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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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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Theresa May said on Wednesday she was deeply saddened by the loss of life in a fire at Grenfell Tower.
Fire engulfed the 24-storey housing block in central London in the early hours on Wednesday in an inferno that trapped residents as they slept.
“The Prime Minister is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in the Grenfell Tower and is being kept constantly updated on the situation,” a spokesman said.
Ms May has asked for a cross-government meeting, chaired by police and fire minister Nick Hurd, to take place at 3pm to coordinate the response and make sure the government is ready to help emergency services and local authorities, he added.
Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy has said: "In relation to the number of fatalities, this will be a very complex and potentially lengthy recovery operation within the building.
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"I anticipate that the number of fatalities will, sadly, rise
"It's going to take a period of time before we fully understand what has occurred, why it has occurred, and the investigation will be complex."
The fire was "truly shocking", he said.
Cladding used on tower blocks could create an additional fire risk, according to some experts.
Chartered surveyor and fire expert Arnold Tarling, from Hindwoods, said that the process can create a 25mm-30mm cavity between the cladding and the insulation.
“It produces a wind tunnel and also traps any burning material between the rain cladding and the building.
“So had it been insulated per se, the insulation could fall off and fall away from the building, but this is all contained inside.”
He said not all insulation used in the process is the more expensive non-flammable type.
“So basically you have got a cavity with a fire spreading behind it.”
Angus Law, of the BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Early media reports suggest that this event has similarities with other fires that have occurred recently around the world.”
He added: “The UK's regulatory framework for tall residential buildings is intended to prevent the spread of fire between floors and between apartments.
“If spread of fire does occur, as has happened at Grenfell Tower, the consequences are often catastrophic.”
Construction firm Rydon, which carried out a £8.6 million refurbishment of the exterior of Grenfell Tower last year, installing cladding and new windows, said its work “met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards”.
PA
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said: "The fire commissioner has taken me to see for myself Grenfell Tower and it is extremely distressing and devastating.
"It's worth reminding ourselves that when there are these tragic fires, these emergencies, there are literally emergency services, firefighters, running towards the fire, running towards the danger whilst encouraging others to run away.
"I'm afraid it's likely that the figures [for those killed] are likely to go up."
Fire commissioner Dany Cotton said: "Fire crews continue to work tirelessly to go into the premises, to continue to extinguish the remaining fire and to search the premises.
"This is a completely unprecedented fire. I have never seen a fire of this nature, and I have seen many high rise fires.
"This will of course be subject to a major investigation, but at this moment in time we do not wish to speculate."
A number of firefighters suffered minor injuries in the fire, she added.
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