Fears that new cladding made Grenfell Tower 'light up like a matchstick': First bodies are removed from building as 12 are confirmed dead and dozens missing amid chilling warning that 'nobody on top three floors survived'

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Fears have emerged that new plastic cladding was a main factor in the Grenfell Tower inferno and caused the housing block to 'light up like a matchstick' as twelve people are confirmed dead in the blaze.

The rain-proof cladding was installed at the tower in White City, west London, in May 2016 as part of a £10million refurbishment but claims say it helped the fire spread quickly from the fourth to 27th floor.

Dozens are missing in the wake of the fire, with residents saying that 'nobody on the top three floors have survived'.

Eighteen people are fighting for their lives in a critical condition with 78 people taken to six different hospitals across London.

Planning documents have revealed the cladding was added so the tower would be more visually pleasing when seen from the nearby flats in neighbouring affluent suburbs. 

Cladding has been found to contribute to similar tower fires around the world, including residential blocks in Dubai, but with significantly less casualties. Questions will now be raised about why the Grenfell fire resulted in more people losing their lives.

Prime Minister Theresa May said there will be a 'proper investigation' following the fire, adding: 'If there are any lessons to be learned they will be, and action will be taken.' 

Checks are also to be carried out on tower blocks going through similar refurbishment to Grenfell Tower, policing and fire minister Nick Hurd has said. 

Today bodies were strewn through the charred block including in its lobby and undertakers were seen removing the dead in a delicate and treacherous recovery operation set to last several days. 

A series of blunders are being blamed for the disaster with residents claiming there were no working fire alarms, no sprinklers and the only staircase leading to safety was blocked.

A community leader working to locate victims, who asked not to be named, believes nobody who lived on the top three residential floors survived and the building that was home to 600 people could soon collapse.

He said: 'We have a list of missing people - there are so many. It's possible there are more than 50, possibly hundreds'.  

Those who managed to flee said it was 'like hell on earth' inside as they scrambled over dead bodies in scenes akin to 9/11.

Petrified residents were seen throwing themselves and their children out of windows to avoid being burned to death - others made ropes by tying bed sheets together or used them as makeshift parachutes and jumped.

The local council, the block's landlord and the contractor used to refurbish the building last year face serious questions about how the fire took hold so quickly in a tower branded a 'death trap' by survivors.  

The tower's management facing a possible gross negligence manslaughter case it has emerged:

• At least 12 people have died, 74 are in six London hospitals including 20 in a critical condition after Grenfell Tower blaze started at 1am;
• Dozens more are feared dead or missing with one source claiming total could run into the hundreds. The Casualty Bureau number is 0800 0961 233;
• Trapped residents begged to be rescued while waving white towels, torches and mobile phones after being urged to stay in their flats;
• Petrified people were seen throwing themselves and their children out of windows - a baby tossed from the '9th or tenth floor' was caught and survived - but the mother's fate is unknown
• 200 firefighters with 40 engines needed to tackle 'unprecedented' blaze and pulled 65 from inside the blaze - residents claim that fire alarms didn't work, sprinklers failed and only stairwell used as exit was blocked;
• Residents gave repeated warnings about 'appalling' fire safety to landlord Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), whose four bosses earned £650,000 between them last year;
• New plastic rain-proof cladding encasing the building in £10million refurbishment 'went up like a match' and helped fire spread quickly from fourth floor to 27th floor - although the contractor insists it was safe;
• Dozens of similar blocks from the 1960s and 1970s refurbished in recent years have the same or similar new cladding - Experts have said a blaze like this in a tower block was 'a disaster waiting to happen'
• Local community including celebrities bring food and clothes to crisis centres while others offer the now-homeless places to stay;  

Police have said it is not possible to confirm how many people are unaccounted for because the building is still on fire more than 12 hours after it started. 

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Pictured: The new plastic cladding hangs charred and melted underneath the windows of the Grenfell tower in west London

Pictured: Smoke billows from the smoldering skeleton of the Grenfell building in west London, after a devastating blaze ripped through the 27-storey tower block at 1am today

The blaze has been described as a once in a generation disaster and could prove to one of the worst disasters Britain has seen in recent years

There are real fears that that nobody who lived on the top three residential floors may have survived the unprecedented fire 

A brave firefighter is pictured inside the burnt remains of the 27-storey building, as efforts are made to investigate what caused the blaze 

This aerial photo taken hours after the fire ripped through the tower block shows the devastating scale of the inferno

A body wrapped up in a blanket, obscured by MailOnline, lies in the ground floor of the White City tower block largely destroyed by fire over night

Undertakers remove bodies from Grenfell Tower today but the recovery of the dead is likely to take several more days as the fire is still not out

A drone inspects the top floors of the wrecked tower block, where residents on the highest storeys are all feared dead after being trapped in their homes and then engulfed

Firefighters continue to battle large scale blaze in London tower block more than 14 hours after it broke out on the fourth floor

Emergency services are still running through falling debris including glass and its controversial cladding continues to rain down

An emotional woman wearing a breathing mask holds her head in despair as she rests on the pavement near the scene of the blaze in west London

A woman puts a face mask to her mouth as smoke and the smell of burning hangs in the air around Grenfell tower

The 27-storey Grenfell building, which was built in 1974 but refurbished last year, has an average of six flats per floor lived in by council tenants and a smaller number of private owners or tenants 

Grenfell's own community action group called for the tower to be pulled down four years ago over 'appalling' fire safety in the building and said today their repeated warnings to landlord Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) fell on 'deaf ears'.

KCTMO completed a £10million refurbishment last year and the new cladding encasing the block originally built in 1974 'went up like a match', one resident has said. 

Did the building's new cladding make the fire much worse? 

The cladding used on Grenfell Tower may have exacerbated the fire, it has been claimed.

Rainscreen cladding, which was added during the block's refurbishment, can act as a 'chimney' for fires because of its ventilated cavities.

Many have speculated as to whether this could have made the fire worse, and led to it spreading quickly and trapping residents.

Jack Monroe, a former fire fighter, tweeted about the incident and said: 'Whoever signed off on that cladding needs to be hauled before a court and held fully accountable for every single fatality and injury.

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.'

Rydon carried out an £8.6 million project, completed in May 2016, to modernise the outside of the building, which saw new cladding and windows installed.

In a statement, the Sussex-based firm said it was shocked by the 'devastating' blaze, adding: 'Rydon completed a refurbishment of the building in the summer of 2016 for KCTMO (Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation) on behalf of the council, which met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards.

The former chairman of the tenancy organisation connected to Grenfell Tower has described recent refurbishment work as a 'disaster waiting to happen'.

Reg Kerr-Bell said he stood down from the Kensington and Chelsea Tenancy Management Organisation (TMO) several years ago over his concerns about the way it was run.

Just two days before the fatal blaze, he had spoken to a former colleague about their fears.

Mr Kerr-Bell said: 'This is a scandal. This is one of the biggest scandals in the country - and it could have been avoided.'

He added: 'This refurbishment contract should never have been managed by TMO.

'It was too big for them. My great concern was about the viability of the project.'

He said he met a former director two days ago to discuss his concerns.

'We felt there was a disaster waiting to happen and we were going to have a meeting with the MP so that we could put these concerns to them.

'That was two days ago and today he phoned me and said: 'You will not believe what is going on'.

'It is not going to finish with this - this is just the start.'

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A spokesman said: 'It is too early to speculate what caused the fire and contributed to its spread. We will co-operate fully with all the relevant authorities in order to ascertain the cause of this tragedy.

'We are aware that concerns have been raised historically by residents. We always take all concerns seriously and these will form part of our forthcoming investigations. While these investigations continue with our co-operation, our core priority at the moment is our residents'. 

NHS England said 74 people are being treated in six hospitals across the capital, of whom 20 are in critical care.

Mr Cundy said it is likely to be some time before police can identify the victims, adding that it is too early to speculate on the cause of the fire.

Prime Minister Theresa May was said to be 'deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life' and newly appointed police and fire minister Nick Hurd will chair a meeting of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat to co-ordinate the response.

London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton told reporters: 'This is an unprecedented incident. In my 29 years of being a firefighter, I have never ever seen anything of this scale.'

Matt Wrack of the Fire Brigades Union said 'there was no way a fire should develop in this way'.

Commenting on residents claims the building was unsafe he said: 'Firefighters would expect to be able to fight a fire like this from within the building and that there would be a safe exit route available. In this case it was clearly not possible'. 

Grenfell Tower was built in 1974 and contains 120 flats thought to be home to between 400 and 600 people.

The building was refurbished recently at a cost of £8.6 million, with work completed in May last year.

Rydon, the firm that carried it out, said its work 'met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards'.

London Fire Brigade said the cause of the fire is still being investigated, but several residents reported one man had said it started in his faulty fridge.

The brigade said a structural engineer had checked the building and determined it was not in danger of collapse and that rescue teams were safe to be inside.

Many traumatic accounts of the fire and its impact have emerged, including a baby being dropped from the tower.

Samira Lamrani said she saw a woman try to save the baby by dropping it from a window 'on the ninth or 10th floor' to waiting members of the public below.

Residents who escaped complained there had been no fire alarm, with many relying on neighbours to wake them as the blaze spread.

They said official advice in the event of a fire had been to stay inside.

Michael Paramasivan, who was in his seventh floor flat with girlfriend Hannah West, 23, and her daughter Thea, five, said: 'If we'd listened to them and stayed in the flat we'd have perished.'

A residents' action group said its warnings about safety had fallen on 'deaf ears'. A blog post from Grenfell Action Group in November said 'only a catastrophic event' would expose the concerns residents had.

The group said there was one entry and exit to the tower during improvement works and it had issues with evacuation procedures.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said: 'There will be a great many questions over the coming days as to the cause of this tragedy and I want to reassure Londoners that we will get all the answers.'

Witnesses said the fire spread rapidly up the building, with some suggesting it was fuelled by gas.

Mr Paramasivan, 37, told the Press Association: 'There were explosions everywhere you looked, lots of bangs, blue gas coming out everywhere you looked.

'About 12 floors up I saw three children waving from a window and then there was just an explosion and they disappeared.

'They were three kids, they were banging on the windows, you could see their silhouettes and then bang, it just went up.'

Muna Ali, 45, said: 'The flames, I have never seen anything like it, it just reminded me of 9/11.

'The fire started on the upper floors ... oh my goodness, it spread so quickly, it had completely spread within half an hour.'

Robert Black, chief executive of Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, which manages Grenfell, said: 'The fire at Grenfell Tower is devastating and the reports of injury and losses of life absolutely heartbreaking.' 

Maintenance firm responsible for Grenfell paid £11M by taxpayer  

The company responsible for the safety and maintenance of the block of flats which turned into a raging inferno and killed at least 12 people was paid £11million last year from taxpayer's money.

Grenfell Tower is owned by the borough council in Kensington and Chelsea, but the management of the building is the responsibility of an independent company - Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO).

Speaking to Nina Hossain on ITV News London the company's boss Robert Black said: 'We are in complete shock and condolences for what's happened today. Our thoughtS are with everybody that is currently affected and still affected.' 

Robert Black (left) who is Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation's Chief Executive and in charge of the management of Grenfell Tower and Andrew Goldman from Rydon Construction who appeared on TV this morning admitting he did not know the exact details of the materials used in the revamp of the block of flars

The doomed block of flats underwent a £10million refurbishment which were completed in May last year which was overseen by Rydon Construction. 

After a day of finger-pointing and revelations residents had spent years lobbying over safety concerns, a massive investigation has been launched and experts are predicting it could lead to a prosecution. 

Those in the firing line are the council, who own the property and send people to live there, KCTMO who are responsible for maintaining Grefnell Tower and Rydon who installed cladding as part of their refurbishment.  

The Health and Safety Executive, the police and the fire service are now expected to launch a large-scale investigation and Rachel Adamson, Head of Regulatory Law at Stephensons law firm, said for an incident of this size it is very likely they will be considering criminal charges. 

Residents say they told former KCMOT worker Siobhan Rumble (right) of their safety concerns, but claim their warnings were overlooked in the building that is owned by Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council, whose Chief Executive is pictured left

She told MailOnline: 'Corporate manslaughter charges are often quite difficult to prove as they relate to the controlling mind of the business.

'If an individual is thought to have been negligent, a charge of manslaughter by gross negligence may be considered.

'There are a range of other potential charges, such as breach of fire regulations or breach of health and safety regulations, these are the tiers down from manslaughter.'

Investigators are expected to look at how recent renovation work was carried out, whether Construction Regulations have been adhered to, and what fire safety precautions were in place.

More than one resident has claimed that there was no central fire alarm system for the tower block - or it had failed - and only smoke alarms in individual flats were working.

There are also claims that there that there was no central sprinkler system - or it was also not working properly during the fire.

Others have claimed that the new cladding encasing the block added during last year's £10million refurbishment by Rydon Construction caught alight 'like a matchstick'. 

Checks are to be carried out on tower blocks going through similar refurbishment to Grenfell Tower, policing and fire minister Nick Hurd has said. 

 

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Residents wearing masks to help filter out fumes in the air call loved ones and drink water as they wait near the scene 

Grenfell Tower is in one of London's most diverse communities and this group sit on the pavement outside a temporary aid centre nearby, some of whom were in tears

Many residents who gathered outside the smoldering ruins of the building said the fire had been caused by a faulty fridge in one of the flats, but the fire service told MailOnline it could not confirm the reports at this stage

The trapped, some of whom are still inside, were heard begging for their lives while waving white towels, torches and mobile phones

Terrified residents trapped in a burning tower block were forced to knot bed sheets together to form makeshift ladders or jump from the 27-storey building in a desperate bid to escape the flames

Police would not confirm how many people are unaccounted for because the building is still on fire 12 hours after it started (pictured this after) - 12 are known to be dead but the toll is likely to be much higher Residents were trapped 'screaming for their lives' as flames raged through a 27-storey tower block in Notting Hill in the early hours today

A man (circled) looks from a window as smoke pours from a fire that has engulfed the 27-storey Grenfell Tower in west London

A body bag on a stretcher is wheeled away from a tower block that was severely damaged by the worst fire of its kind for years

Forensics teams and police prepare to enter the lower floors of the Grenfell Tower but the majority of the building is too dangerous to enter

Firefighters have braved extreme temperatures and needed riot shield to protect themselves from falling debris including glass and cladding

Large numbers police are also on the scene recovering bodies being taken away on stretchers this afternoob

A childrens play area is filled with debris directly under Grenfell Tower on the Lancaster West Estate 

In this image taken by eyewitness Gurbuz Binici, a huge fire engulfs the 27-storey Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road, White City

A friend of a mother who lives in the tower block said she still heard from her after receiving a Snapchat video of the blaze at 3am. Ranya Ibrahim, 30, sent her friend Maseen (pictured) the clip just moments after the blaze started

Two tearful friends hug while sat on rubbish bags and many people wait to hear the fate of their loved-ones caught up in the fire 

Many residents were forced to flee in just their pyjamas after the fire was sparked in the early hours of the morning

Worried people were glued to their phones and looked sick with worry as the scale of the disaster began to emerge

Mahad Egal said that he saw children being thrown from the building and claimed number of people died in the incident - he believes it was his neighbour's fridge that started the fire and was hugged by the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire

Anxious residented - young and old - speak on phones or watch the devastation in front of them in west London today

People have travelled from all over London and beyond to donate food, drink and offer shelter to anyone who needed help

Residents evacuated from the building receive treatment at the scene of a huge fire at Grenfell tower block in White City

A woman covered in ash is comforted by others as she looks on while the enormous fire rages through the night and into the morning

Desperate residents scream for help in this photograph taken in the early minutes before the fire swamped the entire building

More than 600 residents desperately tried to escape the flames as the fire broke out in the middle of the night, with many woken by the screams of others and the smell of burning plastic

The cordon around the block has been pushed back by police and homes surrounding it evacuated amid fears that the building could collapse in the densely populated area of London

Dany Cotton, Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, said there had been 'a number of fatalities' following a 'unprecedented incident' that she described as the largest in scale that she had seen in her 29-year career

Hundreds of people have been left homeless after the blaze, with community centres opening their doors to those affected

Several people have been confirmed dead after a huge inferno broke out at a residential tower block in West London (shown)

Firefighters have been battling the blaze for several hours and while the flames are slowly being brought under control, there are fears the tower could collapse

12 people are known to have died after fire engulfed Grenfell Tower in White City at 1am today but Scotland Yard says the death toll is expected to rise significantly

A trapped resident looks out from his window as he tries to get the attention of the rescue services. Emergency services asked people to shine torches or their phones from their windows to let them know they were still inside

The full extent of the damage caused by the fire is evident in this photograph taken this afternoon, as firefighters continue to extinguish fires in the upper levels of the block

The heat was said to be so intense that firefighters (shown) were unable to get close to the building, which was built in 1974 - the exhausted emergency services took shifts to rush the building because they were using oxygen tanks because they are technically limited to four hours at a time.  Many have spent 12 hours or more fighting the blaze

Firefighters and paramedics work on someone pulled from the burning building today - but many are feared to be inside

Families who escaped the flames were left to face the reality of their home and all of their belongings being destroyed in the fire, which started in the early hours of this morning

Two women hug outside tower block fire on Latimer Road. London Ambulance said 30 people are receiving treatment

Firefighters covered in dust and soot from the burning building are offered food and water by a volunteer near Grenfell Tower

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has also demanded to know why Grenfell residents were told to 'stay put' in their flats for up to an hour in the event of a fire.

Dany Cotton, Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, said there had been 'a number of fatalities' and structural engineers are checking the stability of the building, which appears to have warped. 

One witness said he saw several people jumping to their deaths from all floors to escape the fire. 

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said questions will need to be answered over the safety of tower blocks in the capital as a result of the fire.

At least one resident is still stuck inside the block on the 11th floor, with firefighters desperately trying to reach him.

Those in the upper floors were seen flashing torches in a bid to call for help, tying bedding together to create makeshift ropes.

Panicked residents trapped high in the enormous tower were heard screaming for help as they leaned out of their windows and tied bed sheets together in an attempt to reach the ground.

Many of those evacuated said they were woken by screams, intense heat and the smell of burning plastic, thought to be white cladding that was installed on the building last year as part of a £10million refurbishment.

One woman said that residents faced 'either jumping out the window with their children and risk breaking bones or staying where you were and dying'. 

The fire is said to have spread from the second floor to the roof of the enormous 120-flat block in just 15 minutes, with 200 firefighters struggling to bring it under control.  

Eyewitness Tamara told BBC News: 'You could hear people screaming 'help me, help me'.

'There were people throwing their kids out [of windows], they were shouting 'save my children'. The fire brigade were telling people to stay where they were, they were telling people 'we'll come and get you'.' 

Hanan Wahabi, 39, who lives on the ninth floor, said she was awoken at about 1am 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. 

Exhausted firefighters covered in soot and ash tackle blaze in shift pattern during 'unprecedented' response

Throughout the night and day, many smoke and dust-covered firefighters were pictured taking forced breaks as colleagues took their turns in battling the fire and rescue trapped residents. 

Firefighters were tasked with battling the blaze in shifts as under health and safety rules, emergency service personnel can only work in hazardous environments for certain amounts of time.

The heroic servicemen were also hampered by the strict use of self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA), which hold about 30 to 45 minutes of air, depending on the size of the tank and the rate of consumption due to strenuous activities.

Although commonly referred to as oxygen tanks, the units are actually filled with compressed air, as used in SCUBA diving equipment, as oxygen would act as a powerful fire accelerant.

The heroic servicemen were also hampered by the strict use of self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA), which hold about 30 to 45 minutes of air, depending on the size of the tank and the rate of consumption due to strenuous activities 

A large group of firefighters rest at the scene of the huge fire at Grenfell tower block in White City, London, this morning

Firefighters make their way into the wrecked building with a police escort. Officers were tasked with protecting those entering the building from falling debris by using their riot shields

More than 200 firefighters were dispatched to the fire at Grenfell Tower in an 'unprecedented' response by the capital's fire service.

After arriving on the scene at 2am, firefighters attempted to evacuate as many residents as possible. Those still inside were told to 'stay put' as is normal protocol, given that buildings are specifically designed to stop blazes from spreading.

But as the fire took hold of the entire building, the heat became so severe that firefighters were unable to enter the tower for several hours between 3am and 7am.

In the meantime, firefighters used cherry pickers to douse the flames around those waving for help from windows of their flats.

After the fire was subdued at around 12pm, emergency service personnel began moving up through the 27-storey structure, and it is understood they have reached up to the 20th floor.

Firefighters were given a police escort as they made their way inside the building, with officers tasked with protecting them from falling debris with their riot shields.

A brace firefighter is pictured inside the burnt remains of the 27-storey building, as efforts are made to investigate what caused the blaze

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Fire crews and emergency services continue to deal with the still smouldering Grenfell Tower in west London, almost half a day after the first 999 call was received

Firefighters make their way into the wrecked building with a police escort. Officers were tasked with protecting those entering the building from falling debris by using their riot shields

As news spread of the disaster, hundreds of volunteers descended on west London to give food, clothing and water to community centres caring for victims

More than a hundred police officers were drafted in to help with the rescue operation, with another 100 paramedics also rushed to the scene

Many of the capital's firefighters were deployed to west London to help control the blaze, which has been raging for half a day 

This man, who was pictured throughout the morning desperately waving for help as the huge inferno raged around him for nearly 12 hours, was eventually rescued by firefighters

Queens Park Rangers Academy volunteers donate training kit to those who have lost the majority of their possessions in the fire

'A mother on the top floor escaped with her six children. By the time she got to the bottom, she only had four with her': Residents give horrific eyewitness accounts

A woman with six children who was attempting to escape from the 21st floor of the London tower block fire this morning got to the bottom to discover two of them were missing, it has been claimed.

Dozens of horrific eyewitness accounts have begun to emerge from the 27-storey tower block fire in White City this morning, with residents claiming people are still stuck inside the building - which houses 600 people.

There have been a 'number of fatalities' at the fire at Grenfell Tower in west London, London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton has told reporters.

One resident described how people were 'just throwing their kids out' screaming 'save my children''.

Local resident Tamara told BBC News: 'Around 12.30/1am my mum called me and said there was a fire outside. By the time I got there the whole right side of the building was on fire, the whole thing was engulfed in flames.

Dozens of horrific eyewitness accounts have begun to emerge from the 27-storey tower block fire in White City this morning, with residents claiming people are still stuck inside the building - which houses 600 people.

'We could hear people screaming 'Help me' so me and my brother, with some other people who live in the area, ran over to the estate to where you could still get underneath it and there were people just throwing their kids out saying 'Save my children'.

'The fire crew, ambulance and police couldn't do anything, they couldn't get in, and they were just telling them to stay where they are, and we'll come and get you. But things quickly escalated beyond measure and they couldn't go back in and get them.

'Within another 15 minutes the whole thing was up in flames and there were still people at their windows shouting 'Help me'. You could see the fire going into their houses and engulfing the last room that they were in.' 

Another witness, Samira, told BBC News: 'It escalated really quickly. Around midnight the fire was only around the third floor and then, before you know it, the whole 23 floors of the building were all on fire and there were people screaming for help and throwing kids out.

There have been a 'number of fatalities' at the fire at Grenfell Tower in west London, London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton has told reporters

'I think everyone felt really helpless because no-one could get to them. Everyone was really scared and they didn't know what to do and it was really sad to see. These are all people that we grew up with and people that we see every day, like our neighbours.

'There was a lot of people there - children, elderly people and disabled people; my family members, who thankfully made it out. But there are still a lot of people who are unaccounted for.'

Tamara went on: 'My brother has a lot of school friends who are still wondering if their friends have made it out, they haven't got in contact with them or heard anything. One of the girls lives on the top floor, which the police advised that if you were living on that floor that it is most likely that they haven't made it.'

Samira added: 'I think the speed of the fire was the most shocking thing for everyone, how quick it literally went from zero to 100. Like it was literally just the fourth floor and that was bad but it was really minor, and that building is really big and the whole building was gone - even before it hit 1am the whole building was in flames.

'I saw people flying out of their balconies and windows. I saw a man who flew out of his window, I saw people screaming for help. We saw a lot of people jumping out that basically didn't make it. It was from the eighth floor and up, and that kind of floor you wouldn't really make it.'

A woman with six children who was attempting to escape from the 21st floor of the London tower block fire this morning got to the bottom to discover two of them were missing, it has been claimed

Tamara continued: 'I had a family friend that was stuck all the way up till 5am but luckily she made it out and some others from her floor and the floors below made it out.

'But there are people who were higher up that they just couldn't get to because it just got out of control so quickly.

'It was like a split second before the whole building was on fire. It started on one floor, then it took one side and then the whole building was on fire. There's nothing you can do but watch things unfold in front of you.'

A man who lived on the 17th floor of the block, identified as Methrob, told LBC Radio: 'I heard the fire trucks and so I was alerted that something was going on. There was no fire alarm in the building, we don't have an integrated fire alarm system. 

'I went outside my house and I could smell the smoke. I looked out my window, I leaned over and I could see the fire blazing up. I woke up my auntie who was sleeping, it was about 1.15am, and we started to make our way down.

'I warned a couple of my neighbours, the ones nearest to me, and we basically went as fast as we could.'

One of the many residents to be evacuated from the fire tries to reach somebody on the phone as others desperately sought to be reunited with missing loved ones

He said the fire was inside one apartment, but added the 'real issue was when it caught fire to the cladding outside. That's when I noticed the fire from outside when I looked out the window.

'By the time that we got downstairs, the fire had gone all the way up and it was just about reaching our windows on the 17th floor.

'The whole one side of the building was on fire. The cladding went up like a matchstick.'

Methrob said residents had been concerned about safety, adding that there had been warning 'for over a year'.

Fabio Bebber wrote on Twitter: 'More screams for help as the fire spreads to another side of the building.

'We can see how quick the fire spreads via the external panels. It's unbearable hearing someone screaming for their lives at #grenfelltower.'

Two women console each other (pictured) as the area surrounding the building in west London was cordoned off by police officers

Jamie Martin climbed through a window to escape the inferno. He told BBC Radio 4: 'Bits of the building were falling off, I scalded my shin on a hot piece of metal.

'I was shouting 'Get out get out' to people as I saw them and they were shouting back, 'we can't, the corridors are full of smoke'.

Actor and writer Tim Downie, who lives around 600 metres from the scene in Latimer Road, said he fears the block could collapse.

He said: 'It's horrendous. The whole building is engulfed in flames. It's gone. It's just a matter of time before this building collapses.

'It's the most terrifying thing I've ever seen. I just hope they have got everyone out. 

Bits of debris, thought to be white cladding that was installed on the building last year as part of a £10million refurbishment, is seen falling from the building

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The fire is said to have spread from the second floor to the roof of the enormous 120-flat block in just 15 minutes, with 200 firefighters struggling to bring it under control

The charred remains of hundreds of peoples homes are desperately doused in water by firefighters as they try to bring the raging blaze under control

Six hours after the fire was first reported to emergency services, it continues to burn despite the efforts of hundreds of firefighters on the scene

The fire is said to have spread from the second floor to the roof of the enormous 120-flat block in just 15 minutes, with 200 firefighters struggling to bring it under control

Residents in the burning tower were said to be evacuating and a number of people were treated for a 'range of injuries,' Metropolitan Police said

A photograph from ITV's Good Morning Britain shows the building before it was set alight. Shown right is the tower as firefighters continued to battle the flames

A map shows the location of the tower block in west London. The surrounding area is densely populated with other houses and flats 

'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.'

A witness identified as Daniel told BBC Radio London that people on the upper floors were trapped as the flames rose higher and higher.

'People have been burned,' he said. 'I have seen it with my own eyes. And I have seen people jump.'  

Another survivor at the community centre, wearing shorts, a T-shirts and trainers and with a blanket draped around his shoulders, said he saved his own life with just moments to spare.

'My neighbour's smoke alarm went off and I thought he might have done some cooking,' he said, giving only his first name of Eddie, 55. 

'I went into the bathroom and I got the towel and wet it and wrapped it around my head. I run out into the hallway, close the door behind me and ran for where I thought the fire exit was.

'I didn't find it. It was a matter of life and death - I thought, 'If I'm in this for another five seconds, I'm a goner'.'

'Then on the ground there was a fireman, he touched my leg and pulled me into where the fire stairwell was. You couldn't see anything. I just ran down the stairs. There wasn't that many people on the stairs.

'Loads of people haven't got out of the building.'

Abdul Hamid, 51, lives on the 16th floor lost everything he owned but counted himself lucky to be alive.

'I have nothing. My passport was in there - it's gone. I'm meant to be flying to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. Now I'm homeless.'

Action group called for Grenfell Tower to be pulled down FOUR YEARS ago but say their warnings about appalling safety 'fell on deaf ears'

An action group predicted the Grenfell Tower fire was an accident waiting to happen four years ago but claim their warnings fell on deaf ears.

The fire service confirmed this morning there had been a number of fatalities in the horrific blaze which was reported just after 1am today.

Grenfell Action Group said: 'Watching breaking news about the Grenfell Tower fire catastrophe. Too soon to even guess at numbers of casualties and fatalities.

'We have posted numerous warnings in recent years about the very poor fire safety standards at Grenfell Tower and elsewhere in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC).

'All our warnings fell on deaf ears. This was inevitable and just a matter of time.'

The group had been posting about their concerns of tower block's safety regularly calling for it to be torn down before it went up in flames in the early hours of this morning in White City.

An action group predicted the Grenfell Tower fire was an accident waiting to happen four years ago but claim their warnings fell on deaf ears (pictured: the tower before the blaze)

A fire safety notice at Granfell Tower, where police confirmed there had been a number of fatalities as a result of the blaze

Chillingly, back in November, while addressing the managed by tenant managers Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), the group wrote: 'It is a truly terrifying thought but the Grenfell Action Group firmly believe that only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord, the KCTMO, and bring an end to the dangerous living conditions and neglect of health and safety legislation that they inflict upon their tenants and leaseholders.

'We believe that the KCTMO are an evil, unprincipled, mini-mafia who have no business to be charged with the responsibility of looking after the every day management of large scale social housing estates and that their sordid collusion with the RBKC Council is a recipe for a future major disaster.

'Unfortunately, the Grenfell Action Group have reached the conclusion that only an incident that results in serious loss of life of KCTMO residents will allow the external scrutiny to occur that will shine a light on the practices that characterise the malign governance of this non-functioning organisation.

'We believe that the KCTMO have ensured their ongoing survival by the use of proxy votes at their Annual General Meeting that see them returned with a mandate of 98 percent in favour of the continuation of their inept and highly dangerous management of our homes.'

There is no suggestion that KCTMO are to blame for the fire and MailOnline contacted the landlords Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, but nobody was immediately available to comment. 

The planned drawings which show the refurbishment of existing Grenfell Tower including new external cladding and fenestration, alterations to plant room, reconfiguration of lower 4 levels to provide 7 new residential units, replacement nursery and boxing club facilities, external public realm works, redevelopment and change of use of existing garages to refuse collection area

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Heroic firefighters shield themselves from the falling debris as they race to help people trapped inside the large building

Debris from the fire in the Grenfell Tower, in West London. The fire has been declared a major incident by the Mayor of London and several people are said to have died

A resident in another tower block looks on as thick plumes of smoke fill the air in west London following the devastating fire

Hundreds of firefighters were rushed to the scene in the early hours of this morning, however many of them were forced to watch on as the huge blaze stopped them reaching much of the tower

Firefighters tackling a huge inferno at a residential tower block in West London fear the 27-storey building could collapse

As residents flooded the streets outside the burning building, many spoke of members of their family or close neighbours being unaccounted for

Firefighters gather outside the building that went up in smoke today. Witnesses said the fire 'escalated very quickly' and there were people screaming for help from their windows

The fire is said to have spread from the second floor to the roof of the enormous 120-flat block in just 15 minutes, with 200 firefighters struggling to bring it under control

Commander Stuart Cundy, from the Metropolitan Police, said: 'All the emergency services and other agencies continue to work together at the scene.

'I can confirm there have been a number of fatalities and others receiving medical care. We will be soon making contact with next of kin.

'Anyone who is concerned about loved ones in relation to the fire should contact Casualty Bureau which has been opened following the fire. If you do not get through immediately please do try again.' 

Among those being evacuated was what a man described as a 'heavily disabled woman', who was being carried down the stairs by firefighters. 

Mouna Elogbani, who lives on the 11th floor with her husband and three children, aged 13, 10 and two, said she got a phone call from a neighbour warning her that the block was alight.

She said: 'I was in my home going to bed, It was around 1.30am and my children were asleep.

'My friend called on the phone and told me that the building was on fire, it was coming towards our floor and we needed to get out.

'I woke up my children and we carried them out of the flat – but when we opened the door to escape the flames burst into the house and we had to shut it again. We got out through a fire escape and down the stairs.' 

According to the London Fire Brigade, 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters are working to put out the blaze, seen here in the early hours of this morning

The enormous building was scorched to cinders by the fire, which has been raging for hours since it was first reported

The smoke fills the sky above west London. Witnesses spoke of smelling smoke at about 1am, with reports that no fire alarm sounded after the blaze broke out

A large chunk of debris (shown) falls from the sky as residents gathered outside the building to try and find their loved ones 

A police officer escorts a resident to safety (pictured) as debris fills the streets around the large building in west London

The huge fire could be seen from all over London, as the massive plume of smoke flied the skies above the capital city

'I know that there are people trapped on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd floors and one of my neighbours has passed away.'

The 27-storey block, believed to contain around 120 flats, underwent a £10million refurbishment last year.

Mrs Elogbani said: 'It was not safe anymore. They took away the security – it was no longer 100 per cent safe.

When asked about worries about how it would cope in a major fire she said: 'I wouldn't be surprised'. She said: 'We've lost everything. I am feeling sick, shocked and angry'.

A woman resident said: 'Some residents did escape. I heard some people shouting help from their windows from 20 floors. I saw them flashing their lights… and then they stopped.

'I don't know what happened – or if they are safe. It was really horrible.'

Schoolboy Omar Kalam, 11, was standing anxiously at the emergency service cordon with father Walid, 44. 'My brother has friends and they live in there,' he said. 'I'm not sure if they are all right yet.'

Parents from nearby Kensington Aldridge Academy, where Omar attends, had been told the school was closed, his father said.

Residents who managed to escape sit on the pavement as they await news of what is going on. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Those who escaped said the fire started as a 'minor incident' but soon engulfed the whole building

Londoners watch on as the building goes up in flames, with emergency services packing the streets around the scene

An arm holding a cloth can be seen waving from a window of Grenfell Tower as smoke rises from a lower window. There are around 600 people living in the tower block, which has about 140 flats

One resident told the BBC he saw a helicopter circling the tower and getting close to a woman who was waving a flag outside her window but was not able to rescue her

 Debris outside the Grenfell Tower after the fire. Those who have escaped are concerned about those who may be left inside, and an emergency number has been set up to help people locate their relatives

Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road, White City, is currently 'lurching' to one side after a 'very, very severe fire' broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning, causing people to 'beg for their lives'

Desperate residents are building ropes from sheets in an attempt to escape a huge inferno that has engulfed a tower block in west London 

The entire block has been completely covered up by the massive flames on all sides with thick plumes of smoke filling the air 

Witnesses said that the acrid smell was 'horrendous' as the inferno gutted all the windows and swept across the entire building 

The fire continued to burn as the sun rose on Wednesday with long plumes of smoke filling the air over west London

Several people are being treated for a 'range of injuries' including illness from smoke inhalation. One neighbour said he believed someone had jumped from the block

The fire has spread from the second floor to the roof of the enormous towering block, with 200 firefighters struggling to bring it under control

Nassima Boutrig, who lives opposite the building, said she was awakened by sirens and smoke so thick that it filled her home as well.

'We saw the people screaming,' she said. 'A lot of people said 'Help, help, help'. The fire brigade could only help downstairs. It was fire up, up, up. They couldn't stop the fire.'

Boutrig said her friend's brother, wife and children lived in the building and that her friend was waiting to find out if they were OK.

Flatowners in their pyjamas have been evacuated as police are pushing people away from the area for fear the block will collapse due to 'chunks' of debris flying off from the tower.

The cordon around the block has been pushed back by police and homes surrounding it evacuated amid fears that the building could collapse in the densely populated area of London. 

Police, 40 fire engines and helicopters rushed to the scene as horrifying pictures emerged on social media showing giant flames licking up the side of the block.

Fire crews from North Kensington, Kensington, Hammersmith and Paddington and from surrounding fire stations are in attendance. The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.

Tim Downie, who lives a few hundred feet from the building, told Sky News: 'The acrid smell is just horrendous. The building has pretty much burnt out, there are just a few bits that are still not burning.

'Every single window is gutted. There is debris falling off it. The heat was extraordinary. The fire has wrapped itself around the block. People on the street said it started on the fourth floor and spread all the way up and around.

The London Fire Brigade said: 'Crews continue to work hard at tower block fire in North Kensington. Fire is from 2nd to top floor of 27 storey building.'  

Firemen were inside trying to get people out of the building, which was built in 1974 and part of the Lancaster West Estate. 

Horrified residents watched the blaze. There are 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters at the Lancaster West Estate

Terrified residents in their pyjamas have been evacuated from the residential block as police are warning people to stay away for fear it might collapse

Witnesses spoke of helicopters circling above the blazing tower block for hours since the fire started at 1am on Wednesday

The windows were seen burning bright orange as massive plumes of black smoke filled the air 

 The 'horrendous' blaze has struck the 27-storey Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road, White City, in the early hours of Wednesday morning

Residents have been asked to shine torches and phones out of their windows so the fire brigade knew there was someone who needed rescuing.

By 3am, at least one torch was still shining from the block, which was ablaze on two sides as hundreds of concerned neighbours gathered near the building to watch and try to contact those inside.

Jody Martin said he got to the scene just as the first fire engine was arriving. He told the BBC: 'I grabbed an axe from the fire truck, it looked like there was a bit of confusion about what to do.

'I ran around the building looking for a fire escape and couldn't see any noticeable fire escapes around the building. A lot of debris falling down.

'I eventually gained entry on to the second floor, and once I got to the corridor I realised there was so much smoke there.'

He added that given the thickness of the smoke, he would be surprised if anyone could have left the building without assistance.

'I watched one person falling out, I watched another woman holding her baby out the window... hearing screams, I was yelling everyone to get down and they were saying 'We can't leave our apartments, the smoke is too bad on the corridors',' he said.

Local councillor Nick Paget-Brown described the blaze as a 'very, very severe fire'. He told Sky News: 'Clearly it's an absolutely devastating fire.

'Several hundred would have been in there. It's a question of establishing how many people were in there at the time of the fire. 

A group of people trying to help out police were forced back because they were walking towards the burning building

Police and 40 fire engines have rushed to the scene as hundreds of concerned residents gathered outside to try to contact their loved ones 

Two trapped people leaned out of their windows (left) as they tried to get to a ladder (right) which fell just short of their floor 

Fire crews from North Kensington, Kensington, Hammersmith and Paddington and from surrounding fire stations are in attendance. The cause of the fire is not known at this stage, the London Fire Brigade said in a statement

'I'm really not in any position to answer any questions about the structure.

'Clearly there's a lot more work to do to evacuate the building and to establish how safe it is.'

Fire crews from north Kensington, Kensington, Hammersmith and Paddington and surrounding stations were at the scene with the fire burning from the second to the top floor.

The cause of the fire was not known at this stage, London Fire Brigade said.

Fabio Bebber wrote on Twitter: 'More screams for help as the fire spreads to another side of the building.

'We can see how quick the fire spreads via the external panels. It's unbearable hearing someone screaming for their lives at #grenfelltower.' 

One neighbour, Derry Glover, told MailOnline he first heard sirens at around 1am. He added that he believed someone had jumped from the building.

The London Fire Brigade received multiple calls to the fire which spread from the second floor to the top floor of the 27 floor building.

Assistant Commissioner Dan Daly said: 'Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are working extremely hard in very difficult conditions to tackle this fire. This is a large and very serious incident and we have deployed numerous resources and specialist appliances.'

'The Brigade was called to the fire at 12.54am and is still at the scene. Fire crews from North Kensington, Kensington, Hammersmith and Paddington and from surrounding fire stations are in attendance. The cause of the fire is not known at this stage,' the brigade said in a statement.

A group of people trying to help out police were forced back because they were walking towards the burning building. A witness told BBC Radio: 'There are parents and kids in pajamas waiting outside.'

The residential block has hundreds of residents – two of whom are being treated for illness from smoke inhalation

Residents still in the building had been told by firefighters to line the bottom of their doors to stop smoke getting in. Meanwhile, police conducted a roll call of flats to work out who might still be trapped inside

One panicked resident wrote on Twitter: 'I'm stuck in this block!!! Can't leave my house because I'll die from the smoke'

Hundreds of firefighters are working to try to fight the blaze, but are still struggling to get it under control

Residents still in the building had been told by firefighters to line the bottom of their doors to stop smoke getting in. Meanwhile, police conducted a roll call of flats to work out who might still be trapped inside.

George Clarke, the presenter of Amazing Spaces, told Radio 5 Live: 'I was in bed and heard 'beep, beep, beep' and thought, 'I'll get up and run downstairs as quickly as I could'.

'I thought it might be a car alarm outside and saw the glow through the windows. I'm getting covered in ash, that's how bad it is. I'm 100 metres away and I'm absolutely covered in ash. It's so heartbreaking, I've seen someone flashing their torches at the top level and they obviously can't get out.

'The guys are doing an incredible job to try and get people out that building, but it's truly awful.' 

Clarita Ghavimi, 66, who lives on seventh floor, said she was told to leave the building amid fears it might collapse. 

'Every single window is gutted. There is debris falling off it. The heat was extraordinary. The fire has wrapped itself around the block' a witness said 

Police have continued to widen the cordons around the tower for fear that it will collapse onto people 

'At 12.30am I heard a loud alarm and I woke up,' she told MailOnline.

'Then I heard a voice on the speaker saying 'You need to get out, the building's going to collapse.' I went to the door and my flat started smoking so I grabbed a towel and made it damp to stop the smoke.' 

She added: 'When I opened my door two men carried me down the stairs. I am concerned that my son doesn't think that I'm safe. I've tried to get in contact with him but I can't remember his number. I feel like I have some smoke inhalation.'

Ms Ghavimi explained that she only has her bus pass on her. 'My passport, everything is in there.'

Shocked bystanders filmed the blaze from the ground, and shouted at trapped people waving from their windows to 'cover their mouths'. 

An eye witness said: 'There are about 15 fire engines but are struggling to get in and out because there is just one narrow road in and one narrow road out'

Desperate residents trapped high in the tower have built ropes from sheets (left) in an attempt to reach the ground

Shocked bystanders prayed for those trapped inside as they spoke of helicopters flying over the blaze for 'nearly two hours'

'Cover your mouth with a wet towel,' they yelled. 'Don't panic. It started on the fourth floor or something. There are people in their windows, putting their heads out.' 

An eye witness said: 'There are about 15 fire engines but are struggling to get in and out because there is just one narrow road in and one narrow road out.'  

Another added: 'Sirens flying up and down the road and police helicopter hovering for nearly 2 hours has been the noise tonight. Terrible.'

Tim Donwie wrote: 'Raging fire near Latimer Road. Whole block of 24 floors up in flames. People still trapped inside. Horrendous.' 

One resident wrote on Twitter: 'I'm stuck in this block!!! Can't leave my house because I'll die from the smoke.' 

Celeste Thomas added: 'Police have moved everyone back out of direct sight but can hear cracking and debris falling.  

The roads outside the residential block, which has 120 flats, were filled with panicked people who reported hearing people screaming inside

Police and the London Fire Brigade have rushed to the scene of the fire in West London

'Police have been asking everyone to go inside. Fire spread and not yet showing signs of coming under control.'

A third added: '24 storeys burning in West London area. All floors and columns burning.' 

Met Police said in a statement: 'Police were called at 1.16am on Wednesday, 14 June to reports of a large fire at a block of flats in the Lancaster West Estate, W11.

'Officers, the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service are currently at the scene. An evacuation process is underway.

'At this stage we are aware of two people being treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. We await an update as to whether there are any further injuries.

'The Local Authority has been informed. Cordons are in place and it is advised that the estate and surrounding area is avoided.' 

From King's Cross to Camberwell and Worsley Hotel to Dudgeon's Wharf, London's most deadly fires 

BY MARK DUELL

The blaze that tore through the Grenfell Tower block of flats in West London is the latest in a long line of devastating fires in the capital. Here are eight of the worst fatal fires to have hit London over the past 60 years:

February 6, 2017 - Hornchurch - three dead

Three members of the same family died after a fire ripped through a house in Hornchurch, East London. Jim Whelan, 76, and his younger brother Joe were pronounced dead in hospital, while Joe's 68-year-old wife Anne died at the scene. Investigators are working to establish the cause of the fire, which is not yet known.

July 3, 2009 - Lakanal House - six dead

Three women and three children died when a fire engulfed the Lakanal House tower block in Camberwell, after an electrical fault with a television. Catherine Hickman, 31, Helen Udoaka, 34, and her three-week-old daughter Michelle died in the tragedy. Dayana Francisquini, 26, and her children, six-year-old Thais and Felipe, three, were also killed. Southwark Council was later fined £270,000 and ordered to pay £300,000 in costs by a judge after being prosecuted for safety failings.

Three women and three children died when a fire engulfed the Lakanal House tower block in Camberwell, after an electrical fault with a television in July 2009

Southwark Council was later fined £270,000 and ordered to pay £300,000 in costs by a judge after being prosecuted for safety failings

November 18, 1987 - King's Cross station - 31 dead

The worst fire in London Underground history killed 31 people and injured at least 100 more at King's Cross station. It started under a wooden escalator leading from the Piccadilly Line platforms to the mainline station at about 7.30pm. A huge 1,100F (600C) ball of fire and smoke then exploded up from the escalators into the ticket hall. Many passengers were trapped underground by the blaze, which was tackled by more than 150 firefighters and only fully extinguished at 1.46am the next day.

The worst fire in London Underground history killed 31 people and injured at least 100 more at King's Cross station in November 1987

The fire at King's Cross started under a wooden escalator leading from the Piccadilly Line platforms to the mainline station at about 7.30pm

August 16, 1980: Denmark Place - 37 dead

A deliberately started fire at 18 Denmark Place, the home of two unlicensed bars - The Spanish Rooms and the Rodo's – began when John Thompson, 42, poured petrol through the letterbox and set the three-storey building alight. Some 37 people died while others escaped by jumping out of windows - and firefighters found bodies slumped to the floor 'like dominoes'. Petty drug dealer Thompson claimed he started the fire because he was 'drunk and possibly being overcharged by the barman'.

13 December 1974 - Worsley Hotel - seven dead

Seven people including a firefighter were killed when a blaze broke out at the Worsley Hotel in Maida Vale, West London. The property was made up of a series of interconnected four and five storey buildings, used to house hotel and catering employees, and the fire spread quickly in the early hours. Kitchen porter Edward Mansfield was found guilty of the manslaughter of seven people and of three charges of arson. He was jailed for life in December 1975.

Seven people including a firefighter were killed when a blaze broke out at the Worsley Hotel in Maida Vale, West London, in December 1974

July 17, 1969: Dudgeon's Wharf - six dead

Five firefighters were killed when oil tanks exploded at Dudgeon's Wharf on the Isle of Dogs in what was the greatest single loss of London firefighters since the Second World War. The blaze broke out in a 60ft oil storage tank on the River Thames waterfront - and firefighters went inside to make sure that it had been put out, after believing this had been done by demolition workers. But a spark from cutting equipment caused a fatal explosion, which also killed a construction worker.

Five firefighters were killed as well as a construction worker when oil tanks exploded at Dudgeon's Wharf on the Isle of Dogs in July 1969

December 4, 1964: Bishopsgate Goodsyard - two dead

One of the biggest peacetime fires in London's history was caused when a train depot on Shoreditch High Street went up in flames, killing two customs officers and causing millions of pounds worth of damage. The depot, which had originally opened as a passenger terminal, had become a dedicated freight station since 1881 and served the busy ports of eastern England. More than 300 freight wagons and 60 motor vehicles were on the 11-acre site when the fire broke out. 

January 23, 1958: Smithfield Market

Some 1,700 firefighters tackled an extraordinary blaze at Union Cold Storage Company at Smithfield Market in East London – and two of them, Station Officer Jack Fort-Wells and Firefighter Dick Stocking, died in the basement. Around two dozen firefighters were also injured at the blaze, which burned for three days. The incident prompted the London Fire Brigade to change its policy on firefighter breathing gear and replace 'Proto' oxygen sets with compressed air breathing apparatus.

Some 1,700 firefighters tackled an extraordinary blaze at Union Cold Storage Company at Smithfield Market in East London – and two of them died in the basement

Around two dozen firefighters were also injured at the blaze, which burned for three days

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Could firms who run inferno tower face prosecution? Company paid £11M to manage flats accused of 'incompetence' as construction boss who oversaw £10m revamp admits he 'doesn't know what it's clad in' 

The company responsible for the safety and maintenance of the block of flats which turned into a raging inferno and killing at least 12 people was paid £11million last year from taxpayer's money. 

Grenfell Tower is council-owned but the management of the building is down to an independent company - the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) - whose stock consists of 6,900 rentable homes and 2,500 leasehold properties having been handed a contract in 1996.

The flats underwent a £10million refurbishment which was completed in May last year, and improvements included the installation of insulated exterior cladding, new double glazed windows and a new communal heating system.

A two year project was designed and delivered by KCTMO in partnership with Rydon Construction who have come under fire for not knowing the exact details of the cladding.

The Health and Safety Executive, the police and the fire service are now expected to launch a large-scale investigation and Rachel Adamson, Head of Regulatory Law at Stephensons law firm, said for an incident of this size it is very likely they will be considering criminal charges. 

Firefighters have spent all day trying to contain the inferno in the tower block owned by the council

The planned drawings which show the refurbishment of existing Grenfell Tower including new external cladding and fenestration, alterations to plant room, reconfiguration of lower 4 levels to provide 7 new residential units, replacement nursery and boxing club facilities, external public realm works, redevelopment and change of use of existing garages to refuse collection area

Robert Black (left) who is Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation's Chief Executive and in charge of the management of Grenfell Tower (right)

She told MailOnline: 'Corporate manslaughter charges are often quite difficult to prove as they relate to the controlling mind of the business.

'If an individual is thought to have been negligent, a charge of manslaughter by gross negligence may be considered.

'There are a range of other potential charges, such as breach of fire regulations or breach of health and safety regulations, these are the tiers down from manslaughter.'

Investigators are expected to look at how recent renovation work was carried out, whether Construction Regulations have been adhered to, and what fire safety precautions were in place.  

Residents described the building's new feature going up 'like a matchstick', and when the firm's director Andrew Goldman appeared on Good Morning Britain today, he said all the materials used had been passed as safe by the relevant authorities but added: 'We don't know there is any direct link between the fire and cladding.

'There are various different types of cladding and I don't know the exact specifications.'

There have been reports that neither the sprinkler system nor the fire alarm went off in the early hours, and KCTMO was paid £420,000 to deliver what it described as Community Alarm Services throughout the area. 

Robert Black is the company's Chief Executive Officer and he took office in 2009 having previously worked as Executive Director of Service at Circle Anglia for five years where he was responsible for services for 45,000 homes across seven companies including asset management.

He is a father of who who lives in a £1million house in South East London with his wife of almost 20 years. 

Barbara Matthews is the Executive Director of Financial Services and ICT, Yvonne Birch is the Executive Director of People and Performance and Sacha Jevans is the Executive Director of Operations.

They are the four most senior members of KCTMO and according to papers seen by MailOnline, they earned £650,000 between them last year.

All four have been contacted individually by MailOnline and the company has been asked to make a comment, but nobody was available to do so. 

Their company was formed when Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council handed over management and maintenance of their properties to an outside company. 

A spokesman for the council told MailOnline the local authority sent KCTMO their 'list' and that the tenant company was responsible for putting those people into their properties. 

When asked to elaborate on who made up this list in terms of where they are from and their employment status, the spokesman refused to comment. 

Sacha Jevans, who is Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation's Director of Operations

Barbara Matthews (right) is the Executive Director of Financial Services and ICT and Yvonne Birch (left) is the Executive Director of People and Performance

A tweet sent by KCTMO's Barbara Matthews on February 22 showing off the company's Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For award by The Sunday Times

Rydon's Andrew Goldman, left, was on Good Morning Britain today and could not give details on the cladding used and residents say they told former KCMOT worker Siobhan Rumble of their safety concerns, but claim their warnings were overlooked

Construction on the flats started in 1972 and was finished in 1974 when it was under complete council control, but in 1996, the KCTMO was handed the contract to manage the tower block.

A council spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'The Council still owns the properties and retains responsibility for strategic housing policies and homeless people.

'The relationship between the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) and the Council is governed by a management agreement, which covers all areas of the landlord business.

'Whilst the KCTMO still enjoys a close working relationship with the Council, it is a completely separate company.' 

'These things are signed off by the relevant authorities to make sure they comply.'

More than one resident has claimed that there was no central fire alarm system for the tower block - or it had failed - and only smoke alarms in individual flats were working.

There are also claims that there that there was no central sprinkler system - or it was also not working properly during the fire.

Others have claimed that the new cladding encasing the block added during last year's £10million refurbishment by Rydon Construction caught alight 'like a matchstick'. 

Rydon turns over a massive £270million by carrying out development, maintenance and management throughout England.

The proposed refurbishment works at Grenfell Tower

On Good Morning Britain today, Piers Morgan pressed the director on why he did not know the details of the materials used. 

'What I find baffling here Mr Goldman,' editor at large of DailyMail.com Piers Morgan said,'Is that you don't seem to know what the cladding was made of given the entire building as part of your refurbishment was covered in this cladding.

'I would have thought the materials that are used are absolutely vital. How come you don't know?'

Mr Goldman said: 'It's a technical question and I need to discuss that.

'We delivered a job based on the specifications that we were required to deliver it on.

'As I say again health and safety for us was a company is absolutely critical and we go through the procedures we are required to got through to make sure we are meeting the standards.'

When Piers said the 'finger of suspicion' was being pointed at the cladding, Mr Goldman said he would be trying to get the facts together 'very quickly'. 

Talking of the refurbishment, Robert Black, KCTMO's Chief Executive, said: 'We're delighted to have worked in partnership with the Council to deliver this major regeneration of the tower. 

'This has improved the homes overall and residents can now have the benefits of living in energy-efficient homes, all in a vastly improved environment.'

Rydon said it is 'shocked to hear of the devastating fire' adding that the work 'met all required building control, fire regulation and health and safety standards'. 

Today's blaze is an almost carbon copy of a fire in October 2015 in another KCTMO property, when sleeping residents were evacuated from a tower block and 16 people taken to hospital after a fire in a third-floor flat.

Firefighters rescued 50 people from the 14-storey building in west London and two residents were forced to escape from their balconies as the blaze raged.

Residents crawled to safety and described seeing 'fireballs' at Adair Tower in Appleford Road in North Kensington. 

Dany Cotton, Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, said there had been 'a number of fatalities' following a 'unprecedented incident' that she described as the largest in scale that she had seen in her 29-year career

Police officers with riot shields escort Firemen underneath shields to protect themselves from falling debris as they enter the tower block. The scene of a huge fire at Grenfell tower block in White City, London

An action group predicted the Grenfell Tower fire was an accident waiting to happen four years ago but claim their warnings fell on deaf ears when they warned former KCTMO worker Siobhan Rumble.  

Grenfell Action Group said: 'Watching breaking news about the Grenfell Tower fire catastrophe. Too soon to even guess at numbers of casualties and fatalities.

'We have posted numerous warnings in recent years about the very poor fire safety standards at Grenfell Tower and elsewhere in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC).

'All our warnings fell on deaf ears. This was inevitable and just a matter of time.'

The group had been posting about their concerns of tower block's safety regularly calling for it to be torn down before it went up in flames in the early hours of this morning in White City. 

When Mr Black took office, he gave an interview to local news outlet Get West London, when he vowed to sweep away the past and focus on improving repairs, not internal politics and stamp out division to create cohesion within the board.

He said: 'We need to rebuild that trust with people who are angry with us.

'I've got to get people to move on. We got to be honest and show people we are doing it. The onus is on the board to find some common ground.

'We have to try and focus on what we are here to do – deliver great services. Issues around repairs are fundamental in changing people's perception of the KCTMO.' 

Desperate relatives hunt for missing loved ones and launch social media appeals to track their families down after West London tower block inferno 

Families have begun the desperate search for loved ones that have gone missing after a huge inferno engulfed a tower block in west London.

Moments after cheating death and escaping Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road, White City, relatives are now faced with the prospect of having to search for those who have gone missing during the ensuing chaos.

Social media campaigns have been launched by relatives of several children and elderly people caught up in the fire who are currently unaccounted for.

Natalie Garcia tweeted to say her 12-year-old cousin little cousin Jessica Urbano was missing. Jessica's parents last heard from her at 1.39am when she phoned from a fire escape in the flats.

Also unaccounted for is teenager Nurhuda El-Wahabi, as well as her older brother Yasin, aged 21, both of whom are understood to have been inside the tower block when the fire broke out.

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Natalie Garcia tweeted to say her 12-year-old cousin little cousin Jessica Urbano was missing after trying to escape the fire

Jessica is pictured with her parents Ramiro and Adriana. Jessica's parents last heard from her at 1.39am when she phoned from a fire escape in the flats

Mariem Elgwahry (pictured) has not been seen by friends since 2am this morning. A friend called Emma Evans said on Facebook that Mariem was on the 19th floor

Khadija Saye, who lives on the 20th floor of Grenfell Tower in west London is also among those who are currently missing. Friends said that she was recognisable by the Africa pendant she always wears around her neck

Tottenham MP David Lammy appealed to followers on Twitter for any information on Khadija Saye. He wrote: 'If you have any information about Khadija Saye pls contact me. She is our dear friend, a beautiful soul and emerging artist'

Hamid Ali Jafari tweeted asking for any information on his missing father Ali Yawar (pictured), who he says he was separated from on the 12th floor

Also unaccounted for is teenager Nurhuda El-Wahabi (left), as well as her older brother Yasin (right), aged 21, both of whom are understood to have been inside the tower block when the fire broke out

Saber Neda who lived in a top-floor flat, is feared dead after the fire ripped through the 27-storey building. While his wife Shakila, 45, and son Farhad, 24, fled the blaze, Saber's family say he stayed behind because he was injured

Khadija Saye, who lives on the 20th floor of Grenfell Tower, is also among those who are currently missing. Friends said that she was recognisable by the Africa pendant she always wears around her neck.

Tottenham MP David Lammy wrote on Twitter: 'If you have any information about Khadija Saye pls contact me. She is our dear friend, a beautiful soul and emerging artist.'

A committee member for the Lancaster West Estate, where the tower block is located, told The Mirror that the emergency services had a missing list possibly numbered in the 'hundreds'. 

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: 'I have been told that anyone past the 21st floor did not make it. The firefighters told them to stay where they were.

'We have a list of missing people there are so many, it's possible there are more than 50, possibly hundreds.'

'But the tenant management organisation say it's likely many of those missing are in hospital and have just not checked in.'

A friend of a mother who lives in the tower block said she still heard from her after receiving a Snapchat video of the blaze at 3am.

Ranya Ibrahim, 30, sent her friend Maseen the clip just moments after the blaze started.

Maseen, who lives near the huge tower block, said: 'My friend, Ranya Ibrahim, lives on the top floor with her two friends who are just three and five years old. 

Francis Dean said his sister Zainab (left) told been told by firefighter to remain in her flat on the 14th floor along with her son Jeremiah, 2. Also missing is Nadia Choucair (right)

Moments after cheating death and escaping Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road, White City, relatives are now faced with the prospect of having to search for those who have gone missing during the ensuing chaos

Lee Disson posted a message on Facebook this morning asking for anyone to provide information on his missing father Tony

'I received a Snapchat video from Ranya at 3am just after the fire started and I haven't heard from her since. She lives on the top floor and her husband was not home because he is on holiday.'

Jeryll, 14, said: 'I have heard a couple of classmates were in this tower. One has made it out but I'm not sure about the other one.

'There are a couple of girls missing who attended my school. One of the girl's sister, who is only eight years old, is still in the building.'

Francis Dean said his sister Zainab told been told by firefighter to remain in her flat on the 14th floor along with her son Jeremiah, 2.

He told The Telegraph: 'My sister called me to say there was a fire in the tower. I told her to leave by the stairs but she said she had been told to stay inside her flat. That was in the early hours of today and I've not heard from her since. I fear the worst.'

Mr Dean said that a firefighter used his phone to speak to his sister. 'He told her to keep calm and that they were coming to get her,' he said. 'He kept saying that to her again and again. 

'But then he handed me the phone and said to me 'Tell her you love her'. I knew then to fear the worst. The phone went dead and I couldn't talk to her.' 

Saber Neda is feared dead after the fire ripped his top-floor flat. While his wife Shakila, 45, and son Farhad, 24, fled the blaze, Saber's family say he stayed behind because he was injured.

The 57-year-old was last heard from at 2.20am when he made a frantic phone call to a relative to say that the building was burning and that there was 'no help'.

Saber, whose birth name is Mohamed, is understood to have parted with Shakila and university graduate Farhad at 3.30am but has not been seen since.

The father-of-one's nephew Reshad Habib, who lives in the Netherlands, said: 'We are all trying to find him. He was last heard from at 3.30am when he told his wife and son to leave him. He said that they had to get out.

'He said they should go and he would follow. We all don't know the exact reason why he waited behind, but we think he was injured or something. They were both taken to hospital. We don't know how they are.

'We haven't heard anything from my uncle since. They had been living for 20 years in that flat and they lived on the very top floor of the building.

'We got a call when the fire started. He said there was a big fire at the flat and that there was no help at the moment. That was at 2.20am.

'His wife and child are OK. I have talked briefly to his son. My auntie and him are in different hospitals from each other in a stable condition. We just hope that they will find him.

The family of missing 12-year-old Jessica Urbano is at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital desperately waiting to hear news of her whereabouts. 

Her sister Melanie Urbano said the family received a call at about 4am from somebody to say they had seen Jessica being put into an ambulance.

But Melanie said they have not heard any more news since the call. She said: 'We heard a couple of hours ago that she was seen in the area and that she was getting into an ambulance. Someone in the area saw her.'

Melanie said the hospital has not been able to confirm whether Jessica was taken there. She said: 'They don't know anything. They don't have lists or anything like that.'

Michael Paramarsivan, 37, was asleep on the seventh floor of Grenfell Tower with partner Hannah and her daughter Thea, five, when the fire broke out. He told MailOnline he woke to the smell of smoke and ignored safety advice to stay inside, instead deciding to get his family out of the building

British actor and director Noel Clarke was among those to tweet asking for help in trying to find the youngster. 

Clarke was at the scene of the blaze today and said he came down as he feared for his mother who lives '50 yards' from Grenfell Tower.

He said: 'My relatives live here, I grew up here, my films are set here, my friends live here, one of my friend's nieces is still missing.

'I was on my way into town and I knew i had to come and help so i have been here carrying water inside the church.

'I've got clothes being delivered by a couple of labels and Pepsi are going to be sending drinks.'

The former Dr Who star added: 'The community support has been great. London has been affected by a lot in the past few weeks and the way people are coming together is amazing.'

He refused to comment on accusations the building was poorly managed and added: 'I don't want to talk about politics, what's important now is helping the people'.

Meanwhile, a woman who volunteers at one of the local community centres where residents are being taken said dozens of children remain missing, as separated families desperately try to reunite with their loved ones.

Saber Neda who lived in a top-floor flat, is feared dead after the fire ripped through the 24-storey building.

While his wife Shakila, 45, and son Farhad, 24, fled the blaze, Saber's family say he stayed behind because he was injured. 

The 57-year-old was last heard from at 2.20am when he made a frantic phone call to a relative to say that the building was burning and that there was 'no help'.

Saber, whose birth name is Mohamed, is understood to have parted with Shakila and university graduate Farhad at 3.30am but has not been seen since.

The father-of-one's nephew Reshad Habib, who lives in the Netherlands, said: 'We are all trying to find him.

'He was last heard from at 3.30am when he told his wife and son to leave him. He said that they had to get out. He said they should go and he would follow.

'We all don't know the exact reason why he waited behind, but we think he was injured or something. They were both taken to hospital. We don't know how they are. 

'We haven't heard anything from my uncle since. They had been living for 20 years in that flat and they lived on the very top floor of the building.

'We got a call when the fire started. He said there was a big fire at the flat and that there was no help at the moment. That was at 2.20am.

'His wife and child are OK. I have talked briefly to his son. My auntie and him are in different hospitals from each other in a stable condition. We just hope that they will find him.'

Nadia Choucair lives on one of the top floors of Grenfell Tower with her husband, three daughters and her mother in law. A friend on the ground said she had rang to say she did not think she 'would make it'.

The tower block is currently 'lurching' to one side after a 'very, very severe fire' broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with those inside claiming a fire alarm failed to sound. 

More than 600 residents desperately tried to escape the flames as the fire broke out in the middle of the night, with many woken by the screams of others and the smell of burning plastic.

A casualty bureau close to the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower asked people to get in touch with a dedicated missing persons line

Local residents gather close to the scene of a serious fire in a tower block at Latimer Road in West London

As residents flooded the streets outside the building, many spoke of members of their family or close neighbours being unaccounted for, as they were forced to watch on as their home and all their belongings went up in flames.

One woman said that residents faced 'either jumping out the window with their children and risk breaking bones or staying where you were and dying'.

An emergency telephone number has been set up for those caught up in the horrific blaze. It can be reached by calling 0800 0691 233.