London fire as it happened: 12 residents confirmed dead and more fatalities expected after day of horror

Witnesses describe 'terrifying' scenes

London fire: Flames engulf Grenfell Tower in Kensington

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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Key Points

• Eyewitnesses describe 'terrifying' scenes as Grenfell Tower residents fight to escape deadly inferno
• Residents warned of potential 'major disaster' in 2016 blog post
• Muslims awake for Ramadan may have saved residents' lives
• 'Mothers throwing babies from flat windows' as tower burns, witnesses say
• Grenfell Tower's design helped spread blaze up the outside, experts say
• What we know so far as fire rages through Kensington tower block

[14 June 2017 11:55 · Lizzie Dearden]

Our reporter Samuel Osborne is at the site of the fire. He reports:

Eyewitnesses have described hearing the screams of people trapped inside the "inferno" at Grenfell Tower as they frantically tried to escape.

Samira Lamrani, 38, claimed she saw one woman throw her baby out of her ninth floor window into the arms of people below.

"Frantic screams filled the air," she added. "It was surreal."

Ms Lamrani said emergency services struggled to reach the burning tower because the nearby streets were too narrow for the fire engines to navigate.

She saw one firefighter "drop to his knees and shake his head in disbelief" because the layout of the area meant he could not aim his hose at the blaze, she said.

One resident who had left the tower when the fire started told her it was caused by a fridge which had blown up, she added.

[14 June 2017 11:59 · Samuel Osborne]

This is St Clement's church, where people have been donating food, water and clothing #GrenfellTower https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DCRtSS7XUAEK8pl.jpg

[14 June 2017 12:00 · Lizzie Dearden]

[14 June 2017 12:00 · Samuel Osborne]

The church has taken in local residents and is providing for them through donations from the public

[14 June 2017 12:01 · Samuel Osborne]

Anyone wishing to donate can send food, water and clothing to to St Clement's church on Treadgold Street, W11 4BP #GrenfellTower

[14 June 2017 12:03 · Samuel Osborne]

I've seen lots of people donating so far https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DCRuBDjXcAAnvRo.jpg

[14 June 2017 12:03 · Paul McNamara]

Resident dishing out sandwiches to emergency services crews at #GrenfellTower - tiny bit of light at this bleak, bl… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

[14 June 2017 12:03 · David Lammy]

If you can help with clothes, food, blankets, toiletries etc please donate to: St Clements Church, 95 Sirdar Rd, W11 4EQ #GrenfellTower

[14 June 2017 12:05 · Lizzie Dearden]

Dr Julian Redhead (Sky News) 

Dr Julian Redhead, medical director of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "I'm very proud of the fantastic response of our staff, both those on duty and those who came in as a response to the major incident protocol.

"We are continuing to care for patients who are primarily suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation. We're doing everything we can."

[14 June 2017 12:10 · Lizzie Dearden]