In the early hours of Wednesday in the west London tower block, several firefighters flocked as a 24-storey building in North Kensington called Grenfell Tower was reported to be on fire.
According to authorities, the fire reportedly started on the fourth floor of the building and spread swiftly to the topmost floors of the building. There were 40 fire engines and over 200 firefighters who responded and went to tackle the fire. Firefighters reportedly cooperated with gas authorities in order to isolate a ruptured gas main in the said block. The fire was only extinguished and under control on Thursday at 01:14 British summer time.
The authorities have not yet revealed the cause of the fire. The general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union reportedly said that they will need a full and thorough investigation once they have the opportunity.
How many victims were affected?
As of writing, there are seventeen people who have been recorded to be dead but police authorities said that the number is expected to still rise.
Among the death casualties, the six dead victims were already identified but Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy said that it is possible that some bodies will not be identified.
The London Ambulance Service stated that 74 people were sent to six different hospitals across the London capital - Chelsea, St Mary's Hospital, and Royal Free, Westminster, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital.There are now 30 patients who remain in the said hospitals while 15 of them are still in critical condition.
The firefighters rescued 65 people from the blazing building and “other people made their own way out,” according to London Fire Brigade. Moreover, the police also remained pessimistic about finding and saving more survivors after the fire.
Prime Minister Theresa May orders public inquiry
Prime Minister Theresa May reportedly ordered a full public inquiry into the fire which has killed 17 people as she said that people “deserves answers as to why the fire spread swiftly.”
The prime minister also visited the scene where she personally spoke to the Fire Commissioner, Dany Cotton, and the members of the responding emergency services.
"[They] told me that the way this fire had spread and took hold of the building was rapid, it was ferocious, it was unexpected,” Mrs. May reportedly said. She added that, aside from the fire report and police investigation, she announced full public inquiry in order to “get to the bottom of this."
