London: A number of people have been killed in a massive fire in the 24-storey apartment block, London Fire Brigade chief Dany Cotton told reporters at the scene.
Shaken survivors of the blaze that ravaged a West London tower block on Wednesday has caused people to become trapped or to jump to their doom as flames raced towards the building's upper floors and smoke filled the corridors.
Flames ravaged the tower, lighting up the pre-dawn west London skyline and sending up a thick plume of black smoke.
What we know in numbers:
Location of tower
The timeline
1am - The fire starts
It is estimated that the fire started at around 1am or possibly, just before.
1.15am - Police receives reports
Police said in a statement they were called at 1.15am (4.16am UAE) "to reports of a large fire at a block of flats in the Lancaster West Estate".
The fire brigade said 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters had been called to the blaze in Grenfell Tower, which has 120 flats. The ambulance service said it had sent more than 20 ambulance crews to the scene.
Firefighters at the scene said they had managed to evacuate residents up to the 11th floor. Police were also clearing out nearby buildings because of fears about falling debris.
More than 200 firefighters were called to the block on the Lancaster West Estate, in north Kensington, at about 1.15am.
Firefighters carry gas cylinders near a tower block severly damaged by a serious fire, in north Kensington, West London, Britain. Reuters
Large pieces of debris could be seen falling from Grenfell Tower, a 1970s block in the working-class north Kensington area - a short distance from Notting Hill.
Flames and smoke engulf Grenfell Tower, a residential block in west London. AF
2.00am - "I called him and told him to get out"
Hanan Wahabi, 39, who lives on the ninth floor of Grenfell Tower, said she was awoken around 1am (0000 GMT) by smoke.
"I could see there was ash coming through the window in the living room, which was partially open," she said, sitting with her husband and son, 16, and daughter, eight, outside a local community centre.
"I looked out and I could see the fire travelling up the block. It was literally by my window," she said. "I slammed the window shut and got out."
After the family escaped, she called her brother, who lives on the 21st floor, to see if he was all right. "The fire hadn't reached the top of the block at that point," Wahabi said.
"He said he had been told to stay inside, stay in one room together and put towels under the door. I told him to leave. He said he was going to come. Then I called him and he said there was too much smoke."
She added: "The last time I saw him they were waving out the window, his wife and children. The last time I spoke to his wife, he was on the phone to the fire brigade. I've not heard from them since, the phone is not going through, the landline isn't going through. That was about 2:00am."
3.35am- Fire started near the top of the building
The London Fire Brigade have posted some images that show the scale of the blaze in Grenfell Tower.
40 fire engines & 200 firefighters have been called to the Lancaster West Estate tower block fire #NorthKensington https://t.co/SmtWbgGpSg pic.twitter.com/H4qgGmh52Y
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) June 14, 2017
It said the fire started from the second to top floor of the 27-storey building.
3.39am - people using bedsheets to escape
Some residents were reported to have used bed sheets to make their escape from the building.
Firefighters gained access to the block, which houses hundreds of residents. Those inside were asked to shine torches or their mobile phones to help the rescue services.
4.05am - people being treated for injuries
The Metropolitan Police have updated the situation on Twitter.
Residents continue to be evacuated from the tower block fire in #NorthKensington. A number of people being treated for a range of injuries.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 14, 2017
4.43am - "Major incident" - London mayor
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has declared the fire a “major incident”
Major incident declared at Grenfell Tower in Kensington. 40 fire engines & 200 firefighters at the scene - follow @LondonFire for updates.
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 14, 2017
4.42am - Evacuation due to debris
Falling debris also caused nearby flats to be evacuated.
We are being told to leave our flats nearby due to falling debris #GrenfellTower
— Fabio Bebber (@biobber) June 14, 2017
4.45am - specialist unit sent by ambulance services
We have sent a number of resources to this incident including @LAS_HART More information will follow when we have it #NorthKensington https://t.co/ivlwgydZDT
— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) June 14, 2017
Emergency number
The Metropolitan police have an emergency number for anyone concerned for loved ones. The Casualty Bureau number is 0800 0961 233
What we dont know:
Fatalities in tower block
There have been a number of fatalities. These cannot and have not been confirmed yet.
How many are hospitalised?
Rescue services, giving an early toll, said 30 people had been hospitalised, but this number is growing and we are currently unsure of this.
Are people still trapped in the building?
We still do not know whether all the people in the building have been avacuated yet.
What caused the fire?
The reason for the start of the fire is still unknown. The police are currently investigating.
What was everyone tweeting?
The Fire Brigade
#NorthKensington fire, our Assistant Commissioner:"..we have deployed numerous resources & specialist appliances.“ https://t.co/Gy6gUYc4ML pic.twitter.com/Borj4KEch2
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) June 14, 2017
The Ambulance Services
We have sent a number of resources to this incident including @LAS_HART More information will follow when we have it #NorthKensington https://t.co/ivlwgydZDT
— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) June 14, 2017
The Mayor
We have sent a number of resources to this incident including @LAS_HART More information will follow when we have it #NorthKensington https://t.co/ivlwgydZDT
— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) June 14, 2017
The rest of London
Just seen this awful tower block fire near my home in W London. My prayers with those affected & heroes tackling it pic.twitter.com/MFi1DAnCSK
— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) June 14, 2017
— Jackson Harries (@JackHarries) June 14, 2017
People still there. #grenfelltower being consumed pic.twitter.com/12qD45vKK7
— Fabio Bebber (@biobber) June 14, 2017
Grenfell Tower on fire outside my flat. Never experienced such terror in my life. Hope everyone is safe. pic.twitter.com/x5gJin5Ltl
— Xeni R (@xensxr) June 14, 2017
The building is still completely on fire, five hours after it first broke out pic.twitter.com/AZJnhu4Uuw
— Hannah Al-Othman 🐝 (@HannahAlOthman) June 14, 2017