London tower block fire: Flames engulf Grenfell Tower

[Gerald]

A huge fire has raged through the night at a tower block in Latimer Road, west London, with eyewitnesses claiming people are trapped in their homes.
The fire at Grenfell Tower on the Lancaster West Estate was reported at 00:54 BST and about 200 firefighters are still tackling the blaze.
The Met Police said people were being treated for "a range of injuries".

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-40269625

Causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease.

[Gerald]

The Met Police has set up an emergency number on 0800 0961 233 for anyone concerned about friends or family.

[Reece]

I have been watching that most of the day, very sad, all those trapped people!!
I still don't know what caused the fire but apparently the alarm system didn't work and the sprinkler system didn't work either.
Seems bad that they didn't have external fire escapes and seems no way to get to the roof either, they were all trapped!!
Such a tragedy, my prayers go out to the grieving loved ones.

[hauangua]

Really sad for this tragedy...
My thoughts to all these people

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Reece

I have been watching that most of the day, very sad, all those trapped people!!
I still don't know what caused the fire but apparently the alarm system didn't work and the sprinkler system didn't work either.
Seems bad that they didn't have external fire escapes and seems no way to get to the roof either, they were all trapped!!
Such a tragedy, my prayers go out to the grieving loved ones.

Yeah, not looking good at all. Six people have died and more than 50 are in hospital and London Mayor Sadiq Khan said "a lot" of people were unaccounted for.

Now that it is known the fire alarm and sprinkler system were inoperative there will surely be severe repercussions for those responsible and rightly so.

[STEED]

Death traps tower blocks, terrible news to watch can only hope the death toll is low.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by STEED

Death traps tower blocks, terrible news to watch can only hope the death toll is low.

I certainly hope not but the death toll could easily reach double figures.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

I certainly hope not but the death toll could easily reach double figures.

True I rather see no deaths but in a tower block the chances are very low. I hope what has been reported will not go up but what can one say.

[Aktungbby]

"We can't have a situation where people's safety is put at risk because of bad advice being given or if it is the case, as has been alleged, of tower blocks not being properly serviced or maintained," he said.
Matt Wrack, of the Fire Brigades Union said something had clearly gone badly wrong with fire prevention procedures at the building.
Firefighters would normally fight a fire in a tower block from the inside, going up the fire escape, and fighting using the internal dry-rising mains, he said, but that's not been possible in this case.
Construction firm Rydon said recent building work which it carried out on the block "met all required building control, fire regulation and health and safety standards".

This was always my worst concern at Geneva Towers (two twin 22 floor Federal subsidized housing bldgs); a veritable crack palace and vertical ghetto! where I was a grave-shift Lt. Two highrise Federal office buildings and the Oakland Federal twin Towers were also of concern but had modern fire protection incl. pressurized fire exits..... Fortunately in May '98, Genva Towers ceased to be a miserable problem in 15 seconds.. after months of denuding the structure of all asbestos related objects. A happy day!

[STEED]

Seems the cladding on the outside is under investigation.

[eddie]

Saw on the news over here that some parents were trying to get people to help save their children, were dropping them down to the people below, sadly from the 8th floor!! I couldn't imagine the fear they were going through, thoughts and prayers go out to them all.

[Jimbuna]

Some eyewitness accounts are much worse than that Eddie but I'm not wanting to add to the tragedy.

God bless them all.

[Reece]

Wonder what caused the fire?

Anyone got some pics of what the building looked like before the fire?

[fireftr18]

I've been keeping up with it as far as I could today. This is truly among a firefighter's worst nightmare. I'm not going to try to speculate on the cause.

[eddie]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Some eyewitness accounts are much worse than that Eddie but I'm not wanting to add to the tragedy.

God bless them all.

I agree with you Jim. I was just so shocked to see it! I suppose we would have done anything we could to save our children from the fire too. I can't imagine the fear and horror they felt as the fire raged around them. Its beyond words really, and like you said, God bless them all.

As far as what I have heard as to the cause of the fire, only thing they said for sure that it started on the 4th floor, but the cause is unknown yet.