Smoke billows from a tower block severely damaged by a serious fire, in north Kensington, West London. Photo: ReutersLondon: The death toll from the London tower block fire has risen to 12 and the figure is expected to rise further, police said on Thursday.
"Sadly, I can confirm that the number of people that have died is now 12," London police commander Stuart Cundy told reporters.
"There is still a number of people who are receiving treatment in hospital. There are 37 people receiving treatment, of which 17 are still in critical care."
Massive flames licked up the sides of the block as 200 firefighters battled the blaze along with 40 fire engines. Flumes of black smoke billowed into the air hours after the blaze was sparked.
Flames and smoke billow from a tower block that caught fire on Wednesday at Latimer Road in West London. ReutersLondon Fire Brigade said the fire had engulfed all floors from the second to the top of the Grenfell Tower on the Lancaster West Estate in west London.
Cries for help
A tower block at Latimer Road in West London that caught fire on Wednesday. Reuters"We are dealing with a really serious fire that spread throughout the building," a spokesman for the fire brigade said. "The crews are doing all that they possibly can to tackle this fire."
Some people were trapped in the fire, with residents desperately shouting for help from windows on upper floors as the fire spread, British media reported.
Reuters could confirm those reports. A witness told Reuters that she feared not all the residents had escaped the fire. Some were evacuated in their pyjamas.
"A number of people are being treated for a range of injuries," police said. "Residents continue to be evacuated from the tower block fire."
More than 20 ambulance crews were at the scene. London mayor Sadiq Khan said a "major incident" had been declared.
The cause of the fire, which broke out just after 0000 GMT, is not known at this stage, the Fire Brigade said.
The apartment block was built in 1974.
