The fire on the Lancaster West Estate was reported at six minutes to one this morning. There are fears that the tower could collapse, and a significant number of people are unaccounted for.
Nick Paget-Brown, the leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council has told Sky News: “Several hundred would have been in there. It’s a question of establishing how many were in there at the time of the fire.” He said that the building had undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment, adding that he was not in a position to answer any questions about the structure.
One eyewitness told The Guardian: “The sheer scale and the speed with which it spread, the closer you got, it seems like there must be casualties and fatalities.” Another eyewitness has spoken of people at the top level of the building flashing mobiles or torches: "they obviously can't get out".
The BBC's Simon Lederman reports that firefighters had not been able to tackle flames on higher storeys.
The London Ambulance Service says that some 50 people have now been taken to five hospitals. Ambulance crews at the scene. It has been confirmed that there have been fatalities. It is believed that up to 600 people were in the building. The cause of the fire has yet to be confirmed.
2 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Very sad, - that goes without saying of course, but it's becoming clear that money is the root of the problem here, which is not surprising when a small island attempts to accomodate the poor from half the planet. How many of the residents were living there without paying a penny, and on benefits I wonder. All the out of date tower blocks should be closed and/or demolished without delay, and if there's no accomodation here for immigrants, - like the rest of the planet, - tough.
It is totally shocking to see a Tower Block burning with such rapidity. I hope the majority of the residents escaped. My fear is for the loss of life for residents, children and trapped Fire Fighters. I wonder if Helicopters could have Air Lifted survivors from the roof of the Block, in time before being engulfed in flames. It raises questions in my mind , as to the safety of the Hotels and Appartment Towers in Mallorca. Some still do not have Fire Escapes. Should ALL Tower style buildings have Fire Escapes, Water Sprinkler Systems, etc. Also,are they Earthquake Proof ?.What could happen in a Tsunami, and a repeat of the Islands Disaster in the late 1980's.