London fire as it happened: 12 residents confirmed dead and more fatalities expected after day of horror
Witnesses describe 'terrifying' scenes
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Your support makes all the difference.A huge fire has engulfed a large block of flats in London, killing at least a dozen people.
Hundreds of firefighters were sent to 24-storey Grenfell Tower in north Kensington, as large plumes of smoke billowed above the capital after the blaze broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Witnesses spoke of "terrifying" scenes, with some residents suggesting they heard no alarm go off when the fire began. At least 75 people are being treated at six hospitals across the capital.
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We are live from a west London mosque following the Grenfell Tower fire
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered her country's "deep sympathy" to the families of the Grenfell Tower victims, adding: "The efforts of rescue services were heroic."
Asked if an inquiry would be carried out independent of the borough, Sadiq Khan has said: "There are genuine concerns, reasonable concerns, that have been raised in the course of the night and it's really important that these questions are answered.
"I will be demanding answers and I can assure you I will be ensuring there is independence in relation to it.
"The reassurance we need is to make sure lessons are learned and also if - and this is a big if - if there are mistakes made, we want to make sure we learn from them."
Addressing concerns about potential design flaws existing in similar towers across London, he said: "There are tower blocks across London and across the country and they are the responsibility of the borough or a private management company and it's important people are reassured these towers are safe."
Several firefighters were injured as they tackled the blaze, London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton said.
The fire chief added that a "major investigation" would take place once the search and rescue operation had concluded.
"Unfortunately, a number of firefighters have been injured but fortunately only with minor injuries, which, considering the scale and the number of my firefighters have been involved and how hard they have worked, is a testament to their professionalism and dedication," she said.
Asked if an inquiry would be carried out independent of the borough, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said: "There are genuine concerns, reasonable concerns, that have been raised in the course of the night and it's really important that these questions are answered.
"I will be demanding answers and I can assure you I will be ensuring there is independence in relation to it.
"The reassurance we need is to make sure lessons are learned and also if - and this is a big if - if there are mistakes made, we want to make sure we learn from them."
Addressing concerns about potential design flaws existing in similar towers across London, he said: "There are tower blocks across London and across the country and they are the responsibility of the borough or a private management company and it's important people are reassured these towers are safe."
Local resident Amanda Fernandez, 32, who grew up and went to school in the neighbourhood, described the scene as "like Armageddon".
Ms Fernandez, who lives nearby, said: "It was literally like what you see in a film.
"You could hear screaming. It was like a nightmare.
"The lights starting blacking out.
"Then you could see the people inside using their lights on their mobile phones, then you think 'oh my God, they have not got out'.
"There is a lot of anxiety just because you do not know where people are."
She described the area as a close-knit community with homes that are filled with generations of families.
She said: "This is a very close-knit community.
"If you do not have a family member or friend (in the block) then you will know someone who knows them."
