London fire: 6 dead, at least 70 injured, UK PM Theresa May calls for cross-govt meet

Mangalore Today News Network

London, June 14, 2017 : A massive fire broke out in Latimer Road’s Grenfell Tower located in White City district in West London in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Six people were confirmed dead by the Metropolitan Police; the fatalities are expected to rise. Over 70 people were treated at six hospitals across the city, of which at least 20 are in critical care. Operations are currently underway at the 24-storey tower, with fire still ablaze on some floors.

 

The residential building, constructed in 1974, has nearly 120 apartments spread over 20 floors. It is owned by the local government but managed by a private company, reported The New York Times. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

“Our thoughts are with everyone involved in this truly shocking fire at Grenfell Tower. I can confirm six fatalities at this time but this figure is likely to rise during what will be a complex recovery operation over a number of days. Many others are receiving medical care,” Commander Stuart Cundy, from the Metropolitan Police, said. The identities of the victims could not be immediately identified. Till now, crews have made it as far as the 19th and 20th floors of the tower block, Reuters reported.

Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the fire, UK Prime Minister Theresa May called for a cross-government meeting at 3.00 pm (local time) on Wednesday. It will be chaired by police and fire minister Nick Hurd, reported Reuters.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his devastation after being briefed of the situation. In a statement, he said, “My heart goes out to everyone affected. I am sad to confirm that we now know that there have been fatalities and more than 50 people have been taken to hospitals to be treated for injuries. The fire service is dealing with a rapidly changing situation and these numbers are likely to rise.”
london fire, london tower fire, london building fire, fire in london, great fire of london, North Kensington, world news London fire updates: Police has cordoned off the area around Grenfell Tower. (Source: AP Photo)

“There will be a great number of 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,” Khan said. Read more here.

Courtesy:IndianExpress