats. The fire is not supposed to spread from one flat to the other. It is supposed to be contained. It wasn't. It spread. It spread upwards, and it spread outside, as well through the cladding. There are questions on the sprinkler system. Questions on the fire brakes. Questions on why the cladding apparently burnt. Questions on the building control regulations, and questions on the safety.

"Hundreds of thousands of people in our country live in very high-rise tower blocks. Every single person who lives in a high-rise apartment today will be thinking, How safe am I?"

Corbyn paid tribute to the emergency services who responded to the incident: "I would like to thank those brave ambulance workers, paramedics, and police officers who risked their lives to run into a burning building to try and save life and evacuate people. And the response of the fire services: incredible. Within six minutes the first fire appliances on the scene."

He added: "But they are now traumatised, finding bodies, and they're going to have to find more bodies, as they go into this charred wreckage of a building this afternoon and later on today."

He also expressed his sympathy to the residents and their families, and paid tribute to the north Kensington community: "Families are now waiting and not knowing if their loved ones are alive or dead. Not knowing if their children are alive or dead. Not knowing is the hardest part.

"[There has been an] incredible community response, with donations of food and clothing, and all faiths have come together. Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and Christians. Everyone has come together to support and I think that's incredible." –Francis Whittaker

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 11:13 AM

BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking

"The truth has got to come out," Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tells community leaders at scene of #GrenfellTower firâ¦ https://t.co/QllNlUjXB0
11:26 AM - 15 Jun 2017
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Jeremy Corbyn arrived at the Grenfell Tower site early on Thursday afternoon, and was quickly surrounded by a large crowd as he made his way to St Clement's Church. He went inside the church's grounds with Kensington's newly elected Labour MP Emma Dent Coad.

Corbyn was filmed speaking with faith leaders inside the church, and later spoke to residents.

Addressing members of the community, he said that "we have to get to the bottom of this. The truth has got to come out, and it will."

The Labour leader was also photographed speaking to Matthew Wreck of the Fire Brigades Union as he moved through the area.

Corbyn's visit came after prime minister Theresa May made a short visit this morning, speaking to fire crews and police officers who had been working on the site.

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 10:35 AM

Kimberley Williams, 31, slept outside last night on a verge of grass close to Grenfell Tower.

She lives in a flat close to the tower that has been damaged by smoke and is currently uninhabitable.

She told BuzzFeed News: "The flat is not going to look good. It's covered in smoke so I've got nowhere else to go."

Pointing at the bare piece of foam she slept on last night, she said: "That's my bed. I don't know when I'll be able to get back in, they're not saying. They're just saying 'you can't get in'. I just went to my flat and the building is rotten.

"I found out about the fire because my dog was barking, and I smelled smoke coming into the flats. Then they kicked the door down, the police."

Williams added: "I'm homeless at the moment, I've got nowhere to go. It's good the weather is nice because otherwise I'd be fucked. Because it's nice I can sleep on the mattress."

–Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 10:07 AM

The number of people who died in the huge fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower block in the early hours of Wednesday morning has risen to 17, the Metropolitan police have confirmed.

The Met's Commander Stuart Cundy, holding a press conference alongside London fire commissioner Dany Cotton, said "yesterday was a very difficult day".

"Sadly I can confirm that the number of people who have died is now 17, and we do believe that number will sadly increase," he said. "Obviously our absolute priority is identify people who are still missing".

He declined to comment on the number of people suspected missing.

"It is going to take a considerable amount of time," as services need to make sure the building was structurally sound as they proceed, he said. This was not a terror-related incident, he also told reporters.

Cotton, speaking before Cundy, said they were working on a plan to undergo a "detailed fingertip search". "Obviously this would be a slow and painstaking process," she said.

She said the fire service will "utilise specialist dog training teams", who would be able to get into otherwise unaccessible pockets of the structurally damaged building. "Dogs are much lighter than people and can cover a greater area," she added.

Cotton declined to comment on where the fire started, reiterating that the investigation into the blaze will take weeks. –Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 09:36 AM

The Royal Borough of Chelsea and Kensington has said the "immediate priority" in the wake of the fire is to provide emergency housing for those affected, and that "theories" about how the fire started will be thoroughly investigated in due time.

"Our immediate priority is to accommodate the residents of Grenfell Tower, families with young children, the elderly and the vulnerable," the council said in a statement. It said a "rest centre" had been established at Westway Sports Centre.

"We are still placing households and housing officers will work throughout the night to provide assistance and support," it said.

The statement continued: "We have heard a number of theories about the cause of the fire at Grenfell Tower. All of these will be thoroughly investigated as part of the formal investigation which has already begun."

Yesterday, Theresa May confirmed there will be an investigation into the blaze. It comes amid increasing questions about a recent renovation carried out on the block, as well as claims that residents' fears over fire safety were ignored by the local council.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 09:21 AM

The prime minister has visited Grenfell Tower block, talking to fire crews still on the scene.

Theresa May was photographed speaking to firefighters and London fire commissioner Dany Cotton. Yesterday, May promised there would be a full investigation into how the fire spread so quickly, and so rapidly, after expressing her sorrow for all those caught up in the tragic incident.

May also spoke to Metropolitan police officers, who, alongside the fire service, have been on the scene since the fire's outbreak yesterday.

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 09:12 AM

Seventeen people remain in critical condition after a horrific fire ripped through a residential tower block in west London, down from 18.

In addition, 37 people are still being treated in six hospitals across the city, the NHS said in a statement.

Ten people are in King's College hospital, six in critical care; Chelsea and Westminster is caring for nine people, with seven in critical; the Royal Free is looking after six people and has one person in critical; Guy's and St Thomas' is treating just one person; and St Mary's is looking after 11 people and staff there are treating three people in critical condition. Charing Cross, as per yesterday evening, confirmed that it had discharged everyone admitted.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 08:42 AM

The Queen has said her thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the west London Grenfell Tower fire.

"My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost loved ones in the Grenfell Tower fire and the many people who are still critically ill in hospital," she said.

The statement continued: "Prince Philip and I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of firefighters and other emergency services officers who put their own lives at risk to save others. It is also heartening to see the incredible generosity of community volunteers rallying to help those affected."

The blaze, which erupted shortly before 1am on Wednesday morning, has so far claimed 12 people's lives. Eighteen people remain in critical condition in hospital, and 34 are receiving treatment in six hospitals across the capital.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 08:31 AM

The singer visited families affected by the fire and offered to help during a vigil held near the block last night. Twitter user FourMee who posted a picture of Adele last night, alerted many to her visit.

Tom Maughan, 26, was among those who met Adele last night. He told BuzzFeed News: "She was so nice. She was with her husband, she was going round talking to people.

"She said 'is everyone okay, are the dogs okay?' She was so nice. There's a picture of me hugging her on the internet.

"She stayed about 15 minutes, she tried to keep it on the low. Everyone was happy, she's Adele. There were a few people around, it was about one o'clock in the morning. I made a big scene and everyone else came running.

"She didn't have any security or anything, she just came on her own with her husband. She's got Oscars, she's got Grammys, she friends with Beyoncé! She wasn't even hiding her face, she was in her full glory."

Rita Ora was also on the scene. She said yesterday that she had played at Grenfell Tower as a child, and pitched in with volunteers to help distribute donations.

Also helping was actor Noel Clarke. Clarke, who was on the scene all of yesterday and into the night, helped with donations. He tweeted that he'd moved his mum, who lived near the tower, out early yesterday. Clarke also organised brands like Adidas and Pepsi to get supplies to those affected by the blaze.

–Hannah Al-Othman & Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 08:04 AM

London's fire commissioner has confirmed that the huge blaze that broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning has finally been extinguished.

"The fire is now out, there are small pockets of smouldering, you will see wisps of smoke coming out all day due to the heat of the building and the remaining contents," Dany Cotton told Sky News on Thursday morning.

Cotton said her crews, who had worked through the night, were "working very hard to contain the last pockets of fire". More than 300 firefighters, coming from outside London as well as the city, had fought the blaze.

The commissioner said it would be a "miracle" if anyone had survived the blaze. "Tragically we are not expecting to find anyone else alive. The severity of the fire will mean it would be an absolute miracle for anyone to be left alive."

So far 12 people have been confirmed dead, with 18 still in critical condition in six hospitals across the hospital. Officials have been unable to confirm the number of people still missing.

"There are we believe still an unknown number of people in the building," Cotton said. "Due to the severity of the fire and the way things are it will take a long time for us to do that search to properly identify anyone who is left in the building, but we will do that as soon as we can in conjunction with the police."

Cotton said her teams would be moving in to the recovery stage of the operation, once the building's integrity had been secured. "It is not now safe for my fire crews to go all the way out to the edges of the building.

"We have had a structural surveyor come down and assist us last night. We will be working closely today with a search and rescue team who are coming in with a structural surveyor and other specialists to see how we can make it safe so we can continue working with police to do that fingertip search of the rest of the building."

The fire commissioner reiterated that the scene confronted by her firefighters was totally unprecedented, and paid tribute to their tireless work: "The scene I was confronted with was an unparalleled scene to anything I had seen before.

"The building was ablaze. I have truly never seen that in a high-rise building. My crews did absolutely sterling work. They got in there, they were very committed, even though the building was alight from top to bottom and they were in fear of their own lives, they were in and out of that building committing time after time to rescue those people. There was never any hesitation."

She said nine firefighters had received minor injuries, including burns, smoke inhalation, and heat exhaustion. "I was truly concerned about the safety of the building and my firefighters in there. But they were never going to stop until they physically couldn't get in there any more," she said.

"I spoke to some people who were truly distressed," she said, describing how many of her crews had witnessed things they had never anticipated. "They are heroes but they have feelings," she said, talking about an experienced officer who was reduced to tears after witnessing a tower block resident leaping form the building yesterday.

She said she was concerned about the psychological damage many of her crews would face in the future, "Not in the least of all because they knew there were still people in there and they were battling through the heat and they couldn't get there."

Cotton said her crews had identified the flat where the fire is believed to have started, but she refused to speculate on the cause of the fire or the subsequent investigation that politicians, local residents, and those affected are calling for.

"It will take some considerable time," she said of the search operation. "I know that is no solace for the the people who want to hear news of lived people but we want to do this in the best way".

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 07:23 AM

Richard Gaisford @richardgaisford

Signs close to #GrenfellTower reinforce message we've just heard from @ranvir01 @GMB - thanks for donations, but noâ¦ https://t.co/kZdqo8kgqW
06:49 AM - 15 Jun 2017
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In the aftermath of the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower in west London, a number of rescue centres opened to offer refuge and aid to the people suddenly left homeless and without any of their possessions.

Just a day after the horrific fire, which has so far claimed the lives of 12 people, some of the donation points have had to ask people to stop.

Yesterday, scores of Londoners and people who had heard about the fire donated food, shoes, clothes, blankets, towels, toiletries, and even a PlayStation.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 15, 2017, at 06:55 AM

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 20:13 PM

Theresa May on Wednesday expressed her condolences for those affected by the "appalling tragedy" at Grenfell Tower and said an investigation would determine if there are any lessons to be learned.

"My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all of those who had their homes destroyed," the prime minister said in a statement. "It's impossible to comprehend the horror of what they've been going through."

She added that a "cross-government meeting" had taken place to ensure that the emergency service response was getting all the resources needed.

"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," May said.

–Jason Wells

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 18:41 PM

The organisation that manages the Grenfell Tower says it's too early to speculate on what may have caused the fire.

The Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) also said in a statement that it will cooperate fully with investigators "to ascertain the cause of this tragedy".

London Fire Brigade commissioner Dany Cotton told reporters Wednesday that the fire's spread and ferocity was "unprecedented" and "will of course be subject to a major investigation."

The Grenfell Action Group had published a series of blog posts warning of fire safety concerns with KCTMO, a private business that has the contract with the local authority to run its social housing.

In its statement, KCTMO said it was aware that "concerns have been raised historically by residents" and that they will "form part of our forthcoming investigations".

"While these investigations continue with our co-operation, our core priority at the moment is our residents," KCTMO added.

According to a document released by Kensington and Chelsea council after an Freedom of Information Act request from Inside Housing, Grenfell's last fire risk assessment was in December 2015, after the building had received new aluminum cladding as part of a multimillion-pound refurbishment project.

–Jason Wells

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 16:53 PM

Nick Hurd, the Conservative minister for policing and the fire service, has said that residential blocks that have had similar refurbishments to the Grenfell Tower will undergo checks in the wake of the fire.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 16:38 PM

A Grenfell Tower resident who wrote a blog post warning that it would take a "catastrophic fire" for the building's landlord to take notice of safety concerns has told BuzzFeed News how he almost died when the tower block was engulfed in flames in the early hours of Wednesday.

Edward Daffarn, 55, is one of the campaigners from Grenfell Action Group, which published a series of blog posts warning of fire safety concerns in the block.

Daffarn told BuzzFeed News how he was overcome by smoke as he tried to escape his 16th floor flat, and was rescued by a firefighter. "There was no fire alarm, no fire alarm went off. I just heard my neighbours' smoke alarm about one o'clock in the morning," he said.

"I had a matter of seconds or I was going to die. This fireman came, he was lying on the ground and opened the fire exit. He touched my leg and that was enough. That enabled me to get out."

You can read Daffarn's full story here.

–Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 16:30 PM

A total of 74 patients were treated in London hospitals, of which 34 patients currently remain in hospital. 18 of these are in critical condition, the statement confirmed.

Of the 34 being treated, 11 are being cared for at St Mary's hospital, ten at King's College hospital, seven at the Chelsea and Westminster, five at the Royal Free and one at St Thomas's. Charing Cross has discharged the four it was initially treating.

"Across London, we are continuing to respond to the tragic incident at the Grenfell tower block in Kensington. We would like to thank staff across the NHS who have been pulling out all the stops in caring for the patients affected. The commitment, professionalism and outstanding care they have shown is something to be really proud of," Dr Vinod Diwakar, medical director for NHS England, said in a statement.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 16:08 PM

Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan police has confirmed that the number of people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire has risen to 12.

He warned that the number may rise again. "Sadly, I don't anticipate there will be further survivors".

Cundy said it was "very, very challenging" to put a number on how many were still missing and that it would be "incredibly irresponsible" to give exact number of those unaccounted for as details of the incident were still emerging.

He noted that the tower held 120 multiple occupancy flats, and confirmed that there were "a considerable number of people who were inside the tower last night".

"This is going to be a long operation...not just today, not just tonight," he added.

Speaking shortly before him, Steve Apter, director of safety and assurance at the London Fire Brigade, said "there are still pockets of fire that are still to be extinguished".

"This was an unprecedented fire in terms of scale, speed, and spread," Apter said, characterising the incident as "traumatic" and "difficult" for firefighters, of whom at the height of the blaze there were 250 working on the site. He paid tribute to their professionalism and dedication to the job.

"We intend to be here until the job is done," he said, and confirmed that firefighters will be there through the night. Almost all of the building has now been provisionally searched, he added.

Paul Woodward of the London Ambulance Service said the LAS had treated 68 patients and taken them to six hospitals across the country. Eighteen remain in critical care, he confirmed, and 10 further people had presented themselves to hospitals.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 15:56 PM

MP David Amess, chair of the all parliamentary fire safety rescue group, said he was devastated by the news of the tragedy but said responsibility lay with the local housing association and authorities.

Amess, speaking to Sky News, said he could not imagine how the friends and families of those killed or hurt would be feeling at the moment.

"It is a terrible, terrible tragedy," he said. Pushed on the recommendations made in the wake of the Lakanal House fire in 2009 he said the committee he chaired "has been a strong advocate of saying sprinklers save lives".

The Conservative MP for Southend west said local building regulations, which had not been reviewed for 11 years, urgently needed to be addressed.

"The responsibly must be with the local authority and the housing associations to ensure that people who are still living in these older tower blocks are safe. They will be very very worried in the wake of this disaster today."

He said these authorities needed to conduct audits immediately to reassure people, although he acknowledged that there were huge financial costs involved. "Today we have had this terrible tragedy, [but] how can anyone put a price on anyone's life?"

It comes amid a growing clamour by local residents who say that they had warned about unsafe conditions in the tower block for years – but were ignored by the local council. –Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 15:36 PM

Jeremy Corbyn has said "ministers must be questioned" over the fire at Grenfell Tower in London, after the Conservative government repeatedly delayed a report into new fire standards for housing.

The Labour leader told LBC: "If you deny local authorities the funding they need, then there is a price to pay that's paid by the lack of safety facilities all over the country."

"I think there needs to be some very searching questions asked as quickly as possible in the aftermath of this fire."

He later told Sky News: "Obviously ministers that ... received those reports must be questioned. But today every focus and every concentration must be on saving and protecting life."

You can read the full story here.

–Jim Waterson

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 15:18 PM

The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has said that 18 people, down from the earlier number of 20, remain in critical care following a massive fire in a tower block in west London.

Paul Woodrow, director of operations, said in a statement that his service had transported 69 people to hospitals across the city. A further 10 people had taken themselves to hospitals for treatment, bringing the total number treated to 79.

"Over 100 of our clinicians have worked extremely hard in difficult circumstances to care for those who were injured," he said. "This has been a protracted and large-scale incident over many hours.

"We are still on scene supporting London Fire Brigade in the recovery part of the incident," he said. "We initially sent ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, advanced trauma teams from London's Air Ambulance, as well as our hazardous area response teams who carry specialist equipment including breathing apparatus. We treated patients for a range of injuries, as well as for smoke inhalation.

"I am incredibly proud and grateful for the work of our staff and our emergency service colleagues and partner agencies."

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 14:53 PM

Marie, who is originally from Egypt, is waiting for news on her missing brother, 56-year-old Hesham Rahman; her best friend, Islah el-Ghoury, 46; and Islah's daughter, Maryam el-Ghoury, 26.

She said her brother is diabetic and disabled, and cannot walk easily.

She said: "Who will they blame? The people who paid £10 million [for the building] but didn't fix the fire alarm?

"My brother called and said there's a fire and he couldn't breathe. He said he called the police and the police said to stay in the flat. And now I think he's dead.

"We left our countries because our countries aren't safe. We have come here to live in a safe place. What is happening in the UK?

"This country, it was safe. Whatever we see wrong, we have to fight it. I wish this doesn't happen again, people don't die again.

"We've lived 10 years in the building. My best friend and her daughter are missing. A beautiful, such a beautiful girl, her picture is being shared on Instagram. She was my best friend in the world, her husband died, she brought up her children alone. She's a widow. And for this to be the end."

–Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 14:46 PM

The emergency services are being praised for the bravery and speed of their response to the fire in London's Grenfell Tower.

The London Fire Brigade said it got to the building in six minutes.

Officers expressed gratitude to people who have been giving them food as they worked, as residents handed out sandwiches to the emergency services staff at the scene. Many praised their work online.

You can read about what people are saying here.

–Ikran Dahir

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 14:01 PM

A group of firefighters got a round of applause from locals as they walked through the estate.

"I can't say anything about it but it's horrendous in there," one told BuzzFeed News.

The men were part of a "red group" that had been battling the fire in the tower for 10 hours. They were walking through the estate after being relieved by the "blue group", which would take over. They said they would be going home for a shower – but are sure they'll be back in the morning.

BuzzFeed UK @BuzzFeedUK

Here's the moment London firefighters who have been battling the #GrenfellTower blaze were applauded

02:20 PM - 14 Jun 2017
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–Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 13:47 PM

One rescue centre just a few minutes walk from the tower block has been completely inundated with supplies to help residents who have been left homeless by the fire.

Volunteers at the Westway Sports Centre said they had received so much food, shoes, clothes, towels, toiletries, toys, and children's books that they might have to ask people to stop donating.

Jeannita Watkins, 31, who lives locally, was one of the many people who came to the centre to donate some of their belongings. She told BuzzFeed News: "I've given everything I can, I've donated food, clothes, shoes, I've had stuff sitting in my house for years.

"I like to see the fact that everyone has come out to support each other, united as a community. There's been so much bad stuff happening recently, and this is a terrible tragedy but the response has been amazing. Even I'm surprised by it. I've seen someone who's come all the way from Edmonton to donate, and a woman in a wheelchair."

Laura Smith, 32, (pictured above) cycled down from north London to donate a rucksack full of clothes.

She said: "I have a day off today and I heard it on the radio and felt really sad about it and wanted to bring some stuff.

"It's heartening to see all the supplies that people have brought - some people with big bags of nappies and there's a PlayStation somewhere.

"I just wanted to help because it's horrendous. I'm hearing stories about how it could have been prevented. It seems like everyone's helping."

You can see all of the donations, and how people are helping, here.

–Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 13:43 PM

A major investigation will take place to examine the cause of the Grenfell Tower blaze on Wednesday, in which at least six people died, and to determine how it spread with such speed and ferocity throughout the building.

Addressing the media on Wednesday afternoon, London Fire Brigade commissioner Dany Cotton said the fire's spread and ferocity was "unprecedented" and said it "will of course be subject to a major investigation" in due time.

A resident who escaped the tower in the early stages of the blaze on has described seeing the entire side of the building "go like a matchstick" as the cladding caught fire.

It has also emerged that the tower had not received an official fire risk assessment in the last 18 months, according to a document released by Kensington and Chelsea council after an Freedom of Information Act request from Inside Housing.

The document said that Grenfell's last fire risk assessment was in December 2015, after the building had received new aluminium cladding as part of a multimillion-pound refurbishment project.

Mark Coles, head of technical regulations at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, which sets helps standards for electrical installations in the UK, said the investigation into the blaze would look at why it wasn't contained in individual flats and was instead able to spread across the entire building.

He said: "The speed at which this fire spread would suggest that there has been a serious failure in the design and installation techniques employed."

–Patrick Smith

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 13:37 PM

A devastating fire in a 24-storey residential tower block in west London has so far claimed six people's lives, with 74 being treated in hospital and 20 in critical care.

Already questions are being asked about failings by the local and national authorities. Here are some of the most important points:

Why have ministers not carried out a promised review of tower block fire regulations? An investigation into the devastating 2009 fire at Lakanal House in south London, which killed six people, concluded that the government should conduct a review of fire regulations in tower blocks. However, this has yet to take place, despite the coroner making the recommendation four years ago.

Why aren't sprinklers being installed as standard in tower blocks? The government pushed back against suggestions made after the Lakanal House fire that sprinklers be retrofitted to thousands of British tower blocks in order to combat the spread of fire. |t said it was down to the fire industry, not the government.

Should officials change the advice given to residents on whether to stay put or run in the case of a fire? This advice was reviewed after Lakanal House fire, and is likely to be reviewed once again.

Could this fire result in changes to other high-rise blocks? Mayor Sadiq Khan said emergency services' focus at present remains dealing with the fire, but he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he had wider concerns about the state of the capital's housing.

–Jim Waterson

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 13:01 PM

Samantha Cameron, a fashion designer and wife to former PM David Cameron, has described the "incredible" shock of the fire, as she visited one of the drop off points for donations for the victims.

Cameron, speaking at the St Francis Assisi Church, said it was amazing to see how much everyone had donated in just a few short hours.

The local community has responded in force after pleas were made for donations to help those who had lost their homes, with volunteers saying people had come from as far as Harrow to donate supplies.

The latest donation centre to open, at Westway Sports Centre, is preparing to receive people who have nowhere else to sleep tonight.

Hannah Al-Othman ð @HannahAlOthman

@LondonFire Dozens of pairs of shoes

12:35 PM - 14 Jun 2017
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Makeshift beds are being set up in the sports hall as donations pile in. Tables are stacked with food, water, and toiletries, and armies of volunteers are working to sort piles of clothing into separate piles for different ages and genders.

People continue to stream towards the centre, their arms laden with bags, some pushing trollers brimming with supplies.

Hannah Al-Othman ð @HannahAlOthman

@LondonFire Plies of clean towels

12:36 PM - 14 Jun 2017
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Smoke hangs heavy in the air as donations pile up outside, waiting to be sorted.

Local businesses have also donated hot food to keep the volunteers staffing the centre going.

–Hannah Al-Othman & Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 12:40 PM

The local community has rallied together to provide support to people who have lost everything.

Danny Donaldson, 67, (pictured) lives locally and is helping to coordinate one of the rescue centres at Latimer Road Christian Centre.

He told BuzzFeed News: "There's people coming in having a coffee, having some food. We're giving out clothes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, getting people to comfort them. There are a lot of traumatised people. There are a lot of children and old people who are missing.

"We've got six centres; this is one of them. This one is getting overwhelmed, the others are full.

"There are people inside, traumatised people who have lost everything. They've lost family, they've lost clothes, they've lost everything.

"This is the first thing something like this has ever happened and I'm pleased with how the community has responded, it's fantastic. Ninety-nine per cent of the people here that are helping are from the community, they're bringing things and helping out, going to different centres to see if family members who are missing are in other centres."

He appealed for donations to help those who have lost literally everything.

"The people who are here need places to stay, tonight, tomorrow, next week. They can stay in here for an hour or two but they need somewhere to go and sleep.

"What they need more than anything, they need money."

–Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 12:30 PM

There has been misinformation spreading on social media after the Grenfell Tower fire occurred.

Many fake missing people requests were circulating, including one tweet that received over 340 retweets.

One of the people claimed to be missing, a Mexico-based journalist named Andrea Noel, confirmed to BuzzFeed News that she is safe and not at the fire.

Another tweet claimed that a YouTuber who goes by the name of Mars Aguirre was reported missing. But that YouTuber tweeted four hours ago about her high school in Spanish. There's no sign she was at Grenfell Tower.

You can read the full breakdown of the misinformation spreading here.

–Rachael Krishna and Victoria Sanusi

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 12:26 PM

Several crowdfunding pages and an Amazon wish list of emergency supplies have been set up following the devastating fire in west London. Here are three of the many ways you can help:

Grenfell Tower Fire Fund

This page was set up by Eartha Pond, a local councillor for nearby Queens Park. "It is imperative that we support our neighbours in a time of need," she wrote.

Latimer Road Fire Estate Appeal

This page was set up by a local Muslim group, Annoor Masjid & Annoor Cultural & Community Centre Entire Team & Friends. Funds will go towards emergency food and clothing, as well as paying immediate accommodation costs for those who have lost their homes. "We have no idea when we'll need the help of our neighbours," a message on the page reads.

Families of Grenfell Tower

Local primary school teacher Haley Yearwood set up a fund to help residents in the aftermath of the fire. "In this tight-knit community, many families have lost everything they own, whilst others have lost their lives," she wrote on the fundraising page.

Spokespeople for GoFundMe and JustGiving have confirmed to BuzzFeed News that all of their fundraising pages featured here have been verified as genuine.

You can read about more ways to help here.

–Laura Silver

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 12:10 PM

Fire commander Dany Cotton has reiterated that the fire was "completely unprecedented in nature" as she confirmed that 74 people were being treated for injuries, and that a number of firefighters had received minor wounds.

"In my 29 years in the London Fire Brigade, I have never seen a fire of this nature, and I have seen many high rise fires," Cotton, speaking in Notting Hill, said. "This will of course be subject to a major investigation but at this moment in time, we do not wish to speculate further about the cause of the fire, or the fire's spread. That is something that will be closely looked at in the very near future," she added.

A number of firefighters had received minor injuries, Cotton said, as they continue to search the tower block and identify people. She said that there were "concerns" that there may be people still inside, and said that emergency services were expected to remain on site for "at least the next 24 hours".

Also present at the press conference, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that he would be "demanding" answers, and said that he would "make sure that lessons are learnt" in the wake of the horrific fire.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 11:49 AM

Press Association @PA

An eyewitness describes watching a baby get 'dropped from ninth or tenth floor' of Grenfell Tower

11:20 AM - 14 Jun 2017
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A woman has described the moment a baby was dropped from the 9th or 10th floor of Grenfell Tower by their mother.

Eyewitness Samira Lamrani told the Press Association: "A woman was gesturing like she was about to throw her baby, if somebody could catch the baby.

"And somebody did, and a member of the public, a gentleman ran forward and managed to grab the baby."

Lamrani said the fire appeared to start on the second floor, but spread very quickly.

"People were then starting to appear at the windows, frantically banging on the windows, screaming," she said, adding that people were unable to open their windows fully due to what she believed were child safety window guards.

–Matthew Champion

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 11:41 AM

Commander Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan police has confirmed the number of those injured has risen to 74, citing the London Ambulance Service. He said the number of dead, so far, stood at six.

"I anticipate the number of fatalities will probably rise," Cundy said, describing the situation in the tower as a "very complex and potentially lengthy recovery operation".

On the number of people missing, Cundy was unable to give a number but said firefighters and emergency responders were still inside the tower block. "I can't go into details about how many people we believe may be missing," he said. "The investigation is still in a very, very early stage. We are still in a recovery stage."

The London Fire Brigade has confirmed that the building was structurally sound, but Cundy said that would be an "ongoing" situation that would be constantly reviewed.

He continued to urge those worried about friends or relatives to contact the emergency casualty bureau number on 0800 0961 233.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 11:21 AM

A Number 10 spokesman said a cross-government meeting at the Civil Contingencies Secretariat will take place at 4pm today to coordinate a response to the huge fire in west London.

"The prime minister is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in the Grenfell Tower and is being kept constantly updated on the situation," a statement from Number 10 said.

"She has asked for a cross-government meeting at the Civil Contingencies Secretariat to take place at 4pm to co-ordinate the response and ensure the government is ready to assist the emergency services and local authorities as necessary.

"The PM's thoughts are with all of those affected by this terrible incident and the emergency services, who are working tirelessly in very difficult circumstances."

–Jim Waterson

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 11:18 AM

As many as 20 people are in critical care following the outbreak of a massive fire in west London, the London Ambulance Service (LAS) has confirmed.

In a statement the LAS said that the number of people treated and admitted to hospital had risen to 64.

LAS director of operations Paul Woodrow said: "Over 100 of our medics have been working hard to respond to this incident, including ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, advanced trauma teams from London's Air Ambulance and those staff managing the incident in our special operations centre. Our hazardous area response teams are also on scene, who carry specialist equipment including breathing apparatus.

"We've been treating patients for a range of injuries, as well as for smoke inhalation."

Meanwhile, medical director at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Julian Redhead said the majority of those injured were being treated for smoke inhalation.

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust said it was treating four of the at least 50 people injured in the fire.

Guy's and St Thomas' @GSTTnhs

Following the fire in West London this morning, four patients have been treated in A&E at St Thomasâ, one of whom has been admitted 1/2
10:31 AM - 14 Jun 2017
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Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 11:08 AM

Firefighters seemed to have control of the blaze after around ten hours on the scene, before the flames appeared to take hold again.

Bright orange tongues of fire could be seen licking the walls of the tower block on the side closest to the Tube station, as firefighters doused the other side with hoses.

The air around Latimer Road was thick with smoke, and volunteers and residents wore masks to help them breathe as they flocked to nearby rescue centres.

As the images aired on Sky News correspondent Mark White said that it was significant that the smoke coming out of the building had turned black again, opposed to the white seen earlier.

"When smoke turns white they have knocked down the bulk of the combustion and what you are seeing is the water from hose reels that is turning to steam," he said. "A lot of the smoke on this side of the building are turning increasingly black, with flames licking the building."

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 10:53 AM

Student Sarah Rhammaz, whose family live opposite the building and were up all night, said her sister looked out of her window at around 1am and saw the fire.

Rhammaz called the fire brigade who said they were aware and had sent a few fire engines but asked for more details. She told them to "send everything you can", and got everyone out of the house.

Rhammaz, who is volunteering for the local mosque, is collecting donations from friends and on social media for water, packaged food, toiletries, blankets, mattresses, and clothes to be dropped off at Al Manaar mosque, Ladbroke Grove. Many residents will have been there for their nightly Ramadan prayers and in the early hours.

"There's a very tight-knit Moroccan community," she said, adding that her family was waiting to hear about a friend who lived at the block.

Rashid Thomas, from Al Noor mosque, said: "We're just trying to get water down there, and packet food, and money to donate. There's a lot of people going to be homeless."

He said volunteers from the mosque were dropping off supplies at the sports complex on Walker Road.

"The building is totally destroyed," he said. "There's a school behind it and a lot of children living in the block."

Tiana, a resident whose daughter goes to a local primary school close to Grenfell Tower, said she was coming back from prayers at the local mosque.

"The fire was terrible," she said. "The fumes were bad, it got unbearable. The screams got louder. It was grim. There wasn't enough manpower.

"There's so many children and it's densely populated.

"The majority of resident are East Africans, Caribbean and North Africans, and people from the local community came. It's mostly ethnic minorities. I didn't see any residents from Holland Park come to help. It made me angry. There's this disparity between communities who live so close together."

–Aisha Gani

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 10:16 AM

The Metropolitan police have confirmed that at least six people have died in the massive tower block fire in west London.

"I can confirm six fatalities at this time but this figure is likely to rise during what will be a complex recovery operation over a number of days. Many others are receiving medical care," Commander Stuart Cundy said.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 10:07 AM

One man has described seeing casualties being brought out of the building and treated in the street near Latimer Road station.

He told BuzzFeed News: "It was horrific. I saw someone jump out from the top floor. There were kids on the 16th or 17th floor waving a flag.

"I went round the other side and saw exactly the same thing. I saw them when they started bringing out the casualties, they started performing CPR on a kid that was six or seven years old. They brought out a man, his skin was covered in burns.

"I saw blood on the swings in the park, a lot of blood, where someone had jumped down. The school is damaged too from the debris."

–Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 10:00 AM

Victoria Derbyshire @VictoriaLIVE

A resident of Grenfell Tower breaks down as he describes seeing people throw children to safety, and people jumpingâ¦ https://t.co/Qt8EJMhsCA
08:25 AM - 14 Jun 2017
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Mahad Egal, who lives on the fourth floor of Grenfell Tower with his wife and two children, told the BBC he escaped the building just after 1am.

He said he'd been campaigning about problems with the tower by talking to housing officers and the Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation since he moved into the building in February.

"Even on the stairwell, some lights were not working," he said. "So it was so dark in there it's incredible. It's incredible we survived.

"There's all sorts, there are the elderly, there are children, there's disabled people, there are all sorts, there's luggage in the stairwell."

Egal said: "This was really horrific, there's people who were jumping out of the place, there's a man who threw two of his children.

"We saw a lot, with our own eyes, we saw friends, we saw families, wallahi billahi [I swear to God], we saw fire."

–Ikran Dahir

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 09:51 AM

"I can't recall seeing a fire like this in a tower block in my service," Matt Wreck, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, told Sky News. "It is absolutely appalling."

Wreck said it was "absolutely remarkable" that the fire had spread as it had. "It should not be possible for a fire to develop in this way," he said, as usually firefighters would tackle the blaze from the inside, working through the building methodically and using the internal fire escapes to move.

"There will clearly need to be a major investigation into what happened here," he said, stressing that as the situation was still developing, more facts would emerge to allow a better understanding of the blaze.

Meanwhile, a firefighter who had been on the scene since about 1:30am described the "nasty" and "difficult" situation to BuzzFeed News.

"It was nasty in there, it was a difficult situation," he said. "I believe the building is safe. I've heard that it should be stable. We're still sending people in there and we wouldn't do that if it was unstable."

He added that the London Fire Brigade would be on scene for at least the next couple of days.

In a further statement, the Fire Brigades Union said all thoughts would be with those affected by the "horrific" events at the tower block as firefighters continued to work under "very difficult" circumstances.

"The thoughts of firefighters from all over the UK will be with the victims of this devastating tragedy and their families," Wreck said. "Lives have been lost, many people have suffered serious injuries and others will be made homeless as a result of the fire.

"Firefighters and other emergency services have been working through the night to secure the building and to save as many lives as possible. They will be doing a particularly difficult job witnessing brutal scenes of such tragedy, with the professionalism we have come to expect from them."

–Rose Troup Buchanan and Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 09:35 AM

Sadiq Khan, speaking to Sky News this morning, has confirmed that "a number of people" remain unaccounted for and said firefighters were still running a "search and rescue" operation.

The London mayor, who was speaking from Borough Market, which reopened today following the terror attack two weeks, said details about the fire in North Kensington were still emerging. He urged anyone worried about relatives or friends to call the casualty number on 0800 0961 233.

Khan said more than 50 people had been taken to hospitals including Royal Free, King's, St Thomas's, St Mary's, and Chelsea and Westminster to be treated for injuries. The number of those injured was "likely" to rise as the situation developed, he said.

He said there were "legitimate questions" to be asked about the fire's outbreak and safety procedures of the block. He said these questions were especially important given the proliferation of similar-style tower blocks across the city, and promised that he would be asking the important questions when the time was right, and after the rescue operation had been completed.

In an earlier statement, posted on his Facebook account, he said more 250 firefighters were at the scene as well as more than 100 medics and 100 police officers: "I have been in constant contact throughout the night with the Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Dany Cotton, who has been at the scene."

He added: "My heart goes out to everyone affected. I am sad to confirm that we now know there have been fatalities and more than fifty people have been taken to hospitals." –Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 09:22 AM

A company behind the installation of new fire safety systems in Grenfell Tower appears to have taken down a web page detailing the work it carried out.

In the early hours of Wednesday, the Halifax-based Witt UK group deleted this page after the Grenfell blaze began. Still available via Google's cache, it explained how one of Witt's subsidiaries, PSB UK, commissioned a "new lobby smoke ventilation system" from Birmingham-based JS Wright & Co Limited.

The page, which now shows a 404 error, was taken down at some point on Wednesday, according to Google's cache.

"The lobby smoke ventilation system has been designed to provide the existing stairwell with protection from the ingress of smoke from a fire within a dwelling by means of a mechanical extract system," it said.

The system was, the page said, linked to a new fire alarm that when triggered would activate "dampers" on the lobby of each floor.

The fire safety system was part of the building's multimillion-pound refurbishment scheme, which was only recently completed.

Witt UK would not answer any questions when approached by BuzzFeed News. An employee who answered the phone said: "I've been advised not to say anything," and hung up.

JS Wright & Co had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.

–Patrick Smith

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 08:57 AM

London Ambulance @Ldn_Ambulance

Our Director of Operations Paul Woodrow joins @LondonFire Commissioner Dany Cotton & @metpoliceuk Commander Stuartâ¦ https://t.co/vPNrASwXUE
08:54 AM - 14 Jun 2017
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Dany Cotton, London's fire commissioner, confirmed the situation was still "dynamic" although the building was believed to be safe for firefighters to enter.

"This has been a very serious and very complex fire," she said in a press briefing alongside the London Ambulance Service and the Metropolitan police.

"We have a structural engineer who in conjunction with my urban search and rescue adviser is monitoring the stability of the building. At the moment the building continues to be safe for our crews to go and work in."

Fire crews were making "steady progress" working their way up through the block, Cotton said. "We are still working very hard – we rescued large numbers of people from inside the building very early on across a range of different floors. I have spoken to crews who have been up as far as the 19th and 20th floor, so we have got crews continuing to work very hard there at the moment. We are making steady progress working through the building."

It was too early to release numbers of fatalities, she said, and "as soon as numbers become available we will release them".

"We have absolutely no idea," Cotton said on the number of people still missing. She urged any residents from the building to "check in" at designated points if they had not already done so.

It would be "wrong" to speculate about the cause of the fire at this moment, Cotton said.

"We have now taken over 50 patients to hospitals over London," Paul Woodrow of the London Ambulance Service also confirmed. There were over 100 emergency responders on the scene, he continued, including emergency ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, specialist trauma teams, and hazardous area response teams.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 08:38 AM

Londoners have offered help and care to residents of Grenfell Tower, west London, which was engulfed by a fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning as many slept.

Nearby St Clement's Church was offering spare clothes and toiletries to anyone who had escaped wearing only their pyjamas. They appealed for people to donate any spare clothes or toiletries they have to help those who had come to their impromptu evacuation shelter.

Harjinder S Kukreja @SinghLions

Sikh Gurudwaras in London have started collecting and distributing spare clothes, toys, toiletries forâ¦ https://t.co/mXOhsE7y2D
07:25 AM - 14 Jun 2017
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Several other nearby community centres and places of worship were open to offer refuge.

Local Muslims were also reportedly on hand to help those who were evacuated from the tower as many were awake for Suhoor, a dawn meal that takes place during Ramadan. And many people simply offered a cup of tea and a place to rest for those forced to leave their homes.

–Laura Silver

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 08:30 AM

The Labour leader has tweeted to express his sadness over the fire in a Notting Hill residential block, and said his thoughts are with all those affected.

A number of people have died, London's fire commissioner confirmed early this morning, and over 50 people have been transferred to hospitals across the capital so far.

Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, has also tweeted to express her sadness, and offered thoughts and prayers for all the residents.

Jeremy Corbyn @jeremycorbyn

Devastated to see what's happened at Grenfell Tower. My thoughts are with those affected. Thank you to our firefighters & emergency services
07:31 AM - 14 Jun 2017
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–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 08:20 AM

Zeinab Jafari, 44, who lives in a neighbouring block, said she was still waiting for news about her missing father-in-law. He was in his flat on the 11th floor of the Grenfell tower when the fire broke out, with her mother-in-law, who managed to escape the building.

Jafari told BuzzFeed News: "We tried to call them to get out. My mother-in-law is okay but my father-in-law is missing. We tried to call them but they weren't picking up.

"We're just hoping, we're trying to find him. I've tried all the hospitals but there isn't any information about him and police say we have to wait, there is no information to find out.

"I saw some people burning, they couldn't get them out. My friend is living on the top floor, the 23rd floor. I tried to call her and she said 'we're stuck, no one is here to take us out'. She got out with her son, the fire brigade got her out, but her husband is missing."

Jafari said many residents slept through the fire and were not woken by any smoke alarms.

She said: "There was no warning, nothing, nobody knew. People were sleeping while the building was on fire.

–Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 08:11 AM

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said he is concerned about the maintenance of tower blocks across the capital.

"There was not too long ago a prosecution of a tower block in Southwark, of course, and the London fire brigade were very worried about that," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Khan said he was concerned about the standards of housing throughout the city.

"Across London we have many, many tower blocks and we can't have a situation where people's safety is put at risk because of bad advice being given or, if it is the case as has been alleged, of tower blocks not being properly serviced and maintained," he said.

The mayor said he was glad some residents had ignored advice to remain in their flats during a fire and instead fled downstairs.

"A number of people, thankfully, fled the tower block safely themselves," he said, and praised firefighters who rescued people from other flats.

Khan's remarks follow reports that local residents groups had issued numerous warnings in the years preceding the fire about safety procedures in case a blaze did break out.

–Jim Waterson

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 07:57 AM

A woman who lives in a neighbouring block has told BuzzFeed News she saw people jumping from their flats to escape the fire.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said her four young children were woken by the screaming outside. They went on the balcony and saw people using bin bags and bedsheets as parachutes.

"They were telling people to stay in the house, but people were jumping out," she said.

Another resident of a nearby block, Afordia, a nurse who works in the local hospital, told BuzzFeed News that she first heard about the fire when her friends called during the earlier hours of the morning to see if she was OK.

"Someone called me, they heard the news and they knew I lived in the area. I then called my colleague who lives in building behind [the Grenfell Tower]. She told me she heard the screaming. She saw mothers inside the building calling to the people below screaming and waving torches saying 'I have children, I have children'. It was horrible."

–Fiona Rutherford

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 07:45 AM

A residents' action group in the west London tower block that was engulfed in flames on Wednesday morning had made repeated warnings about the standard of fire safety in the building and predicted that only a catastrophic event would expose how bad the problem had got.

The Grenfell Action Group used its blog on at least eight occasions in the last three years to say that fire safety standards were inadequate in the 24-story tower and that the building's landlord, the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), needed to do more.

On 20 November last year it wrote that "only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord, the KCTMO, and bring an end to the dangerous living conditions".

On Wednesday morning, the group posted another blog post that said they were watching the catastrophic breaking news unfolding at Grenfell Tower.

"Regular readers of this blog will know that we have posted numerous warnings in recent years about the very poor fire safety standards at Grenfell Tower and elsewhere in RBKC [the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]," it said.

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 07:34 AM

As many as 50 people have been taken to five hospitals across London after a huge fire broke out in a 24-storey building in Notting Hill.

"We have now taken over 50 patients to five hospitals across London," Stuart Crichton, London Ambulance Service assistant director of operations, said in a statement.

"Over 100 of our medics are working hard to respond to this incident, including ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, advanced trauma teams from London's Air ambulance and those staff managing the incident in our special operations centre."

Crichton said hazardous response team members were also in attendance.

The Metropolitan police confirmed in a statement that there were "a number of fatalities". The Met's Commander Stuart Cundy said officers would be making contact with next of kin soon.

"Extensive cordons remain in place and a number of nearby residents have been evacuated as a precaution," he said. "The A40 is closed in both directions. We kindly ask that the public stay away from the area."

The cause of the fire has not been determined, Cunday said, and "it is likely to take some time before we are in a position to confirm the cause of the fire."

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 07:23 AM

Nick Paget-Brown, of Kensington and Chelsea council, told the BBC that as many as "several hundred" people would have been in Grenfell Tower when the fire broke out.

Many would have been sleeping, he said, and confirmed that there were 130 residential flats in recently renovated tower block. Addressing concerns about fire safety in council blocks, Paget-Brown said all council blocks "were regularly inspected".

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 06:53 AM

London fire commissioner Dany Cotton has confirmed that a number of people have died in the "unprecedented" blaze.

"I am very sad to confirm that there have been a number of casualties," Cotton said in a brief statement on Wednesday morning. "I cannot confirm the number at this time due to the size and complexity of this building. It would clearly be wrong for me to speculate further."

"This is an unprecedented incident. In my 29 years of being a firefighter I have never ever seen anything of this scale," Cotton said. "Firefighters are working very hard."

"This is major fire that has affected all floors of this 24 floor building, from the second floor upwards," she said. "We declared this a major incident very early this morning."

Cotton said emergency services were on the scene six minutes after the first call. There are 40 fire engines, including 14 fire rescue units, and 200 firefighters still working on Notting Hill site to fight the flames.

There is no indication yet what started the fire.

Cotton said the London fire brigade was working very closely with the Metropolitan police and the London Ambulance Service. She said further information would be made available shortly, "including advice for those concerned about those who are working here and people who live here."

"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," assistant commissioner Dan Daly said in an earlier statement.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 06:25 AM

Robert Atkinson, councillor for the Notting Dale ward, said there were at least 30 people in hospital, but that many more remained unaccounted for.

Atkinson, speaking to BBC Radio 4, said: "No one knows, I know there are people unaccounted for, the solid figure is 30 people in hospital."

He said that when the fire broke out, shortly before 1am, many people were in bed: "It's been a truly massive fire. We're all astonished how rapidly it spread – the tower was entirely engulfed."

The councillor said hundreds of police and emergency service personnel were on the scene and "doing their job", but he was unable to give any more concrete information.

He also said he would be investigating reports that the fire alarm did not go off in the building: "One of the questions I will be asking is why the fire alarm system didn't work. The building has recently been refurbished, which makes it all the more difficult to explain."

"It was just finished in the last three or four months. We've received assurances the fire system was looked at and it was given the all-clear. There are very serious questions to be asked. The local authority is concentrating on consolidating the emergency centres – churches and mosques have all made facilities available to people, the local authority is seeking to consolidate everything into one area."

Many local residents, speaking to reporters on the scene, said they had not heard a fire alarm. Many escaped from the building when friends or neighbours personally banged on their doors, or they smelled the smoke flooding through the building.

–Rose Troup Buchanan

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 06:16 AM

Grenfell Tower residents Bayan Sied, 38, and his wife Nadia Yousuf, 29, are still waiting for news of missing family members who live on the floors above.

Sied told BuzzFeed News: "We live on the 15th floor, we came home about half past 12 and were watching TV for a while.

"By 1 o'clock my wife started smelling something, she saw lighting coming from the window, and saw a fire coming from the bottom floor.

"We ran outside. When we came out only the fourth floor was burning – one hour later the whole thing was on fire. As you can see, it's toast.

"We've got family inside, we still don't know, there are a lot of people missing. They live on the 23rd floor, the 19th floor, there are children missing. We haven't seen many survivors.

"There's a lot of people we know, we haven't seen them, we don't know what's going to happen. We still have family and friends missing. We're hearing stories some people are being treated at St Mary's hospital for burns, but that's it. We're just standing here waiting."

His wife said she did not know who first raised the alarm, but said Muslim residents were among the first to notice the fire as they woke up to prepare to break their fast.

"They saw it just after they woke up to eat," she said.

She said the housing association had been warned by residents that the building was a fire risk.

"There was a lot of warning about the pipes recently," she said, "and it wasn't safe. But nobody listened."

–Hannah Al-Othman

Posted at Jun. 14, 2017, at 06:07 AM

At least 40 fire engines and more than 200 firefighters are responding to a huge fire in Notting Hill, west London, early Wednesday morning.

"We have declared a major incident and continue to work closely with other emergency services at the scene," the London Ambulance Service said in a statement.

More than 20 ambulance crews were dispatched to the fire as well as trauma teams.

LondonAmbulance HART @LAS_HART

We are on scene at the terrible west London fire #grenfellfire #northkensington with @LondonFire

05:49 AM - 14 Jun 2017
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–Rose Troup Buchanan

BuzzFeed News
BuzzFeed News

Live Updates: Officials Say They Can't Risk Another Grenfell Fire And Evacuate Five Towers

What We Know So Far

Updates

Thousands Of People In Five London Tower Blocks Are Being Evacuated Over Fire Safety Fears

14 high-rise buildings have failed cladding safety tests across the UK

People with same fridge freezer model linked to the Grenfell fire asked to contact company

Victims' families and survivors set to receive tens of thousands of pounds in charitable grants

Government refuses to say how many high-rise buildings have undergone safety checks

Police considering manslaughter charges after revealing cladding failed safety tests

NHS England released latest Grenfell Tower patient figures

Private tower block owners won't be forced to test for flammable cladding

Tests reveal combustible cladding has been found on tower blocks across the UK.

Corbyn: Grenfell Tower shows working-class people being ignored

PM says tests show some tower block cladding is "combustible"; no Grenfell residents will face immigration checks

Council chief executive steps down after criticism

Theresa May has apologised for the Grenfell Tower response in parliament

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The Grenfell Tower victims will be rehoused in a luxury apartment complex

The Queen just announced that a new body will be set up to support victims of tragedies like the Grenfell fire

10 people are still in hospital following the Grenfell disaster

Kensington and Chelsea council leader says no Grenfell survivors have been offered accommodation outside of London

The Grenfell Tower response team says survivors are not being rehoused thousands of miles away

A hospital treating victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster said patients could face several months of recovery

A Tory councillor was suspended for this tweet about Grenfell Tower protesters

Labour has demanded an explanation for why ministers apparently ignored fire safety warnings

The moment firefighters first saw the Grenfell Tower blaze

London mayor calls for residents to be involved in public inquiry

Eight remain in critical care following Grenfell Tower block fire

Adele visits firefighters after the blaze

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First payments made to families affected by fire

Hundreds march in silence to demand justice for those affected by the fire

Local people launch the Justice 4 Grenfell Campaign

More victims formally identified by Met

Britain holds minute's silence in memory of the Grenfell victims

Five people who were reported as missing have been identified and are alive and well, police confirm

Missing and dead from fire rises to 79, Met confirms

The UK will observe a minute’s silence at 11am on Monday 19 June

Police release photos and video from inside Grenfell Tower

Grenfell Tower families to receive a minimum of £5,500

Sadiq Khan: Grenfell Tower disaster a "preventable accident"

Kensington and Chelsea council leader denies chaotic scenes

Volunteer claims Grenfell Tower fire survivors are being given £10 at hotels

Cabinet minister says she feels "shame" over Grenfell Tower

MP who lost friend to fire says suspicion of cover-up is growing

Tube stations closed after fire due to reopen today

Chancellor: Grenfell cladding was illegal in this country too

Labour-controlled London council stepping in to deal with crisis

May: Grenfell Tower fire response "not good enough"

Family pay tribute to first victim to be officially identified

58 people now presumed dead, police announce

PM holds private meeting with Grenfell victims at Downing Street

Pressure on May over Grenfell Fire response

Corbyn writes to May over public inquiry

7 unanswered questions over the Grenfell Tower fire

Man jailed for posting victim's photos on Facebook

The Queen has reflected on the sombre national mood in her official birthday message

People Took To The Streets Of West London To Protest The Grenfell Tower Tragedy

Hundreds of protesters reach Downing Street

These People Are Still Missing After The Grenfell Tower Blaze

A crowd of protesters have gathered outside Kensington town hall

May announces £5 million fund for Grenfell victims

Protesters surround church during PM's visit

The Sun has denied one of its reporters impersonated a Grenfell relative to visit a victim in hospital

There isn't a "D-notice" banning the media from reporting details of the Grenfell fire

The Grenfell Tower disaster survivors might not be rehoused in the same part of London

Boris Johnson attacks "political game playing" over Grenfell Tower fire

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Over £1 million has been raised for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire by a single JustGiving page

Actor Tom Hardy has set up a crowdfunding page for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire

Theresa May pictured leaving Chelsea and Westminster hospital

London mayor writes to PM urging changes

Here's why the official death toll from the Grenfell Tower fire is currently still so low

30 people confirmed dead as recovery operation continues, despite "particularly hazardous" conditions, Met police say

Councils across the UK are ordering urgent tower block safety reviews after the Grenfell disaster

PM visits Chelsea and Westminster hospital

"Beautiful" London artist confirmed as among those killed in fire

PM to chair cross-party Whitehall meeting

Queen and Prince William visit residents of Grenfell Tower

PM to visit victims in hospital, reports say