Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

BREAKING: Fire engulfs Grenfell tower block in west London


  • June 14, 2017  04H:09  GMT/UTC?ZULU TIME
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  • From the sectionLondon
Media captionImages show the fire spreading to all floors
by Selina O'Grady and Biodun Iginla, BBC News, London
A huge fire has engulfed a tower block in Latimer Road, west London, with eyewitnesses claiming people are trapped in their homes.
The fire at Grenfell Tower on the Lancaster West Estate was reported at 01:16 BST and about 200 firefighters are tackling the blaze.
The Met Police said people were being treated for "a range of injuries".
The BBC's Andy Moore said the whole tower block was alight and there are fears the building might collapse.
London Fire Brigade sent 40 fire engines to the tower.

'Covered in ash'

Eyewitnesses said they could see lights - thought to be torches - flashing at the top of the block of flats, which people say is "close to burning through".
Grenfell Tower Fire
Image captionForty fire engines and 200 firefighters are tackling the blaze
George Clarke, the presenter of Channel 4 TV programme Amazing Spaces, told Radio 5 Live: "I'm getting covered in ash, that's how bad it is.
"I'm 100 metres away and I'm absolutely covered in ash.
"It's so heartbreaking, I've seen someone flashing their torches at the top level and they obviously can't get out."

'Crumbling'

Tim Downey, another eyewitness, told the BBC part of the building was "completely burned away".
"It has burned through to its very core," he said.
"It looks very bad, very very bad. I've never seen anything like this. It's just such a big fire.
"The whole building is just crumbling. It's just billowing black smoke."
Grenfell Tower Fire

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